The Heartland

Nearly 700 miles south from where it begins, the Mississippi River bids farewell to Minnesota and enters America's heartland. From the Upper Midwest's Driftless Area to Missouri's city of St. Louis, this leg of the nation's greatest river takes us from frozen northern waters to summer fishing tournaments. Along the way, follow creatures of all sizes that depend on the river to survive, from wild turkeys to elusive bobcats to river otters.