Variety of trails found across St. Croix Cnty.

Willow Falls at Willow River State Park.

Wisconsin's St. Croix County consists of several communities with great hiking trails. Most sprung up as agricultural centers, though during the past couple of decades those closest to the Minnesota border increasingly serve as bedroom communities for the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. The county’s communities neatly fall into one of three groups based on the level of this transition from farm to bedroom town.

The Great River Road communities sit in the western third of the county, which is rapidly urbanizing. Wis. Hwy. 35, also known as the Great River Road, runs north-south connecting these cities. So also do four major rivers.

The county seat, Hudson, with its neighbor North Hudson, are located where the St. Croix River joins a tributary, the Willow River. Beautiful Willow River State Park sits just east of town; a hike to Willow Falls is a must for any visitor to this part of Wisconsin.

North of Hudson is Somerset, which the Apple River flows through on its way to the St. Croix. The city enjoys a colorful history as a rough logging town and bootleg alcohol production center during the Prohibition. One great Somerset hike is the Parnell Prairie Reserve Trail.

South of Hudson is River Falls. Partially in neighboring Pierce County, the city is home to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Hiking trails abound on the Kinnickinnic River, which flows through town en route to the St. Croix. The most scenic part of the Kinnickinnic is just a mile south of the St. Croix-Pierce county line at Glen Park.

The central third of the county is farming country though the population of cities along the Interstate 94 and Wis. Hwy. 64 corridors is growing at a faster rate than most other communities in Wisconsin.

The most populous, New Richmond, sits just east of Somerset in the county’s north. During 1899, an F5 tornado wiped out the community, killing 117 people. Today, the city is a vibrant town with many great local hiking options. Among them is the New Richmond Heritage Center and Paperjack Creek Trail.

Much smaller Star Prairie and Deer Park sit to the north and northeast of New Richmond. Roberts is to the south where Wis. Hwy. 65 and I-94 meets. Hammond and then Baldwin, the latter beginning as a railroad town, are east of Roberts on the I-94 corridor. The Casey Lake Trail near Baldwin offers an opportunity to see great blue heron near their rookery.

The eastern third of the county is farming country with cities no larger than a population of 1500, but quality trails can be here as well. Woodville and Wilson are east of Baldwin off of I-94. Glenwood City is to the north; nearby Glen Hills County Park boasts a number of great hikes. The Wildwood Trail links Woodville to Spring Valley, home of Crystal Cave and the Eau Galle Recreation Area.

Learn more about nearby day hiking trails in my Day Hiking Trails of St. Croix County.

Great day hikes abound in east St. Croix Cty.

Glen Hills West Trail

Though primarily thought of as farm country, Wisconsin’s eastern St. Croix County offers a number of great day hiking trails. Whether a local looking to explore or a traveler on Interstate 94 needing to stretch your legs, there’s probably a trail that’s right for you.

Eastern St. Croix County loosely is centered on three small cities – Glenwood City to the north, Woodville in the center, and Spring Valley in the south (though that farming village technically is in Pierce County).

Here are some of the great trails near those towns:

Glenwood City
• Glen Hills East Trail – Tucked within Wisconsin’s dairy country is a hilly, wooded region that gives day hikers the chance to get back to nature. Glen Hills County Park in eastern St. Croix County offers a plethora of trails amid 700 acres of maple and oak hardwoods. The 2-mile round trip unnamed trail (christened here for convenience’s sake) heads from a vista to a campground.
• Glen Hills West Trail – A pleasant walk through the woods alongside a pretty lake awaits day hikers on the west side of Glen Hills County Park. To reach the trailhead, from U.S. Hwy. 12 west of Wilson, take Wis. Hwy. 128 north. Turn right/east onto Day Use Road then go right/south onto Picnic Point Lane, which dead ends at a parking lot atop a vista.
• Glen Hills Southwest Trail – This rustic 1.2-mile round trip route heads through woods as skirting the Glen Lake’s curving, southwest corner at Glen Lake County Park. It runs from the playground on Picnic Point Lane to the campground.

Woodville
• Wildwood Trail segment – Day hikers can enjoy a bucolic walk on a segment of the Wildwood Trail. The seven-mile hiking, biking and snowmobiling trail runs between the communities of Woodville and Spring Valley in eastern St. Croix County. Among the most accessible and pleasurable parts of the trail runs 2.3-miles round-trip from western Woodville past farm fields.

