St. Croix Valley’s best birdwatching trails

A number of day hiking trails in Minnesota and Wisconsin’s St. Croix River Valley offer great birdwatching opportunities.

As the river valley stretches directly north from the Mississippi River almost to Lake Superior, during spring and autumn several migratory birds stop off to feed and rest. Many even stay for the summer.

Here’s a sampling of the best river valley trails to spot birds.

Purple Trail (Kinnickinnic State Park)
An overlook of where the Kinnickinnic and St. Croix rivers merge is ice-free year around, making it prime feeding ground for American bald eagles during winter. Prairie restoration along a segment of the trail has created homes for partridge and ringneck pheasants.

North River Trail (Afton State Park)
Birds of prey, particularly red-tailed hawks and turkey vultures, find excellent feeding grounds atop the blufftop prairies and in the valley below where the St. Croix River reaches its widest span.

Hidden Ponds Nature (Black) Trail (Willow River State Park)
Three ponds amid woodlands is a favored nesting and feeding grounds for a variety of songbirds. The bright red scarlet tanager is among them.

Riverside Trail (William O’Brien State Park)
Traditional waterfowl, including geese and wood ducks, frequent Lake Alice and the St. Croix River along the trail. Bring some bread crumbs to feed them, which will delight any toddlers or preschoolers hiking with you.

Ridge View (Osceola and Chisago) Trails (St. Croix National Scenic Riverway)
Game birds including turkey and grouse, songbirds such as the scarlet tanager, and raptors like bald eagles, can be spotted in the diverse ecosystems the trail passes through.

Summit Rock Trail (Wisconsin Interstate State Park)
Atop the hill overlooking the river, sit and enjoy juvenile bald eagles gliding past you on the thermals. Often they fly within a few feet of you.

Redhorse Creek Northern Loop (Chengwatana State Forest)
A wide range of birds call this vast preserved area home. Among them are bald eagles, northern harriers, osprey, sandhill cranes, and warblers.

Hay Creek Trail (Crex Meadows Wildlife Area)
An internationally recognized bird area, just about any bird that frequents the Upper Midwest can be spotted at Crex Meadows. Most famous among them are giant sandhill cranes.

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

Video of St. Croix beach at Afton State Park

Among eastern Minnesota’s prettiest waterbodies near an urban area is the St. Croix River. Though all of the waterway is protected by the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, not all of it is easily accessible.

One spot where you can get up close and personal with the St. Croix River is Afton State Park. Located at the edge of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, the river widens in this section of its course and so often is referred in the area as “Lake St. Croix.”

More than 60 fish species call Lake St. Croix home; among them are walleye and muskies (Minnesota’s and Wisconsin’s state fish respectively), northern pike, largemouth and smallmouth bass, bluegill and crappie. White bass is particularly abundant near the park.

A beach stretches for several yards along a section of the park’s shoreline. Amenities include benches to enjoy the view.

Here’s a brief video of the St. Croix River lapping at the shoreline of Afton State Park:

A great trail to enjoy the lake from is the North River Trail. The paved route skirts the river’s western shore for 1.1-miles one-way (2.2-miles round trip).

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

Best hikes to find spot spring wildflowers in Minnesota/Wisconsin's St. Croix River Valley

The pasqueflower usually is the first
wildflower to bloom in the St. Croix
River Valley. Photo courtesy of
Wisconsin DNR.

The St. Croix River Valley that forms part of the Minnesota-Wisconsin border marks a great spot to go on wildflower hikes during spring and early summer. In addition, as almost all of the river valley sits in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and various state parks and forests, there’s plenty of public access to where wildflowers grow.

In broad terms, the river valley can be divided into two ecosystems. One is the prairie blufftop that overlook the river while the other is the hillside and river bottoms that typically are forested.

The prairie blufftops usually are the first place to see wildflowers each spring. The St. Croix Savanna SNA, south of Bayport, Minn., offers an easy to reach gravel prairie high above the river.

