The name "Minnesota" is from the Sioux word "minisota," which means "sky-tinted water." The glacial retreat from the ice age left no lack of water in the state. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota has 11,842 lakes that are of 10 acres or more in size. Over 7,326 miles of Minnesota land are covered by water, and the largest lake, barring Lake Superior on its northeastern border, is Red Lake, covering 288,800 acres. Red Lake is the second largest lake contained entirely within the United States borders.
Stretching from the Canadian border along its western edge, down to the Minnesota River, is the flattest area in Minnesota and also its most productive farmland, according to Worldatlas.com. This land borders on the Great Plains stretching up into the Dakotas and down through the heart of America into Texas. Along this strip of land on the western border lies the Red River, which has the unusual distinction of flowing north due to its position on a continental shelf.
The northeastern portion of Minnesota, called the "Arrowhead Region" because of its shape, contains the most isolated and rugged land within the state. The Mesabi Range of low mountains, as well as the Misquah Hills, borders Lake Superior. According to Netstate.com, the highest point in the state can be found here at Eagle Mountain, which lies 2,301 feet above sea level. The lowest point is nearby at Lake Superior, which lies at 602 feet above sea level. The northeast is thickly forested, and the hills themselves are part of what is called the "Iron Range" of Minnesota, as they are rich in iron ore.
Stretching from the Lake of the Woods on the Canadian border down through the center of the state into central Minnesota are large swaths of rolling hills, forests, and lakes. This area contains the majority of Minnesota lakes. In the northernmost reaches, the forest is at its thickest along the pristine wilderness of the Boundary Waters area. Lake of the Woods alone has more than 14,000 counted islands, according to Worldatlas.com. In Itasca, the source waters of the Mississippi River can be found, where it begins its journey all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.
The southwestern part of the state contains rolling hills and rich farmland. These are dotted by patches of prairie, as well as scenic valleys and woodlands along the Minnesota River. Networks of caves are in the southern region as well. To the east, along the Wisconsin border, is the Mississippi Bluff Country. This region is the only area of Minnesota not touched by the ice age glaciers, and it comprises deep valleys and soaring, wooded bluffs bordering the waters of the Mississippi River. This bluff country was created by the gradual erosion of the streams and rivers in the area carving down through the bedrock, creating spectacular vistas.
