Top fall color hikes around North Branch MN

Wild River State Park, North Branch, Minnesota

There’s no better way

to experience autumn colors in the North Branch area than a

hike.

The brilliant yellows, oranges and red of maples to the scarlet

and russets of oaks...

the crisp, fresh autumn air and the last warm rays of sunlight before winter arrives...the crunch of fallen leaves and acorns beneath your boots...stopping to enjoy a warm mug of apple cider or a caramel apple pulled from your backpack – it all calls for an afternoon on the trail.

Fortunately, there are plenty of great autumn trails around North Branch to hike. Some are right out your back door, while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.

Wild River State Park (North Branch)
Silver maple and basswood flourish along the St. Croix River at Wild River State Park. The 1.5-mile River Terrace Loop and its stem trail circles through a bottomland forest in this popular park. Originally called St. Croix Wild River State Park – and it still appears on various maps that way – it’s now just Wild River State Park. From North Branch, take Minn. Hwy. 95 to County Road 12. Drive County Road 12 to the park entrance, and follow the main park road to a parking lot near the picnic area.

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Autumn colors abound in the floodplain forest at Wild River State Park. The 4.6-mile Sunrise Loop in the park’s north side is little used and so offers lots of solitude as it runs along the St. Croix River. Silver maple, ash, black willow and cottonwood all thrive there. From North Branch, take Minn. Hwy. 95 east/south. Turn left/north on County Road 9, taking it into the hamlet of Sunrise; from there, turn right/north on Ferry Road into the park. When the road runs out, use the parking lot on the left/west. Hike Ferry Road south to the trailhead and cross Ferry Road (which leads to the boat landing) then over the Sunrise River footbridge. On the other side of the bridge, the loop begins.

Minnesota Interstate State Park (Taylors Falls)
The southernmost section of Minnesota Interstate State Park offers a number of great day hiking trails to explore the Dalles of the St. Croix. To reach the area, from U.S. Hwy. 8 in Taylors Falls, turn east onto Milltown Road. A parking lot is at the end of the entry road. Along the parking lot’s northwest side are three trailheads. The Sandstone Bluff Trail heads northwest under Hwy. 8 to a nice vista of the valley and river gorge below. A 1-mile lollipop trail, it’s spectacular in autumn with a mix of colors from the orange maples, red sumac and brilliant yellow oaks.

Swedish Immigrant Trail (Shafer)
Hikers can follow some of the same footpaths and rail lines that the region’s first Swedish immigrants used to settle Chisago County and Minnesota on the Swedish Immigrant Trail. During the late 1800s, many Swedish immigrants took the ferry across the St. Croix River and then footpaths to their destinations. A spur off the St. Paul-Duluth rail route to Wyoming opened during 1880, helping speed the immigration inland. Perhaps the best of the trail’s completed portions is the Shafer Segment, which runs roughly west of the hamlet through wooded areas and past bucolic landscapes. Birch trees dominate in some sections, but the trail is mainly lined by mixed hardwoods that leave the path and its grass shoulders covered in an array of colorful leaves during autumn. Park on the street in downtown Shafer, off of Redwing Avenue near 303rd Street. The trailhead is near 303rd and heads for about two miles east of Redwing. Look for the white signs with the trail logo in the blue and yellow colors of Sweden’s flag.

Wisconsin Interstate State Park (St. Croix Falls, Wis.)
The splendor of fall colors combines with a vista of the St. Croix River and fascinating rock formations on the Summit Rock Trail at Wisconsin Interstate State Park. The 1-mile round trip trail heads to a bluff’s highest point. Moss and autumn leaves cover the surrounding rock and ground while maples, basswood and eastern white pines line the trail. At the top, prickly pear cactus can be spotted amid the outcroppings. The highlight of the hike without question is the incredible view of the riverway from the summit. Looking north, the Old Man of the Dalles rock formation is visible. From St. Croix Falls, take Wis. Hwy. 35 south. Turn right/west into the park and follow the entry road to the parking lot across from the Lake O’ the Dalles.