In early April to early May, you’ll know spring has finally arrived when the pasqueflower blossoms there. “Pasque” is French for “Easter,” hence the flower’s name – it usually blooms around Easter.

Skunk cabbage comes next on the blufftops. That usually is followed by pussytoes and then violets.

Wildflowers growing beneath the forest canopy usually blossom in mid-spring. Wood anemones typically are the first to arrive, as they bloom before the trees grow their leaves. These wildflowers are common and typically can be seen in any wooded area throughout the river valley.

Wisconsin Interstate State Park trails are good places to see the next wave of wildflowers that arrive in May. Columbines, May apples, large-flowered trilliums, and wild geraniums are common in the park.

Wetter areas, especially those in the river bottoms, usually offer a different set of wildflowers to see during May. The Indianhead Flowage Trail, north of St. Croix Falls and in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, offers a good opportunity to see those flowers, which include whip-or-will trilliums, marsh marigolds, the blue flag iris, and wild geraniums.

The St. Croix River’s tributaries often have the same makeup of forested wildflowers as the St. Croix River Valley. The Apple River at Apple River County Park near Somerset, for example, offers excellent displays of trilliums in spring.

The river valley also is home to some rare flowers, at least for Wisconsin. For example, the Osceola Bedrock Glades State Natural Area’s Ridgeview Trail is one of the few places in the Badger State to host the prairie flame flower. Though common across much of the Great Plains, it isn’t typically found east of the Mississippi River.

A good place to learn about local wildflowers is Willow River State Park, particularly its Hidden Ponds Nature (Black) Trail. The garden at the nature center near the trailhead has 20 common species – including the black-eyed Susan, blazing star, and New England aster – blooming from spring to autumn.

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

‘Hikes’ author’s newest guidebook, on NE Minnesota, released

My 21st book – Headin’ to the Cabin: Day Hiking Trails of Northeast Minnesota – went on sale this week.

The indispensable guide to anyone who owns or rents a cabin on the North Shore, in the Minnesota Arrowhead, and along the St. Croix River, “Headin’ to the Cabin” describes more than 200 trails in Chisago, Pine, Carlton, St. Louis, Lake, and Cook counties.

It is available in paperback, Kindle ebook and other ebook formats.

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

Wild River SP trails cross oak forest, prairie

Windfall Trail. Photo courtesy Minnesota DNR.

A diverse array of trails await day hikers at Minnesota's Wild River State Park.

The state park is located along the St. Croix River. 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.

To reach the trail, from North Branch, Minn., take Minn. Hwy. 95 to County Road 12. Drive it to the park entrance, and follow the main park road to your trailhead’s parking lot.

Among the best day hiking trails at the state park are:
g Amador Prairie Loops – Day hikers can choose between a 1-mile or a 2-mile loop that heads through an open area of tall prairie grasses. The loops begin at the park’s Trail Center.
g Amik’s Pond Trail – Brochures for the nature trail can be picked up at its trailhead next to the visitor center. It runs one mile.
g Deer Creek Loop – Part of the pretty trail runs along the historic Old Military Road that once connected what is now the south end of the scenic riverway with Lake Superior. Including the stem trail from either the visitor center or the River Access, the trail runs 4-miles round trip.
g Mitigwaki Loop – The 1-mile loop heads through an oak woods overlooking Dry Creek. The trailhead is at the visitor center.
g Pioneer Trail – Day hikers can experience three ecosystems – on oak woods, a savanna, and a prairie – on this loop that leaves from the Trail Center. Including an access trial, the walk is 3.1-miles round trip.
g River Terrace Loop – The 1.5-mile loop and its stem trail circles through a bottomland forest. It offers views of the Old Nevers Dam site on the river.
g Windfall Trail – Like the Amik's Pond Trail, a brochure for the nature trail is located at its visitor center trailhead. It is 1-mile long.

