The river that runs between Illinois and Iowa is called the “Mighty Mississippi” for a reason. The iconic waterway stretches 2,340 miles from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, serving as not only a natural highway for people and wildlife, but as a major artery in the lifeblood of the shipping industry, carrying nearly 200 million tons of freight and commodities each year.

It’s also a great place for some R&R.

The second-longest river in North America is also one of the richest sources of biodiversity in the world, and for a stretch of 33 nautical miles, some natural peculiarities exist that are unique along the river’s long and winding path, providing a living lesson in the fascinating role the river plays in our ecosystem.

Nestled among those miles are classrooms overflowing with knowledge and playgrounds brimming with places to retreat from the clamor of the daily grind and find solace in the sights and sounds of nature. Specifically, the area can be found between Lock and Dam No. 12 in Bellevue, Iowa, and No. 13 in Fulton – each about an hour’s drive from Lake Carroll.

But an easier way to remember it is by its designation: Pool 13 – just don’t look for any diving boards if you go there. Sure, there’s plenty of water, but pools, in this case, are areas between navigation dams along the river. With its sloughs, islands and backwater lakes, Pool 13 is a prime spot for fishing, boating and wildlife viewing.

It wasn’t always that way, though.

While nature had taken its course long ago, when man came along during the mid-1930s and built the lock and dam system along the river, it reshaped parts of the area, making the river much wider in certain spots, transforming some areas into swampland, and creating small lakes and islands.

As the natural order was re-ordered, wildlife began to adapt to the new lay of the land. Some fled, some found other places to call home, further from their new neighbors – but there are still some areas around Pool 13 where man and nature come together.

The river’s expanse also lends itself to breathtaking views of the pool area – the river and surrounding land, skies and bluffs. Spots along the Pool attract tourists who come to soak it all in, some at city and state parks, some on self-guided tours, and some who cast off from boat launches created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees the dam system.

We’ve put together a list of places on both sides of the pool: recreation areas, parks, boat access points, and even an interpretive center where nature lovers can learn more about what makes this stretch of the Mississippi a very unique one. So, if you feel like diving into Pool 13, join us on our journey.

Around Savanna and Sabula

Take a small city best known for outdoor tourism, and add Iowa’s only island town to the experience, and you’ll find several areas of the Mississippi River that are fun for boaters and sightseers alike. Savanna and Sabula are connected by the Dale Gardner Veteran’s Memorial Bridge (named for a former astronaut who lived in Savanna), which carries U.S. Route 52 and state Route 64 over the river. The stretch of highway in Iowa en route to Sabula features an isthmus with islands and sloughs on both sides.

Sabula is home to Island City Harbor, a docking and fuel service business with a gift shop, bait store and Jackson County’s Welcome Center. Also in town is the North Sabula Access boat launch, 314 47th St., which leads boaters into small lakes – Barge, Dead, Joe Day and Town – and to the river itself after going under the bridge.

West of Sabula are the Upper, Middle and Lower Sabula lakes, which don’t have boating access to the river. Driscoll’s Island, 60571 Sycamore St., which stems off the highway going west of town, provides access to Middle Sabula Lake. South Sabula Lake Park, 1516 South Ave., just south of Island City Harbor, has a boat launch to Lower Sabula Lake, as well as a camping area.

South of Savanna is the large Spring Lake, between the Illinois mainland and several islands in the middle of the river; an access point, at 9498 State Route 84, is 1 mile south of town. Between town and the access point is a frog pond, 9898 State Route 84, that is open to fishing and frog catching.

Marquette Park in Savanna is along the city’s riverfront, named for explorer Jacques Marquette, who sailed the river along with Louis Jolliet on an exploration mission in 1673. The park has a boat launch, picnic areas and works of art involving local and river history.

High atop a bluff and home to one of the widest river views is Mississippi Palisades State Park, 16327A State Route 84, a 2,500-acre park perfect for people of all ages who want to enjoy nature, whether it’s a leisurely stroll or a hearty hike, or maybe you just want to soak in the sights of nature’s handiwork. Trees as far as the eye can see create a sea of green during spring and summer, and serve up splashes of vibrant color during the fall. You can also take a hike along any of the 11 marked trails, which run for 15 miles throughout the park. Trails on the north end of the park are wider and less strenuous than those on the south end. Some trails take hikers to the small limestone caves below the landscape. For those seeking a bit of adventure, the park is one of the few in the state that allows rock climbing. Miller’s Landing provides boat access opposite the park.

Illinois’ longest natural sand dune is located on the grounds of the Lost Mound National Wildlife Refuge, located on the former Savanna Army Depot, 8 miles north of town. The depot was used for the storage of military weapons until it closed in 2000. The area has largely been left in its pre-closure state, with nature taking over in certain spots. The Black Oak Dune Overlook at the depot provides a view of the river and its sand banks, as well as the mouth of the Maquoketa River. Before the depot was built, ornate box turtles were commonplace in the area; a repopulation effort has been underway for nearly a decade. According to the Stewards of the Upper Mississippi River Refuge website (stewardsumrr.org), the prairie provides a significant habitat for grassland birds whose populations have been in decline, including the upland sandpiper, western meadowlark, loggerhead shrike, grasshopper, henslow and lark sparrow.

Green Island

The 4,000-acre Green Island State Wildlife Management Area is located between Sabula and Bellevue, and is accessible via the small town of Green Island (itself comprising just a few houses and a church). The area consists of several islands, lakes and sloughs away from the highway traffic running on top of the bluff.