St. Croix National Scenic Riverway (Osceola, Wis.)
Fantastic river views beneath a colorful forest canopy await hikers on the this pair of trails near Osceola. Not to be confused with Ridgeview Trail at the adjacent Osceola Bedrock Glades State Natural Area, this pair of trails actually are two loops that only locals really know about. They run through the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and the Osceola State Fish Hatchery on a bluff overlooking a St. Croix River back channel. The oranges and reds of maples dominate here with the occasional pine grove.

Big Marine Park Reserve (Forest Lake)
Hikers can enjoy a walk through a woodlands and on long pier at Big Marine Park Reserve. The unnamed trail in the Washington County park runs 0.75 miles round-trip. The turf trail leaves from the park’s western side, entering a deciduous forest, which makes for a colorful walk among yellow, orange, red, russet and olive leaves in autumn. From Forest Lake, take Minn. Hwy. 97 east. Turn left/south onto County Road 15/Morning Trail North. The park entry road (aka Lomond Trail North) is on the left/east. When the entry road splits, go straight/west, following it to the last/northernmost parking lot (the road loops back onto itself at the lot).

Great autumn hikes around Forest Lake MN

Swedish Immigrant Trail

There’s no better way to experience autumn colors in the Forest Lake area than a hike.

The brilliant yellows, oranges and red

of maples to the scarlet and russets of oaks...the crisp, fresh autumn air and

the last warm rays of sunlight before winter arrives...the crunch of fallen leaves and acorns beneath your boots...stopping to enjoy a warm mug

of apple cider or a caramel apple pulled from your backpack – it all calls for an afternoon on the trail.

Fortunately, there are plenty of great autumn trails around Forest Lake to

hike. Some are right out your back 

door, while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.

Big Marine Park Reserve (Forest Lake)
Hikers can enjoy a walk through a woodlands and on long pier at Big Marine Park Reserve. The unnamed trail in the Washington County park runs 0.75 miles round-trip. The turf trail leaves from the park’s western side, entering a deciduous forest, which makes for a colorful walk among yellow, orange, red, russet and olive leaves in autumn. From Forest Lake, take Minn. Hwy. 97 east. Turn left/south onto County Road 15/Morning Trail North. The park entry road (aka Lomond Trail North) is on the left/east. When the entry road splits, go straight/west, following it to the last/northernmost parking lot (the road loops back onto itself at the lot).

Swedish Immigrant Trail (Chisago)
Hikers can follow some of the same footpaths and rail lines that the region’s first Swedish immigrants used to settle Chisago County and Minnesota on the Swedish Immigrant Trail. During the late 1800s, many Swedish immigrants took the ferry across the St. Croix River and then footpaths to their destinations. A spur off the St. Paul-Duluth rail route to Wyoming opened during 1880, helping speed the immigration inland. Perhaps the best of the trail’s completed portions is the Shafer Segment, which runs roughly west of the hamlet through wooded areas and past bucolic landscapes. Birch trees dominate in some sections, but the trail is mainly lined by mixed hardwoods that leave the path and its grass shoulders covered in an array of colorful leaves during autumn. Park on the street in downtown Shafer, off of Redwing Avenue near 303rd Street. The trailhead is near 303rd and heads for about two miles east of Redwing. Look for the white signs with the trail logo in the blue and yellow colors of Sweden’s flag.

Minnesota Interstate State Park (Taylors Falls)
The southernmost section of Minnesota Interstate State Park offers a number of great day hiking trails to explore the Dalles of the St. Croix. To reach the area, from U.S. Hwy. 8 in Taylors Falls, turn east onto Milltown Road. A parking lot is at the end of the entry road. Along the parking lot’s northwest side are three trailheads. The Sandstone Bluff Trail heads northwest under Hwy. 8 to a nice vista of the valley and river gorge below. A 1-mile lollipop trail, it’s spectacular in autumn with a mix of colors from the orange maples, red sumac and brilliant yellow oaks.

