Locks & Dams

Locks and Dams are the workhorses of the river. Head to the Mississippi River Visitor Center at Locks and Dam 15 to watch towboats and barges lock through. Tour Melvin Price Locks & Dam for a birds-eye view of the Mississippi River from eight stories above. The adjacent National Great Rivers Museum places you at the helm as you navigate the river in the simulator. Bring your binoculars while visiting Lock and Dam 21, the observation deck is the perfect spot to view bald eagles between mid-November and March and pelicans, ospreys, and several species of gulls and terns during spring and fall migrations.