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

Minn.'s Afton State Park day hiking trails ramble through variety of ecosystems

The North and South River Trails follows almost three
miles of old railroad bed. Photo courtesy of Minn. DNR.

A number of unnamed trails crisscross Minnesota’s Afton State Park, located alongside the St. Croix River east of Minneapolis/St. Paul.

The state park sits on a glacial moraine and despite its compactness still provides hikers with a variety of ecosystems to enjoy, including a crystal blue river, a forested stream, and a small meadow.

To reach the park, from Interstate 94 take Minn. Hwy. 21 about 4.5 miles south of Afton, Minn. Turn east into the park at the Minn. Hwy. 20 intersection. Follow the entry road to a set of seven parking lots in front of the visitor center. Pick up a park map, as you’ll have to take connecting trails to reach the ones listed here.

Among the park’s best (and named) trails are:
• Deer Valley Loop – For a solid workout and great vistas, try this 2.2-mile trail, which heads up and down the bluff overlooking the St. Croix. You’ll need to first hike 1.3 miles of connecting trails to reach the trailhead for a 4.8-mile round trip.
• Prairie Loop – The 2.1-mile trail circles a blufftop prairie and can be extended by taking loops off the main route. A mile of connecting trails are needed to reach the trailhead for a 4.1-mile round trip.
• North River Trail – A tranquil dirt trail runs next to the St. Croix River’s widest section. The 2.2-miles round trip also offers the opportunity for a swim to cool off when the walk is all over.
• South River Trail – The 3.2-mile round-trip trail rambles alongside the St. Croix River through a woods. It offers great views of the scenic Wisconsin shoreline.
• Trout Brook Loop – The trail heads alongside and over Trout Brook, a St. Croix tributary, then behind a small border that borders the stream. Though only 1.5-miles long, you’ll need to hike 2.3 miles of connecting trails to its trailhead, resulting in a 6.1-mile round trip.

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

Hike scenic lake that once was part of river

Lake O' the Dalles Trail runs
for mile in Wisconsin state park

Families can hike around and even swim in a lake that once was part of the St. Croix River at Wisconsin Interstate State Park.

The Lake O’ the Dalles Trail circles its namesake, a 23-acre lake, in a 1-mile loop. Nicely lined with hardwood trees, the trail is relatively flat with a few stairs.

To reach the state park, from St. Croix Falls, Wis., at the junction of Wis. Hwy. 35 and U.S. Hwy. 8, travel south on Hwy. 35. In half a mile, turn right to enter the park. Follow the park road down the hill to a parking lot on the left/east side. The trailhead is on the lot’s north side; head left/west onto the trail, passing the picnic area.

Where the river once ran
During the past 10,000 years, the St. Croix River has changed its course several times. The small ravines across the park indicate where it once ran. During those course changes, the river hollowed out this backwater lake; sediment then filled in the space between it and the St. Croix’s current course. No more than 12 feet deep, the Lake O’ the Dalles’ bottom is about 99 percent rock.

After the trail circles the lake’s north side, it comes to a junction with Echo Canyon Trail. Continue paralleling the lake.

Despite being cut off from the main channel, the picturesque lake recently has been invaded by the non-native curly-leaf pondweed. Originally from Eurasia, the plant lives from the shoreline to depths of up to 15 feet in lakes, where it can displace native plants. It’s a problem across the Great Lakes states.

The next two trail junctions are for the River Bluff Trail. The Lake O’Dalles Trail can be extended by hiking the River Bluff Trail, a 0.7-mile loop that takes hikers between the St. Croix River gorge and the Lake O’ the Dalles. The rocks and sparse vegetation gives it a Rocky Mountain feel. If adding that loop, the hike’s total length is about 1.6 miles.

The next highlight along the lake trail is a railed fishing pier that you can walk onto. You’ll often find anglers here catching largemouth bass, northern pike, panfish and walleye from the lake.

