At 2,348 miles in length, the Mississippi River is one of the two largest river systems in the United States. This southbound river creates the eastern boundary of Missouri, as well as the eastern edges of Minnesota (the state in which it originates), Iowa, Arkansas and Louisiana. In turn, the Mississippi carves out the western boundaries of Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi, appearing to dividing the United States in half. St. Louis, Mo., which sits on the western banks of the river, is considered the "Gateway to the West" thanks in part to this natural, national dividing line.
The Missouri River is the other largest river system in the United States, and it, too, finds much of its meander in the state of Missouri. Flowing south and east, away from the Rocky Mountains, the Missouri was once thought to be a key route in navigating the illusive Northwest Passage. Today, the Missouri is identified by its strong, muddy waters and tendency to flood the communities that line its banks. It intersects with the Mississippi River in St. Louis, Mo.
The Lake of the Ozarks is settled in the south-central region of Missouri, a product of the Bagnell Dam on the Osage River. Now a mainstay of the Ozarks tourism industry, the more than 55,000 acres covered by the lake operate as a summer retreat for locals and visitors from around the world.
Truman Lake (also known as The Truman Reservoir) is the largest man-made lake in the state of Missouri. This great body of water, which is settled near the central-west end of the state, would not exist without the Harry S. Truman dam, also on the Osage River. The dam's power plant is considered a must-see on any tour of the region.
The bulk of Table Rock Lake can be found in the Missouri Ozarks, though the water does extend into northern Arkansas. Like Truman and The Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock, too, is a man-made lake, serviced by the Table Rock Dam on the White River.
