Canoe Ferry @ Boom Island

Help shape the future of paddling on the upper Mississippi River!

Before John Stevens set up a ferry to Nicollet Island in 1849, people could cross the river on a birch bank canoe operated by a Dakota woman named “Aza-ya-man-ka-wi” (Berry Picker). Come paddle the upper river and share the experience of the area’s earliest inhabitants, while learning more about this local watershed and about the threats facing the river today.

Join us at Boom Island for an evening of culture, community and canoeing. Canoe Ferry is a pilot program aimed at getting new and less-experienced paddlers onto the Mississippi River. Stop by anytime between 5 pm and 8 pm for a fun, introductory canoe ride on the urban river! This event is great for kids and adults of all ages, though you must be at least 30 lbs. in order to fit the provided life jackets.

National Park Service rangers from the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area will be joined by Mississippi Park Connection staff and guides from Wilderness Inquiry offering free canoe rides on the Mississippi River in exchange for your thoughts and ideas for river programming in the North and Northeast Minneapolis area.

In addition to learning to paddle on the river, participants will also have opportunities to learn about the Mississippi River’s history, water quality, plants and animals, and the historic ferry route on which this paddle is based.