Wildlife viewing trail
As following the trail around the lake’s west side, the River Bottoms Picnic Area is to the west next to the St. Croix River. Along this side of the lake, about 40 yards of the trail follows the park road.

A footbridge then crosses Dalles Creek as the trail loops back around the lake’s south side.

An excellent trail for spotting wildlife, you stand a good chance of seeing white-tailed deer or fox near the lake. Eagles and osprey also are likely as they circle overhead looking for a meal. More rarely, black bear have been spotted plodding about nearby.

The trail then heads up the lake’s eastern side to the stone Beach House. The CCC and WPA constructed the rustic building during the Great Depression. A swimming beach is located here. The beach house is near the trailhead, with your parking lot in clear view.

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

Great trails abound at Kinnickinnic S.P.

Kinnickinnic River Delta, from the Purple Trail. Photo courtesy Wis. DNR.

For residents of the eastern Twin Cities and west-central Wisconsin, Kinnickinnic State Park offers a convenient central location to escape back to nature for a day.

The park is located on the St. Croix and Kinnickinnic rivers, almost equidistant from River Falls, Hudson, and Prescott, Wis. The latter two communities offer bridge access into Minnesota.

Among the trails at the state park (going from east to west):
g Red Trail – The 1.6-mile hike heads through prairie alongside a forest’s edge. Among the highlights is the Vulture’s Peak area. Near the park entrance, the set of two loops can be accessed from the park’s first two parking lot.
g Blue Trail – The 0.7-mile out-and-back trail (1.4-miles round trip) gives hikers the opportunity to explore gorges and coulees into the Kinnickinnic River Valley. Access the wooded trail from the second parking area past the park entrance. Add the 0.1-mile (0.2-miles round trip) Brown Trail, which serves as a sledding hill in winter, to extend the hike.
g Yellow Trail – The 1.2-mile loop edges a forest and prairie area. Watch for deer, pheasants and turkeys along the trail. The Kinni Overlook Lot is a good place to start; the trail can be extended by adding the Green, Orange or Purple trails.
g Orange Trail – A wooded out-and-back trail atop the Kinnickinnic River bluffs, it runs for 0.5 miles (1-mile round trip). Park at the Kinni Overlook Lot and access it via the Yellow Trail; add the Purple and Yellow trails for a longer walk.
g Green Trail – The trail loops about the outside of a prairie area under restoration and is an excellent place to spot partridge, pheasants and other birds. Access it via the Yellow Trail; from the Kinnic Overlook Lot, go left/north on the Yellow for a 1.6-mile round trip (The Green Trail itself is 1.1-miles long).
g Purple Trail – The 1.2-mile loop (when combined with a segment of the Yellow Trail), offers great views of the Kinnickinnic River Delta and the St. Croix River, as well as access to a swimming beach along the St. Croix. Park in the St. Croix Picnic Area Lot.

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

Discover famous old dam site on hiking loop

Nevers Dam overlook on River Terrace Loop.
Photo courtesy Minnesota DNR. 

Minnesota trail rambles
through bottomlands forest

Day hikers can learn about the power of dams while enjoying a walk along the St. Croix River on the River Terrace Loop in Minnesota's Wild River State Park.

The 1.5-mile 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.

Late summer and early fall mark the best time to hike the loop. During wet years, spring floods and mosquitoes can make the hike difficult.

To reach the trail, from North Branch, Minn., 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.

The trailhead begins in the picnic area with a short 0.1-mile connector that heads 120 feet down the bluff into the bottomlands and to the loop. Upon reaching the loop, go right/east.

Old Nevers Dam site
In about 0.2 miles, you’ll reach the St. Croix River and the Old Nevers Dam site. Wooden pilings in midstream are all that remain of the dam, which at one time was among the most important in the Midwest.

During the last half of the 1800s, log jams were a regular occurrence on the St. Croix as lumber cut in northern Wisconsin and Minnesota was floated downstream to saw mills. In 1886 when an estimated l50 million feet of lumber backed up on the river, loggers dynamited the tree trunks to break open the jam.