The park has access to lakes and sloughs from three boat launches, but no river access. Blake’s Lake is the largest lake within the park, and Fish Lake is the furthest from the mainland with road access.

The gravel road to Fish Lake from the park’s access road is a little more than 1 mile long, extending toward the middle of the river, with wildlife activity within earshot and snags (dead trees) jutting from the lakes. Isolated from other park activity, it offers the rare treat: a spot where you hear nothing but the sounds of nature. Running parallel to the road is a small slough abundant with snapping turtles, many of which can be found along the water’s edge.

Signs give visitors information about the many waterfowl, shorebirds and warblers that are around during migration season, as well as nesting species such as the common gallinule, least bittern and king rail.

Around Bellevue, Iowa

Bellevue is a small river town that is home to several mom-and-pop shops downtown that overlook the river. Lock and Dam No. 12 is nearby, at 401 N. Riverview St.. Built between 1934-38, it’s one of 29 located between Minneapolis-St. Paul and St. Louis. Around 12,000 barges pass through each year (around 30 a day). The dam’s public access area has a raised platform, accessible by stairs, that gives sightseers views of the river, dam and boats that pass by. A boat launch is nearby, south of the dam.

Where the dam is today used to be the route of the former Bellevue Ferry, which ran from the town to Hanover and Galena.

Bellevue State Park, 24668 U.S. Route 52, is situated on a high bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. The view from Bellevue overlooks the Lost Mound National Wildlife Refuge and the many nearby sloughs and winding streams. The park has an open butterfly sanctuary and the South Bluff indoor nature center (open by appointment), which tells the stories of the diverse flora and fauna in the southern region of the Driftless Area. The hiking trails total 7 miles of varying terrains. An interesting sight along one of the trails is a primitive lime kiln, which was used to turn limestone into quicklime during the mid-1800s.

Bellevue Public Area, 24143 U.S. Route 52, and Pleasant Creek Recreation Area, 19995 U.S. Route 52, provide river access. Camping is available at both the state park and at Pleasant Creek.

Bridging Clinton and Fulton

The portion of the Mississippi River north of Lock and Dam No. 13 in Fulton is around 3.5 miles wide, making it the largest part of the river that is not also a lake. The expansive view of the river can be seen at sites both along the river and on the bluffs above it in Iowa and Illinois.

Bulger’s Hollow Recreation Area, 4686 170th St., north of Clinton, is accessible from U.S. Route 67 and follows a shaded, winding gravel road that goes downhill. The area has a boat launch and camping.

Want a taste of wine during your Mississippi River journey? Wide River Winery, 1776 E. Deer Creek Road north of Clinton, was established by Dorothy O’Brien in 1997, and most of its more than 20 wines have a law theme to their name. Dorothy is an employment law attorney, and her husband, Charlie Pelton, is a retired Clinton County judge. Their vineyard is on 21 acres of riverfront land. Reds include Caught Red Handed, Conviction, Felony Red, and Repeat Offender. Whites include Blushing Testimony, Jury Duty, Not Guilty and White Collar Crime. Wine club memberships are available. Go to wideriverwinery.com for more information.

Once the site of an old-time amusement park, Eagle Point Park, 3923 N. Third St. in Clinton, features unique views and structures, along with playground equipment, sand volleyball and basketball courts, and a disc golf course. Drivers, bikers and walkers can roam along a serpentine road throughout the park with plenty of hills and curves. Attractions include a long limestone foot bridge over a ravine, as well as a castle-like stone tower building where visitors can ascend and get a view of the park and the Mighty Mississippi. The park’s lodge, designed with a wooden motif, has an overlook of the river and is available for event rental.

Lock and Dam No. 13, 4999 Lock Road north of Fulton, was built between 1935-39, and like No. 12 upstream also has a raised platform overlook and a nearby boat launch. The Thomson-Fulton Sand Prairie, 22998 Railroad Lane, is north of the dam and includes Mickleson’s Landing around Potter’s Marsh.

Around Thomson

The river area around Thomson is situated on flat land formerly part of a large lake more than 25,000 years ago, before the last ice age. Since the area sits low enough to the river, several riverfront homes and campgrounds are found between Thomson and Savanna. The bluff is located about a mile east of the river.

Thomson Causeway Recreation Area, 1600 Lewis Ave., sits opposite the aforementioned Bulger’s Hollow with views of the widest point of the river. The park offers camping and is also home to the 3/4-mile Hidden Slough Nature Trail. River access for boats is located 5 miles upstream at Big Slough Recreation Area, 5955 Riverview Drive.

Sloane Marsh, 7071 Riverview Road, has a lookout area with a viewfinder to get a close look at nature.

Across the road from Sloane Marsh is the Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center. The facility not only celebrates one of the world’s most famous rivers and its tributaries, but it’s also the learning center and office for the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, featuring hands-on exhibits and educational materials. The learning center is operated by the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge and the Stewards of the Upper Mississippi River Refuge. The facility features a central exhibit area with interactive displays, preserved animals, pamphlets, a bookstore and a gift shop. Outside, the surrounding area features plenty of opportunities for visitors to experience nature firsthand, among 35 acres of native and sand prairie. Hikers and bikers are also welcome to traverse the Grand Illinois Trail.

Guests can grab a bird pamphlet at the center and check off the birds they see during their visit. The center and its stewards also host monthly bird walks and golf cart tours of sites along the river. It is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays from June to August. Call 815-273-2732 for more information.