Photo Album of Minnesota’s Riverside Trail

The scenic Riverside Trail loops for 1.5 miles through Minnesota’s William O’Brien State Park on the St. Croix River.

To reach the park, from Stillwater, Minn., take Minn. Hwy. 95 north to 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 heads through a floodplain and typically is open during summer and autumn when water levels have gone down. You’ll find rest areas (some with benches) about every 900 feet on the trail, as well as interpretive signs.

The trail begins at the picnic grounds immediately east of the parking lot. To the west is a swimming beach on Lake Alice (below).

Several spur trails head off the main loop to the lake (below).

The trail is mostly flat and wide, consisting of pea gravel (below).

A number of views of Lake Alice are on the trail’s west side (below). St. Croix River views are on the trail’s east side.

In May, carp often can be seen spawning in Lake Alice; they make ripples in the otherwise calm water (below) and sometimes even jump out of the water.

Here's a full description of the trail.

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

Best trails for enjoying Zion NP’s wonders

Riverside Trail through Zion Narrows

Among the best ways to see Zion National Park’s top sights is via a day hike. Just five trails will allow you to enjoy each of the park’s highlights – a canyon’s exotic geological features, the world’s second longest arch, an incredible river narrows, hanging gardens, and magnificent California condors.

Zion Canyon
For 15 miles, the Virgin River cuts through cream, pink and red rock representing 150 million years of Earth history. The result is soaring towers, spectacular spires, and imposing monoliths. The 2-mile round trip Watchman Trail allows hikers to see several of the canyon’s exotic geological formations, including the Beehives, the Towers of the Virgin, the West Temple, the Altar of Sacrifice and the Watchman.

Kolob Arch
The park boasts the world’s second longest natural arch, Kolob Arch, which spans 287.4 feet. It can be seen in a long day hike through the backcountry on the 14-mile round trip Kolob Arch Trail, which leaves from the Lee Pass parking area.

Zion Narrows
At the famous river narrows, water is forced through a narrows between two high sandstone walls, an impressive sight. The 2-mile round-trip Riverside Trail leads to the narrows opening. Hike the trail in late summer when the water is warmer and lower than earlier in the year so that you can wade into the narrows.

Hanging gardens
At Weeping Rock, water seeps out of a concave cut in a sandstone wall, allowing for a lush hanging gardens to flourish amid the desert. The 1-mile round-trip Weeping Rock Trail is uphill with a steep stairs leading to the hanging gardens, but the site’s beauty is worth the climb.

California condors
More than 200 bird species can be found in the park, and the most magnificent of them is the rare California condor. They usually can be seen flying over the 5-mile round-trip Angels Landing Trail; the trail does have steep drop-offs so is not for young children.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.

Hike alongside lake, thru floodplain forest

St. Croix River shoreline at William O'Brien State Park.

Riverside Trail map

Day hikers can learn about the power of floods on the St. Croix River via the Riverside Trail at William O’Brien State Park in Minnesota.

The 1.5-mile trail loops through a floodplain and typically is open during summer and autumn when water levels have gone down. Don’t think of this area as a swamp, though – you’ll find rest areas (some with benches) about every 900 feet on the trail, as well as interpretive signs.

To reach the trail, from Marine on St. Croix, Minn., 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.

Floodplain forest
At the amphitheater, the trail curves east then north again as paralleling a back channel of the St. Croix River. 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.

About 0.3 miles from the amphitheater, shortly after passing a stem trail leading to a campground, the back channel joins the main channel. 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, tranquilityreigns.

A little more than halfway through the hike, the trail veers from the river and follows a small stream that flows from the bluffs into the St. Croix. Frogs make their home along the creek in large numbers, and you’re likely to hear them through the day.

The trail then curves south and soon crosses O’Brien Trail North. This marks the steepest section of the trail as it rises and drops about 40 feet over a knoll.

Lake Alice bird life
Next the trail squeezes between the road and Lake Alice. The lake was named for Alice O'Brien, whose donation of 180 acres in honor of her father, William, launched the park.

Springs at Lake Alice’s north end feeds it through the year, assuring the water remains clean and blue all summer. Keep an eye to the sky for eagles and hawks looking for a meal in the lake. Geese and ducks usually can be spotted floating about, so if you have little ones, bring some dried bread they can toss into the water to feed the waterfowl.

The Riverside Trail is wheelchair accessible. It also has restrooms and a swimming area on Lake Alice at trail’s end, so be sure to pack your kids’ swimming trunks.

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

Great day hiking trails near Osceola, Wis.

Lake O' the Dalles swimming beach at Wisconsin Interstate State Park.

If traveling through or living in Osceola, Wis., this summer, you’ll find plenty of great day hiking trails to enjoy. Among them:
g Ridgeview Trail – Hikers can walk across billion-year-old lava flows in a 2.1-mile loop at Osceola Bedrock Glades State Natural Area. This area is one of only three bedrock glade ecosystems in the state.
g Ridge View (Osceola and Chisago loops) Trail – This pair of St. Croix National Scenic Riverway trails gives you great close-up views of a St. Croix River back channel. Birds abound in this secluded woodland.
g Lake O’ the Dalles Trail – To the north at Wisconsin Interstate Park, a 1-mile loop circles the 23-acre Lake O’ the Dalles. The trail offers exceptional opportunities to view wildlife.
g Riverside Trail – Cross the border into Minnesota for William O’Brien State Park, where this 1.5-mile trail will take you to the shores of Alice Lake and the St. Croix River. There are benches every 900 feet.
g Stower Seven Lakes Trail – This trail cuts across Polk County beginning (or ending, depending on your perspective) east of town at Lotus Lake. You can walk about two miles along Horse Creek to Horse Lake for a 4-mile round trip.

Read more about day hiking this and nearby trails in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Polk County, Wisconsin guidebook.