Welcome Back, NPS Staff — We’ve Missed You Along the Mississippi

Photo Courtesy: Kurt and Edwige Moses | NPS

The river feels a little more alive this week. As operations resume, we’re so happy to welcome back our friends and colleagues from the National Park Service at the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. 

During the shutdown, the river kept flowing—but it wasn’t the same without the people who know it best and care for it in their everyday work. We missed the daily collaboration, the shared problem-solving, and the quiet dedication that NPS staff bring to protecting and sharing this incredible stretch of the Mississippi. 

We also felt the loss of so much good work. Over a dozen school field trips that connect students to the river’s story had to be canceled. Public programs that spark curiosity and care—from fossil hunting hikes with rangers to the final Park After Dark this season—were suspended. NPS volunteers, who give their time and energy to the park, had to pause their work, too—from the regular efforts of the Crosby Farm and Coldwater Spring crews to habitat restoration and phenology data collection that help us track the changing seasons and the health of the river’s ecosystem. Every missed day was a reminder of how much this work depends on connection—to nature, to community, and to one another. 

Even through this pause, Mississippi Park Connection remained committed to keeping the community connected to the river. We shared stories from the parks, extended messages of gratitude to rangers who were on mandatory leave, helped people discover new ways to explore the river independently and responsibly, and continued planning for the work ahead. It wasn’t the same without our NPS partners, but it was a testament to the resilience and shared love of this place that continues to flow—even in stillness. 

We know the time away came with strain and uncertainty, but the river teaches us about renewal and transformation. The current slows, then gathers strength again. Now, as we return to our shared work, we do so with gratitude, renewed purpose, and hope. 

At Mississippi Park Connection, we’re proud to stand beside our NPS colleagues once more as we rebuild momentum, restore connections, and continue the vital mission of connecting people to the Mississippi River. Welcome back, NPS friends. We’ve missed you, we appreciate you, and we’re so grateful to have you back on the river.