The Coon Rapids dam was built in 1913 by the Northern
Mississippi Power Company. It took 1,000 men just a little over 1
year to complete the entire dam system. During construction, a
small town grew up on the Anoka County side of the river, complete
with barracks, hospitals, fire stations and even dance halls.
Nestled in the woods above the river floodplain, the West Coon
Rapids Dam Visitor Center in Brooklyn Park focuses on the Natural
History of the Mississippi River. The park provides safe and easy
access to the river for investigating water quality. Hands-on
programs cover the physical, chemical, and biological health of the
Mississippi River.
Activities: There are extensive trails for
hiking, bicycling, skiing and snowshoeing. Some of the best bird
watching in the metro area can be found in this park.
Hours: Please call for more information.
Contact Information: Call the West Coon Rapids
Dam Visitor Center at (763) 694-7790.
Mississippi River Geocache: Poolside
The Mississippi River Geocache is a series of caches placed
within the Mississippi National
River and Recreation Area, a 72-mile stretch of the Mississippi
River from the cities of Dayton and Ramsey in the north to just
south of Hastings, Minnesota.
You can find out more about the Mississippi River Geocache
series by visiting the park
website. This
cache is a joint effort between
Anoka County Parks
and the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.
Please make sure to leave comments and any river experiences
you'd like to share.
Other Mississippi River Geocaches in East Coon Rapids
Dam