The solution to the log jams was controlling the river flow through a dam. To that end, in 1890, the Nevers Dam opened, virtually eliminating the backups. For the next 65 years, it held the record as the world’s largest pile-driven dam.

As the lumberjacking days ended, Nevers Dam became a river control point that allowed construction of a hydroelectric power dam in St. Croix Falls, Wis., 11 miles downriver.

Spring floods in 1954 demolished Nevers Dam, however. That May, the high waters undermined the dam and washed several sections away. A wrecking crew removed what remained of the unusable dam in 1955.

Flood-tolerant trees
From the Nevers Dam site, go left/north on the trail, which parallels the river for 0.6 miles. Though wooded, during wet years this can be somewhat of a swampy area. Keep an eye out for ducks, herons and bitterns.

When the trail curves southwest and away from the river, you’ll reach another junction. The intersecting trail accesses the campground atop the bluff via 164 winding steps.

The River Terrace loop goes left/south. Camper cabins are on the bluffs about 140 feet above.

As the bottomland forest sometimes is flooded during spring, inundation-tolerant trees – including silver maple and basswood – flourish here.

In 0.5 miles, the trail reaches another junction; go left/east and then within a few feet at the next intersection, go right/south back onto the connector trail leading to the picnic area and your parking lot.

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

Grand lake, beautiful woods await hikers

Saint Croix Flowage
Photo courtesy of Wisconsin DNR

Day hikers can explore the northernmost reaches of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway on the Gordon Flowage Campground Trail.

The roughly 2-mile round trip is a jeep trail running through the woods bordering the river. The trail actually is unnamed, but for convenience’s sake, I’ve christened it here after the campground where it begins in Wisconsin's Gordon Dam County Park.

To reach the trailhead, from U.S. Hwy. 53 in Gordon, go west on County Road Y. Within a half-mile, you'll see a lake on your right/north. That's the Saint Croix Flowage. After about seven miles, the road dead ends. This is the northern end of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. Park in the Gordon Flowage Campground lot at the end of the county road.

Begin the hike by walking to the dam that creates the flowage about 300 feet northeast of the lot. The river is left/west of the dam with the 2247-acre flowage to the right/east.

The flowage – a man-made lake to prevent river flooding – reaches 28 feet deep and is popular among fishermen. Largemouth bass, northern pike, and panfish are fairly abundant in the moderately clear water. Sometimes referred to as the Gordon-Saint Croix Flowage, it boasts 29 miles of meandering shoreline.

The flowage isn’t the St. Croix River’s headwaters. The river rushes into the lake’s east end near Gordon after roughly paralleling Hwy. 53 from Upper St. Croix Lake near Solon Springs. Centuries ago, European explorers and fur traders portaged from Upper St. Croix Lake to the Brule River, which flows into Lake Superior, using this route to reach the Mississippi River.

From the dam, head back to the parking lot and pick up the jeep trail at the end of County Road Y. The trail heads west, with a brief jog south, through a mixed hardwood and pine forest. It’s a lovely walk during autumn with the leaves alight in reds, oranges, yellows and the pine needles' dark greens. You won’t see the river from the trail, but you’ll likely hear it flowing over the dam.

In about 0.95 miles, the trail junctions with the asphalt Mail Road (Some maps label it as “West Mail Road” and others as “South Mail Road.”). This marks a good spot to turn around.

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

Spot rare butterflies in Wisc. pine barrens

Buckley Creek Barrens/ Photo
courtesy Wisconsin DNR.

Four species call state natural area their home

Day hikers can truly get back to nature with a walk through a pine barrens near the northern reach of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.

The Buckley Creek Barrens Trail is an undesignated out-and-back footpath that runs 1.2-miles round trip through the Buckley Creek Barrens State Natural Area west of Gordon, Wis. Late summer and early autumn mark the best time to hike the trail, as spring through June will be wet and buggy.