William O’Brien State Park (Marine on St. Croix)
Day hikers can learn about the power of floods on the St. Croix River via the Riverside Trail at William O’Brien State Park. The 1.5-mile trail loops through a floodplain and typically is open during summer and autumn when water levels have gone down. The fresh scent of pine needles upon the trail and the gentle rush of water along the river’s rock walls instantly lulls you into a feeling of serenity. Roughly half of the trail follows the river, mainly through a good mix of hardwoods common to a floodplain forest in this region. During autumn, their leaves turn gold, red, orange and brown. Across the water is Wisconsin, and with the two undeveloped shorelines, tranquility reigns. From Marine on St. Croix, take Minn. Hwy. 95 north into the park. Turn right/east onto O’Brien Trail North/County Road 33. The road curves south, dead ending in a parking area alongside Lake Alice. The trail begins at the picnic grounds immediately east of the parking lot.

Wild River State Park (North Branch)
Silver maple and basswood flourish along the St. Croix River at Wild River State Park. The 1.5-mile River Terrace Loop and its stem trail circles through a bottomland forest in this popular park. Originally called St. Croix Wild River State Park – and it still appears on various maps that way – it’s now just Wild River State Park. From North Branch, take Minn. Hwy. 95 to County Road 12. Drive County Road 12 to the park entrance, and follow the main park road to a parking lot near the picnic area.

Consider family hike at Interstate state parks

Dalles of the St. Croix, from Wisconsin Interstate State Park

At Wisconsin or Minnesota’s Interstate State Park, you can experience the results of the three most significant geological events to affect these pair of states: billion-year-old lava flows, the sands of a 500-million-year-old tropical sea, and a massive glacial flood from 10,000 years ago.

The twin parks mark a unique arrangement – it runs in two states along both sides of the ancient gorge known as the Dalles of the St. Croix. The two sides are run independently of one another by each state’s Department of Natural Resources. In addition, they border two entities operated by the National Park Service – the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, the latter of which actually enters the Wisconsin park.

That so many parks and trails populate this area is no surprise. Few locales in the Upper Midwest match the Dalles of the St. Croix’s scenic beauty: a pristine blue river running through a gorge sided by black lava; fascinating multi-story sandstone formations; an utterly clear lake; extinct ancient riverbeds covered in ferns and wildflowers; glacial potholes that run dozens of feet deep.

The two state parks rank among the most visited in either state. The parks’ nearly 330,000 annual visitors exceeds that of several national parks.

Not surprisingly, the Wisconsin side is that state’s oldest park and Minnesota’s second oldest. During the 1890s, Harry D. Baker of St. Croix Falls, Wis., and George H. Hazard of Taylors Falls, Minn., spearheaded groups to preserve the area as parks. Minnesota established its park in 1895, and Wisconsin followed in 1900.

The parks really are 1.1 billion years in the making, though. The gorge wouldn’t exist if not for a major geological event dating that far back, when massive lava flows covered this region of the world. The hardened lava, or basalt, forms the bedrock that the St. Croix River and the surrounding valley and bluffs sit upon.

The rocks above it – and those that make up the park’s Old Man of the Dalles – were laid some 515 million years ago when this region sat under a warm shallow sea near the equator. As sediments piled up and were covered, they hardened over the eons into rock; the landscape finally rose above the sea about 345 million years ago.

Then about 10,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age, a glacial torrent swept through the area when ancient Lake Duluth drained south. This flood broke off the basalt in chunks, created the intriguing cliff formations, and gouged out the deep gorge that is now the river valley.

During the flood, giant eddies from the flow drilled holes into the landscape; these are the potholes near the river shore. The largest glacial potholes in the world sit in the Minnesota park.

Today, Interstate State parks find themselves at the center of a major outdoors recreational area. Thanks to the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and several other nearby state parks and natural areas on both sides of the river, a number of impressive trails run through and near St. Croix Falls and Taylors Falls.

Dry and warm spring days, summer, and autumn for fall color season mark the best times to day hike the parks. They do remain open in winter, however, and when snow covered the river bluffs and rock formations offer a beauty reminiscent of the Rocky Mountains.

