Mud Island, Memphis

Mud Island is a small peninsula, surrounded by the Mississippi River to the west and the Wolf River Harbor to the east. In 1960, the Wolf River was diverted so that it flows into the Mississippi River north of Mud Island. Mud Island River Park, located on the south end of the island, opened to the public in 1982. It is located within the Memphis city limits, 1.2 miles from the coast of downtown, and houses a museum, restaurants, and an amphitheater. It is accessible by the Memphis Suspension Railway, by foot, by ferry, or automobile.Mississippi River Park and MuseumMississippi River ParkThe Mississippi River park located on Mud Island includes bike trails, pedal boats, and rafts, as well as a hydraulic scale model of the lower Mississippi River from Cairo, Illinois to New Orleans.Major cities and small towns located on the river are marked in the scale model, and markers explain history and facts about the river.The model empties into a "Gulf of Mexico" replica which was once a waterpark named Bud Boogie Beach, and on the other side is a small wooden boat named the Maymay which is no longer open to the public. Admission to the park is free.Mississippi River MuseumThe museum on Mud Island presents the history of the lower Mississippi river valley, with great emphasis on the steamboat, complete with a full-scale replica steamboat.