To reach the trail, from U.S. Hwy. 53 in Gordon, head west on County Road Y. At about 4.4 miles, turn left/south onto South Lost Lake Road. After 4.3 miles, turn west onto Sunset Drive then in about a mile right/north onto Carp’s Creek Road. The road runs north/south through the state natural area. In about 1.5 miles, you’ll see a footpath on both sides of the road. Park on the shoulder here so other vehicles can pass.

Returning ecosystem
Go east on the trail, which heads through Buckley Creek Barrens’ higher elevations. The St. Croix River is a few miles to the east curving north.

In this region of Wisconsin, a number of wetlands and small lakes dot the landscape, surrounded by pine barrens – areas of sandy soil that support mainly pine and oak. The barrens once was the bottom of a glacial lake that existed at the end of the last ice age, some 10,000 years ago.

The trail is a biologist’s dream, especially for those studying the rare pine barrens ecosystem. After years of preventing wildfires – which flora in a barrens depends upon to maintain their life cycle – one broke out in 1997. A barrens much like that which existed before white settlers came to the area more than a century before has returned, providing a living lab.

Beyond jack pine and hill’s oak, among the trees that you can spot on the trail are black and pin cherry. The wetlands host a number of grasses.

Four rare butterflies
Because of this flora, butterflies and birds literally flock to the pine barrens. Among four rare Wisconsin butterfly species you might spot here are the cobweb skipper, the dusted skipper, Henry’s elfin, and the Gorgone checkerspot. For birds, a number of thrashers, warblers and sparrows call the natural area home, and you might even spot an osprey or bald eagle overhead.

After 0.6 miles, the trail reaches a wetland’s southeast tip. This marks a good spot to turn back.

State natural areas in Wisconsin typically don’t have public facilities, and Buckley Creek Barrens is no exception. If you truly want to get into the wilds, this is a great hike. Be sure to use insect repellent and wear pants and long sleeves when walking the trail.

On the drive back to Gordon along County Road Y, you’ll pass the Saint Croix Flowage. This man-made lake often is mistaken for the St. Croix River’s headwaters; it's also not part of the national riverway.

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

Enjoy quiet day hike along Lake St. Croix

Swimming beach on North River Trail in early spring.

North River Trail map

Swimming beach also found
on tranquil nature trail

Day hikers can enjoy a pleasant walk alongside the widest section of the St. Croix River on the North River Trail at Minnesota’s Afton State Park.

The 2.2-miles round trip also offers the opportunity for a swim to cool off when the walk is all over.

To reach the park, take Minn. Hwy. 21 about 4.5 miles south of Afton. Turn east into the park at the Minn. Hwy. 20 intersection. Follow the entry road to a set of seven parking lots in front of the visitor center; any one of them will work with a trailhead or a connecting trail on each lot’s east side; just always be sure to veer left/north when coming to the first trail junction. If taking the southernmost (first) parking lot along the entry road, you’ll add about 0.3 miles one-way to the hike.

Wide and deep
The trail gradually veers toward the St. Croix, which at this point on its course is known as Lake St. Croix because of its width. Lake St. Croix stretches south from Stillwater, Minn., to Prescott, Wis., where the river joins the Mississippi.

The St. Croix reaches its widest at 1.25 miles just north of the state park. Its deepest point is 78 feet.

Between the parking lot and river, the North River Trail passes picnic areas, a shelter, and telescopes for viewing the scenic Wisconsin side across the sapphire-colored water. The trail goes by the swimming beach about a half-mile to 0.75 miles into the hike.

As the trail stays close to the river below the bluff, trees along the way can be underwater during spring flooding and other high water years.

Record fish
Once away from the beach, the trail becomes a tranquil, natural path. Your only company likely will be the birds of prey circling for fish and the number of recreational boats enjoying the river.