How to Reach the Parks
From Minneapolis-St. Paul, take I-35 north to U.S. Hwy. 8 in Forest Lake, Minn. Go east. Upon reaching Taylors Falls, the highway heads straight through the Minnesota park, with multiple access roads. Crossing the bridge into Wisconsin, take State Hwy. 35 south for a half-mile and turn right onto Park Road, which enters the Wisconsin park.

From Wisconsin, take State Hwy. 35 to St. Croix Falls, taking Park Road to the trails. To reach the Minnesota park, take Hwy. 35 to Hwy. 8; go west on the latter road, crossing the bridge into Minnesota and into the park. Hwy. 35 intersects I-94 in Hudson, Wis., for those traveling from southern Wisconsin or Illinois.

Hours and Admission
Wisconsin Interstate Park is open year-round from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. A vehicle admissions sticker is required. Because Wisconsin Interstate State Park is part of the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve, any of the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Series also will get you in.

Minnesota Interstate State Park is open year-round from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. A state park pass is required.

Parking
Several lots are available at both parks. In the trail descriptions that follow, the best parking lot for each trailhead is provided.

Facilities
Both parks offer several activities that perfectly complement a day hike. Among them are camping, swimming, picnicking, rock climbing, and fishing.

In addition, each park boasts a visitor center. At the Wisconsin park, the Ice Age Interpretive Center through displays and murals focuses on the Dalles’ geological history with a 20-minute movie available upon request; the center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Minnesota park’s visitor center focuses on the area’s history and resources; hours vary by season. Both centers include gift shops.

Dogs
Dogs are allowed at both parks but must be personally attended to at all time and kept on a leash (six feet maximum in Minnesota and eight feet maximum in Wisconsin). Dog waste always must be picked up. In the Wisconsin park, a dog walk area is southwest of the River Picnic Shelters where Dalles Creek flows into the St. Croix River.

Trails
Minnesota
g River Trail
g Shadow Rock Lookout Trail
Wisconsin
g Ladder Tank Trail
g Pothole Trail
g Rock Creek Trail
g Summit Rock Trail

Read more about day hiking Interstate State Park in my Hittin' the Trail guidebook.

Photo album of Lost Pothole Trail

Day hikers can spot a number neat geological features on the Lost Pothole Trail at Minnesota Interstate State Park.

Among the features are glacial potholes, a river gorge of billion-year-old rock, and the Squeeze.

To reach the park, take U.S. Hwy. 8 into downtown Taylors Falls, Minn. At the Bench Street intersection, turn southeast toward the river into the park. The road enters the parking lot. Pick up the trailhead on the lot’s west side.

The trail is more a series of paths through ancient billion-year-old volcanic basalt beneath red pines (below).

The highly resitant basalt formed when this part of North America was a rift valley as the continent temporarily began to split (below).

The volcanic rock was exposed about 10,000 years ago as flood waters from melting glaciers rushed through the St. Croix River Valley (below).

Today, the St. Croix River is much lower than during the Ice Age and flows between cliffs of volcanic rock (below).

Potholes were formed about 10,000 years ago when swirling glacial meltwater sweeping down the river drilled holes into the ancient basalt bedrock (below).

Among the most famous of the park’s potholes is the Lily Pond Pothole (below).

Also on the trail is the Squeeze, an exceedingly tight, L-shaped break between two ultra large chunks of basalt (below).

Here's a full description of the trail and others nearby at the state park.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Video of ancient St. Croix River gorge

Day hikers can enjoy several views of the St. Croix River as it rushes through a gorge of volcanic rock on the Lost Pothole Trail at Minnesota Interstate State Park.

The trail and others it connects to offer a variety of geological wonders families will love to explore, including billion-year-old rock, glacial potholes, and great vistas. Perhaps among the most exciting views are those of the St. Croix River Valley.

To reach the park, take U.S. Hwy 8 to downtown Taylors Falls. The park’s main entrance is on the highway’s south side next to the bridge connecting Minnesota and Wisconsin. Park in the lot right at the park entry and walk south, taking the Lost Pothole Trail into the pines.

Several spur trails lead to the cliff overlooking the river. The gorge was carved out some 10,000 years ago when floodwaters from melting glaciers during the last age rushed through the area, leaving the vertical walls of basalt. That black rock is 1.1 billion years old.

