The St. Croix Boom Site Trail runs a mere 0.4 miles round trip but makes for a scenic afternoon diversion. It’s located in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.
The Cambrian-era sandstone formed around 485 million years old when this part of the world sat under a shallow, tropical sea. Flashfloods from melting glaciers swept through the area carved out the cliffs and river valley a mere 10,000 years ago.
Here’s a video of some of the sandstone formations taken along the trail:
To reach the trail, from downtown Stillwater drive north on Minn. Hwy. 95. Watch for the signs; after Pawnee Avenue North, there’s a turnoff for the Boom Site on the right/east. Park in the looping access road. The trailhead is south of the lot’s access road. The Boom Site is a brief 50-foot walk down a staircase to a beach.
• Article describing trail
• Photo album of trail
Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.
