where does the mississippi river begin in which state

The Mississippi River actually starts way up north in Minnesota. It officially begins its journey at Lake Itasca, which is located inside Itasca State Park. I remember driving through that area during a road trip a few years back, and it's honestly a pretty serene spot, nothing like the massive, wide river you see further down south.

It's kind of wild to think that such a tiny, shallow stream at the headwaters turns into that massive waterway. You can actually walk across the rocks right where it starts, which is a popular thing for tourists to do. If you ever find yourself in the midwest, it's definitely worth checking out just to see the start of such a legendary river.