Mississippi-Missouri-Red Rock System

Mississippi-Missouri-Red Rock System, stretching 6,275 km, ranks as North America’s longest river network. From Montana’s Red Rock Springs, the Missouri River joins the Mississippi at St. Louis, flowing south to the Gulf of Mexico. A vital trade corridor since Native American times, it supports 30 U.S. states and ecosystems like the Mississippi Delta. Though engineered with levees and locks, its floods (e.g., 1993) reveal untamed power. From Mark Twain’s lore to modern barges, this system remains an economic and cultural lifeline.