The Mississippi River takes on many tributaries over the course of its journey – more than 250, in fact – that join the mainstem of the river, each contributing to its ever-building flow. One of the most well-known tributaries is the Missouri River, which joins the Mississippi at St. Louis, Missouri.
The Missouri, known as the longest river in the United States, is sourced from the Rocky Mountains and rises in Montana. Its travels take it north, however, thus making it a northern tributary. It’s often referred to as the “Gateway to the West” and significantly broadens the Mississippi River near St. Louis.
The Arkansas River also joins the Mississippi River at Arkansas. Its course begins near Leadville, Colorado, and carries it through the geographical central point of the US; when the Arkansas River meets the Mississippi River in Arkansas, the confluence of these two rivers marks the official geographic center of the contiguous United States.
The Ohio River is another powerful tributary of the Mississippi and joins it at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers in Cairo, Illinois. The Ohio River is boatable for more than 1,500 miles. It starts in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and flows through 5 different states, carrying a significant volume of water into the Mississippi.
The Cumberland River is yet another tributary of the Mississippi, starting in the Cumberland Plateau of Kentucky and eventually joining the Ohio River before it meets the Mississippi River. It was a major frontier during the settlement of the Midwest, with settlers famously stopping at the Cumberland Gap.
The Red River
The Red River of the South is another primary tributary of the Mississippi River. It begins in the Texas panhandle, flows eastward through Oklahoma and Arkansas and subsequently turns south, forming the Texas-Arkansas and Texas-Louisiana borders. It meets the Mississippi at Alexandria, Louisiana.
Like all rivers, the Red River functions as an important ecosystem, taking the runoff from melted snow, underground aquifers and higher ground, gathering sediment and carrying the impurities downstream. It’s also an important part of the local economy, with its bountiful supply of fish becoming a main source of nutrition for people living along its banks.
When the Red River meets the Mississippi, its velocity is substantially slowed, allowing the mud-laden sediment to fall out and form vast sand bars and islands. This sediment is what’s known as the Mississippi Delta, which is particularly beneficial for the agricultural industry.
The Minnesota River
The Minnesota River is the furthest south of all the Mississippi’s major tributaries. It begins in southwestern Minnesota and flows south, joining the Mississippi in St. Paul.
The early French settlers called the Minnesota River Rivire St. Pierre, or “River of St. Peter,” and it was a major artery for the early fur and timber trading companies. Even today, its river bottomlands, floodplain forest, lakes, emergent marshes, wetlands, and prairies are important for a variety of wildlife, including several imperiled species.
The verdant riverbanks also provide important wildlife habitat for more than 200 bird species, including bald eagles, ospreys, and pelicans. The rugged terrain and bluffs along the Minnesota border make it easy to forget you’re in the city, offering stunning views of the natural landscape.
The Wisconsin River
The Wisconsin River is a tributary of the Mississippi and is located in the upper Midwest. Its source is in Lac Vieux Desert in the northern Wisconsin highlands, and it also forms much of the border between Wisconsin and Illinois. The Wisconsin River carries many of the same species that can be spotted in the Mississippi, and is an important source for the tourism industry, offering great fishing and recreational opportunities for visitors.
The river was also important for the fur trade, with trappers navigating the river on canoes in the late 1700s. As the river flows south and approaches the Mississippi, it forms a significant delta, with several smaller lakes, backwater areas, and wetlands dotting the landscape and providing habitat to a diversity of wildlife.
The Rock River
The Rock River is the westernmost of the tributaries of the Mississippi River, beginning in Wisconsin and flowing south before joining the mainstem near Rock Island, Illinois.
The Rock River provides great habitat for a variety of wildlife. Around 200 species of fish are found in its waters, as are otters, muskrats, mink, beavers, and bald eagles. It’s also home to more than 190 species of birds, making it an ideal bird-watching spot.
The river’s history stretches back to the 1820s, when it was part of the Western Fur Flotilla,a waterway for moving goods between Chicago and the Upper Mississippi. The flotilla was nearly ruined by the Panic of 1837, but the river has since recovered and is still used for commercial and recreational purposes today.
The Des Moines River
The Des Moines River is the final notable tributary of the Mississippi which starts in Iowa, just north of the Iowa-Minnesota border, before curving east and flowing into the Mississippi River near Burlington, Iowa.
The Des Moines River was important in the movement of the prairie settlers, and it carries a variety of fish, including walleye, smallmouth bass, and northern pike. The river is also home to many species of birds, including herons, egrets, and Bald Eagles.
And as the Des Moines River reaches the Mississippi, it begins to spread its rich agricultural soils, laying the foundations for the features and topography of the agricultural lands of the Midwest.
The Illinois River
The Illinois River is a tributary of the Mississippi, originating in northwestern Illinois, passing through large swaths of the state and eventually meeting the Mississippi in Grafton, Illinois.
This river has a long and storied history, and was once an important trading route for the Native Americans, fur traders and settlers. The first steamboat, the Talisman, arrived in 1837 and made the river accessible to even more travelers. The river was also integral to the state’s growth in the late 1800s and early 1900s, with the river providing steam power and sustenance for the industry.
Today, the Illinois River remains a major source of life and recreation. There are many fishing spots along the banks of the river, and the Illinois River is home to several species of wildlife, such as muskrats, beavers, turtles, and bald eagles.
The Big Sioux River
The Big Sioux River is a tributary of the Missouri River, and itself is a tributary of the Mississippi River, meaning it’s also part of the Mississippi’s network. The Big Sioux River flows for over 200 miles, beginning in western Minnesota and forming the boundary between Iowa and South Dakota.
The Big Sioux is the only major body of water in South Dakota, and a rich part of history for the area. The river gave the native Dhegiha people a path to their Missouri River hunting grounds and in more recent years it was used by settlers and local communities for transportation, business, and recreation.
The Big Sioux is home to many species of fish, including bass, catfish, and walleye, and also serves as a vital resource for many types of migratory birds. The rapids of the river make it popular for recreational activities such as kayaking, and its streambanks provide habitats for a variety of animals.
The St. Croix River
The St. Croix River is the easternmost of the tributaries of the Mississippi and is located in the upper Midwest. It begins in Wisconsin and flows east, joining the Mississippi in Hastings, Minnesota.
The St. Croix River is one of the more picturesque of the Mississippi’s tributaries, and it is popular for recreational activities such as fishing, camping and canoeing. It’s also home to a number of species of fish, including walleye, smallmouth bass, sturgeon, and northern pike.
The river also has an interesting history. It was an important trading route for the Native Americans, and was later used by the French to explore the region. In the late 1800s, the St. Croix became a major route for travelers between Wisconsin and the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and it was later designated a National Scenic Riverway by the US Congress.