Here’s a video of the river, looking toward the taken along the Lost Pothole Trail:

Here's an article more fully describing the trail and those connecting to it.

Read more about day hiking Interstate State Park in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking Wisconsin and Minnesota Interstate State Parks guidebook.

Five kid-friendly activities in St. Croix NSR

A number of adventures await kids in the
St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.
Photo courtesy of NPS.

Children will love time spent in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, where they can participate in a number of cool adventures:
g Become a Junior Ranger – Kids can earn a patch and partake in a swearing-in ceremony after completing an activity booklet and program at the riverway’s visitor centers.
g Complete a geological obstacle course – Clambering over ancient rock, fitting through The Squeeze formation, and gazing into seemingly bottomless potholes await at Minnesota Interstate State Park in Taylors Falls, Minn.
g Take a swim – Swimming beaches abound in the pristine St. Croix River. Afton State Park near Afton, Minn., and Point Douglas Park at Prescott, Wis., are two popular summer beaches.
g Stand in a fire tower – Children can go to the top of an observation tower looming 100 feet above the Kettle River, a tributary of the St. Croix River, at Minnesota’s St Croix State Park.
g Pretend to be a giant – Kids can walk across a large aerial photo of the riverway that covers several yards of the St. Croix River Visitor Center in St. Croix Falls, Wis.

Read more about day hiking the scenic riverway in my guidebook Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.

Trails wind thru Ice Age geological features

Lily Pond Pothole,
Minnesota Interstate State Park

The northern section of Minnesota Interstate State Park – also known as the Pothole Area – offers day hikers a number of trails to explore the area’s geology and to enjoy its scenic beauty.

To reach the northern section, take U.S. Hwy. 8 into downtown Taylors Falls. At the Bench Street intersection, turn southeast toward the river into the park. The road enters the parking lot.

Four major trails head from the parking lot into the park.

At the lot’s north end, the 1.5-mile Railroad Trail passes a historic building and bathrooms, goes under Hwy. 8 into downtown Taylors Falls, then curves to the southwest. It passes a historic train depot, and paralleling the highway ends at the Sandstone Trail for a 3-mile round trip.

The trail can be extended by taking the 1-mile Sandstone Bluff Trail. The loop is spectacular in autumn with a mix of colors from the orange maples, red sumac and brilliant yellow oaks. The Sandstone Bluffs and Railroad trails combined make for a four-mile round trip.

A second trail from the Pothole Area parking lot is the 1.25-mile River Trail. At the park’s southern end, pass the drinking fountain and the interpretive kiosk, heading to the right/southwest. In short order, the trail hugs the St. Croix River shoreline, with three overlooks. Where Folsom Island sits in the river, it swerves away from the shoreline around a campground; be careful not to take the connector trail (which is the left trail at the Y junction) to the campsites. You’ll walk 2.5 miles round trip.

A third trail is a set of paths collectively known as the Shadow and Angle Rocks Lookout Trails. This pair of interconnecting short trails also begin at the parking lot’s southern end; at the drinking fountain go left toward the river.

The path to Shadow Rock Lookout follows the route to the Lower Boat Tour Landing. A side trail leads to a glacial pothole called the Cauldron. The potholes were formed about 10,000 years ago when swirling glacial meltwater sweeping down the river drilled holes into the ancient basalt bedrock.

Back on the main trail, you’ll pass through The Squeeze, an exceedingly tight, L-shaped break between two ultra large chunks of basalt (Warning: Young children may be frightened in the dark, narrows quarters.). From there, climb to the Shadow Rock Lookout, which offers a great vista of the St. Croix River and gorge rock formations on the Wisconsin side.

Taking the path that veers away from the Lower Boat Tour Landing leads to the Angle Rock Lookout. You’ll first pass a few potholes on your right. At the Lily Pond Pothole, turn right where you’ll pass more of the geological oddities, including the famous Bottomless Pit and Bake Oven. The trail then briefly joins the Shadow Rock path; go left then at the next junction take a right. When the trail reaches the intersection after that, head right and clamber to the top of Angle Rock.

