Nokasippi River facts for kids

The Nokasippi River is a cool river in central Minnesota, United States. It's about 46.5-mile-long (74.8 km). This river is a tributary, which means it's a smaller river that flows into a much bigger one. The Nokasippi River flows into the mighty Mississippi River.

River Name and Meaning

The name of the Nokasippi River comes from the Ojibwe language. In Ojibwe, the river is called Nooke-ziibi. This means "Tender River."

Why "Tender River"?

The word "tender" here doesn't mean soft or gentle. It's connected to a special symbol called a Totem. A totem is like an animal symbol that represents a family or a group of people. In this case, "tender" usually refers to the Bear Totem.

The river was named after a leader called Chief Nokay. He was named after the Bear Totem and lived right by Nokay Lake, which the river flows through.

Where the River Flows

The Nokasippi River flows entirely within a part of Minnesota called Crow Wing County. It starts its journey in a lake and then winds its way through several other lakes before joining the Mississippi River.

Starting Point and Journey

The river begins in a lake called Clearwater Lake. This lake is about 15 miles (24 km) east of a town called Brainerd.

From Clearwater Lake, the Nokasippi River generally flows towards the southwest. On its way, it passes through several other lakes. These lakes include Eagle Lake, Nokay Lake, Pointon Lake, South Long Lake, and Round Lake.

Joining the Mississippi River

Finally, the Nokasippi River meets and joins the Mississippi River. It flows into the Mississippi from the east side. This meeting point is just north of a town called Fort Ripley.

Right across the Mississippi River from where the Nokasippi joins, you can find the Camp Ripley Military Reservation. Just before the Nokasippi River flows into the Mississippi, it collects water from a smaller river. This smaller river is called the Little Nokasippi River.