Along the Mississippi River

Stories about the Mississippi River can bring out a bit of Huckleberry Finn in even the most timid traveller. For much of the 2,340 miles, from its northern headwaters to the Gulf of Mexico, the river flows behind tall levees, between high bluffs and past wetland forests. Except in some major cities along the way, its path provides limited public access but a handful of spots between Tunica and Natchez do allow you to see and experience the river and bring imagination to life.

Drive between the two towns, and you can enjoy panoramic views from atop the bluffs. Ride a riverboat, and you can learn firsthand about the river’s geography and lore. Or you can discover native wildlife from a canoe while paddling the legendary waterway. Click here for information on Mississippi River Cruises operated by Mississippi River Tours based in Vicksburg. Cruises are just over an hour and feature a wealth of information about the history and ecology of the Mighty Mississippi.

One of the most breathtaking views of the Mississippi spreads out below Bluff Park in Natchez. Stand in the old-fashioned gazebo on a clear day and you can see for miles. Downriver, the twin cantilever bridges that span the water create a striking pattern against the evening sky. Across the river, surprisingly, the land spreads flat, only a few feet above the floodplain.

Vicksburg National Military Park offers two prime spots for viewing the river. For the most spectacular vista, stop along the driving tour at Louisiana Circle and stroll to the overlook. You can also glimpse the river from the road above the USS Cairo Museum. The ironclad Cairo, which sank during the Civil War, was recovered only a few miles from where it rests today, a time capsule from another century. The view of the river disappears entirely when you enter the museum’s car park, but walk down the hill into the Vicksburg National Cemetery, and you can again spot the water through the trees.

An easy way to simply see the river is to drive across one of the four bridges that connect Mississippi to Arkansas or Louisiana. Pick the one that carries US 49, just south of Tunica, or the others at Greenville, Vicksburg and Natchez. But measuring the width of this legendary waterway by the length of time it takes to drive across it pales in comparison to actually getting down to the water and eyeing the distant bank.

At the Tunica RiverPark, gaze out over the Mississippi from the observation deck atop the museum, and then step inside to learn about the river’s history and lore with fascinating video footage, and an insight into the Mississippi Delta culture. Outside, step aboard the Tunica Queen for an hour-long cruise and listen to the captain tell stories of explorers.

A couple of centuries ago, the bulk of the vessels carrying cargo were flatboats, guided by fearless men who floated their goods downriver, then made their way back home overland on the Natchez Trace.

A more intimate adventure comes via a trip with the Quawpaw Canoe Company. Based in Clarksdale, it offers guided Mississippi River canoe and kayak trips that last a day or longer. On the overnight trips, you may find yourself tucked into a sleeping bag on the beach of an island in the river, with the glow of an open fire nearby and the gentle sound of waves to lull you to sleep.

Take a break from the water…

• In downtown Vicksburg, look for the Riverfront Murals on the flood wall at Levee Street, Painter Robert Dafford worked on the last of the 32 murals in 2009. They depict the city’s role in America’s history.
• Chill out with a picnic lunch in Great River Road State Park, in Rosedale, and climb the 75-foot high observation tower for a panoramic view of the Mississippi River.
• Kick up your heels at a festival on the banks of the mighty Mississippi. In April, Riverfest brings music, arts and crafts, and foods of the world to downtown streets in Vicksburg. In October, Natchez celebrates The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race on the grounds of Rosalie Mansion, a lovely antebellum house museum on the bluff above the river.