Established in 1891, Itasca is Minnesota’s oldest state park. Today, the park totals more than 32,000 acres and includes more than 100 lakes. Here visitors can walk across the Mississippi as it begins its winding journey to the Gulf of Mexico, stand under towering pines at Preacher’s Grove, visit landmarks of centuries gone by such as the Itasca Indian Cemetery or Wegmann’s Cabin or explore Wilderness Drive past the 2,000-acre Wilderness Sanctuary, one of Minnesota’s seven National Natural Landmarks.