Technically, these paths are part of the Lost Pothole Trail. For a shorter version of that trail, pick up its trailhead on the parking lot’s west side. At the first junction, go right so that you take the trail counterclockwise. You’ll pass a few baby potholes.

Upon reaching the River Trail junction, go left to the interpretive kiosk then to the drinking fountain. At the parking lot, veer right to the visitor center. To extend the trail, follow the loop around the visitor center, and for even more walking, add the loop stacked to the north of it.

To make a full day of it, at the drinking fountain instead go right and incorporate the previously described Shadow and Angle rocks lookouts trails into your walk.

Map

Read more about day hiking Interstate State Park in my Hittin' the Trail guidebook.

Great day hiking trails perfect for exploring Dalles of the St. Croix in east Minnesota

Minnesota Interstate State Park trail map

The southernmost section of Minnesota Interstate State Park offers a number of great day hiking trails to explore the Dalles of the St. Croix.

To reach the area, from U.S. Hwy. 8 turn east onto Milltown Road. A parking lot is at the end of the entry road. Along the parking lot’s northwest side are three trailheads.

The Sandstone Bluff Trail heads northwest under Hwy. 8 to a nice vista of the valley and river gorge below A 1-mile lollipop trail, it’s spectacular in autumn with a mix of colors from the orange maples, red sumac and brilliant yellow oaks.

The trail can be extended by taking the 1.5-mile Railroad Trail, which parallels Hwy. 8 into downtown Taylors Falls, where it passes a historic train depot, and ends at the park’s northernmost section, also known as the Pothole Area. Combining the Sandstone and Railroad trails would be a four-mile hike from the Milltown Road parking lots.

A second trailhead from those parking lots is the River Trail. It runs 1.25 miles along the St. Croix River. The route first passes a campground (a connector trail links the campsites to the trail) and then hugs the shoreline where Folsom Island sits in the river. Three overlooks are on the trail, which ends at the park’s northern side.

A third trailhead is the Picnic Area Loop. Handicapped accessible, it makes a square that takes users past the boat ramp and briefly alongside the river.

Read more about day hiking Interstate State Park in my guidebook Hittin' the Trail.

Fun, eclectic trails await in Taylors Falls MN

Lily Pond Pothole, Minnesota Interstate State Park

The village of Taylors Falls, Minn., which boasts its state’s oldest public school, also offers some day hiking trails with as much range in personality as one might find among kids in a classroom. Trails in near the village are:
g Bryant Woods Park Reserve Trail – A lollipop trial runs about 0.8 miles through a mixed hardwoods forest at the local school district’s property off of Furuby Road northwest of town. Features include basalt rock outcroppings and wildlife sightings.
g Fraconia Sculpture Park walkways – While not a wilderness hike, the art center south of town on U.S. Hwy. 8 still offers plenty of sites to see, in this case, sculptures. Seventy-two to be exact. Walkways in three stacked rectangles wind through the modern art sculptures that will delight young children and inspire older ones.
g Lions Trail – A few short trails run through and connect North and South Lions Parks north of town on County Road 16 (aka Chisago Street). Alternately, walk the park’s 1.25 miles of shoreline along the St. Croix River.
g River Trail – Located in the Milltown Road section of Minnesota Interstate State Park, the trail runs 1.25 miles (2.5 miles round trip) along the St. Croix River. The route first passes a campground and then hugs the shoreline where Folsom Island sits in the river. Three overlooks are on the trail, which ends at the park’s northern side.
g Shadow Rock Lookout Trail – On the northside of Minnesota Interstate State Park, a set of short, interconnecting trails leads past deep potholes formed by swirling glacial floodwaters and The Squeeze, an exceedingly tight, L-shaped break between two ultra-large chunks of basalt. From there, climb to the Shadow Rock Lookout, which offers a great vista of the St. Croix River and gorge rock formations on the Wisconsin side.

Read more about day hiking Interstate State Park in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking Wisconsin and Minnesota Interstate State Parks guidebook.