Spring Valley
• Crystal Cave tour – Day hikers can explore Wisconsin’s longest cave near the village of Spring Valley. The Crystal Cave tour runs about 0.5-miles round trip through 1,300 feet of passageways. Several deeper passages are closed to the public. The cave is a commercial venture, so a fee is charged to be part of a tour. To reach Crystal Cave, from Spring Valley take Wis. Hwy. 29 west. In about a mile after ascending the hill, turn left/south onto the cave entrance road.
• Eau Galle Dam Trail – Day hikers can walk across the largest earthen dam in the Midwest on the Eau Galle Dam Trail. The 0.8-mile round trip hike sits in the popular Eau Galle Recreation Area. To reach the trailhead, from Spring Valley, head west on Wis. Hwy. 29. In about a mile, turn right/north onto Van Buren Road then right/west onto Eau Galle Dam Road.
• Northwest Day Use Loop – The 0.75-mile trail parallels the wooded park road in the Eau Galle Recreational Area. One side runs alongside the scenic Eau Galle River. Park at the lot where Boston Road (east of County Road B) crosses the river.
• Overlook Trail – The 0.76-mile round trip trail heads from an overlook of Lake George (often referred to as the Eau Galle Reservoir) down to a beach then back up again at the Eau Galle Recreational Area. Park at the overlook off of Eau Galle Dam Road.
• Pond Trail – The 0.22-mile loop through a grassy area circles a small L-shaped pond at the Eau Galle Recreational Area. Park at the lot nearest the beach, off of Eau Galle Dam Road.
• West Ridge Trail/Low Land Trail Loop – The two paths can be combined into a 1.14-mile lollipop trail that heads from the beach through woodland at the Eau Galle Recreational Area. Park in the lot closest to the beach.
• Wildwood Trail – Among the most accessible and pleasurable parts of the trail runs 1.7 miles round-trip from near downtown Spring Valley alongside a small stream through a pleasant woods. To reach the trailhead, from Wis. Hwy. 29 in Spring Valley turn north on McKay Avenue then left/west onto County Road B (N. Second St.). In four blocks, turn right/north onto Herb Avenue. As that street curves east, park in the small lot off its left side; the trail heads west from the lot. Note that this trail starts in Pierce County then enters St. Croix County on its way north to Woodville.

Learn more about nearby day hiking trails in my Day Hiking Trails of St. Croix County guidebook.

Video of Glen Lake West Trail

A peaceful stroll through a lakeside wood awaits day hikers on the Glen Lake West Trail in western Wisconsin.

Glen Hills County Park in St. Croix County offers a plethora of trails amid 700 acres of maple, birch and oak hardwoods. To reach the park, from U.S. Hwy. 12 west of Wilson, Wis., take Wis. Hwy. 128 north. Turn right/east onto Day Use Road then go right/south onto Picnic Point Lane, which dead ends at a parking lot atop a vista.

The 0.4-mile round trip Glen Lake West Trail (so christened here for convenience’s sake) begins at the north end of the vista overlooking a swimming beach.

Here’s a video of Glan Lake taken from the beach near the Glen Lake West trailhead:

• Glen Lake West Trail photo album

Learn more about nearby day hiking trails in my Day Hiking Trails of St. Croix County guidebook.

Photo album of Glen Hills County Park trail

A pleasant walk through the woods alongside a pretty lake awaits day hikers at Glen Hills County Park in western Wisconsin.

The park in St. Croix County offers a plethora of trails amid 700 acres of maple, birch and oak hardwoods. To reach the park, from U.S. Hwy. 12 west of Wilson, Wis., take Wis. Hwy. 128 north. Turn right/east onto Day Use Road then go right/south onto Picnic Point Lane, which dead ends at a parking lot atop a vista.

The 0.4-mile round trip Glen Lake West Trail (so christened here for convenience’s sake) begins at the north end of the vista overlooking a swimming beach (below).

Glen Lake is visible from the trail for the first 0.1 miles (below).

Most of the narrow trail heads through a mixed hardwood forest with a number of red pines (below).

The trail’s middle 0.2-miles veers away from the lake (below). Turn back at the 0.2-mile mark when the walking path reaches a mowed trail.

Upon returning to the lot, traipse down a small hill to the swimming beach (below), especially if you have children. Don’t forget the sand buckets and shovels!

Here's a map of the trail and its location in the county park:

Another popular trail at the park is the Glen Lake East Trail.

Learn more about nearby day hiking trails in my Day Hiking Trails of St. Croix County guidebook.

Trail runs from vista alongside wooded lake

Glen Lake from scenic overlook.

Glen Lake East Trail map

Flowage popular
among fishermen

Tucked within Wisconsin’s dairy country is a hilly, wooded region that gives day hikers the chance to get back to nature.

Glen Hills County Park in eastern St. Croix County offers a plethora of trails amid 700 acres of maple, birch and oak hardwoods. The 2-mile round trip Glen Lake East Trail (so christened here for convenience’s sake) heads from a vista to a campground.

Glen Lake
To reach the park, from U.S. Hwy. 12 in Wilson, Wis., take County Road W north. Turn left/north onto Rustic Road 4 then go left/northwest onto Thompson Lane, which dead ends at the parking lot.

The trailhead is t the lot’s southwest corner. Before hitting the trail, though, walk across the grass to the scenic overlook of Glen Lake.

Eighty-four-acre Glen Lake is a flowage that controls flooding from Beaver Creek. A dam sits north of the scenic overlook but is nicely shielded by trees. Running 36.4-feet deep, the lake sports largemouth bass, panfish and trout for anglers.

The first portion of the trail runs downhill toward the lake. In short order, the trail reaches the lake’s shores. It then angles away from the lake and hairpins to the campground’s south end.

Northwoods wildlife
Along the way, you’ll cross three intermittent streams. Keep an eye out for such northern Wisconsin wildlife as white-tailed deer, squirrels, chipmunks and a number of songbirds.

The turnback point is the road Campground Lane. Hikers with a little extra energy, however, can continue the trail by heading down the campground road and picking up a path as it heads along the lake’s southeast side.

Glen Hills County Park also offers a swimming beach and picnic area. Those facilities can be accessed by entering the park from the west via Rustic Road 3.

Learn more about nearby day hiking trails in my Day Hiking Trails of St. Croix County guidebook.