This section of the river is extremely popular among anglers. More than 60 fish species call Lake St. Croix home; among them are walleye and muskies (Minnesota’s and Wisconsin’s state fish respectively), northern pike, largemouth and smallmouth bass, bluegill and crappie. White bass is particularly abundant near the park.

Some fish size is exceptional. Minnesota’s state record catfish – coming in at 70 pounds – was caught in Lake St. Croix. Fishermen also have hauled in lake sturgeon weighing more than 50 pounds. Some channel catfish weigh in excess of 25 pounds.

At 1.1-1.4 miles from the visitor center, the trail veers west away from the river and climbs the hill up the bluff. This marks a good time to turn back. Before returning to your vehicle, stop at the visitor center to learn more about the river and ecosystems at the park.

This also is a bicycle trail, so be aware of the two-wheelers. During spring and early summer, always don repellent for mosquitoes, which is Minnesota’s unofficial state bird.

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

Hike offers great view of river delta, valley

Kinnickinnic River Delta. Photo courtesy Wisconsin DNR.

Purple Trail

Day hikers are certain to spot wildlife on the Purple Trail at the southernmost state park along the St. Croix River.

The 1.2-mile loop, which includes a segment of the Yellow Trail, takes hikers along a first-class trout stream at Kinnickinnic State Park in Pierce County, Wis. Though a compact park at a little more than 1200 acres, it contains an old-growth oak forest, restored prairies, and a river delta.

To reach the park, from Wis. Hwy. 29 northeast of Prescott, Wis., take County Road F north for about 5.5 miles. Turn left/west onto 820th Avenue then left/south into the park; follow the entry road west all of the way to its end and park in the St. Croix Picnic Area Lot.

An access trail to the main course begins in the lot’s western corner. Upon reaching the Purple Trail, turn right/north. Most of the trees in this area of Wisconsin were cut by pioneers and 19th century logging companies, but the trail here passes through one of the few woodlands to escape the ax.

Wildlife abounds as well in this area. Watch for whitetail deer, raccoon, rabbits and squirrels. Hikers have spotted weasels, gray fox, red fox and even beaver nearby.

Restored prairie
In about 600 feet from the access trail, you’ll pass a path to the swim area. Continuing on the main trail, the woods soon gives way to a restored prairie.

This region was plowed under by the area’s first white settlers but since 1972 (when the state park was established) have been among 50 acres of land at the park restored to original prairie. Watch for partridge, ringneck pheasants and other birds that prefer grasslands.

You’ll soon reach a junction with the Yellow Trail; go right/south on it through more prairie. In about 600 feet, you’ll cross the park entry road, so make sure any little ones with you watch for traffic.

Rivers below
The Yellow Trail then rejoins the Purple Trail; go right/south onto the latter. After a junction with the Orange Trail, the Kinnickinnic River should come in view to the left/south. You’re on a bluff overlooking the river; don’t get too close to the edge, though, as the limestone cliff is a straight drop down.

White pines line the river, which is popular with anglers for its brown trout. Watch for mink slinking along the banks looking for food.

Rounding the picnic area, head into the overlook on the left/west to see the Kinnickinnic River Delta with the St. Croix River. Sediment from the Kinnickinnic reduces the St. Croix’s width here by about 75 percent.

The result is a faster current, which during winter leaves the St. Croix ice-free. Because of that, bald eagles enjoy a year-round fishing area, so keep your eyes to the sky for the bird of prey.

The access trail to the parking lot is directly across from the overlook.

Good options
If time and energy allows, consider extending the hike by adding the rest of the Yellow Trail; to do that, at the first junction of the Purple/Yellow trails, go left/north onto the latter. The 1.2-mile Yellow Trail (You’ll only do about a mile of it for a 1.8-mile hike total.) loops along the forest and prairie edge. A flat trail, it offers the opportunity to spot wild turkeys. When the Yellow rejoins the Purple, go left/south onto the latter.

Alternately, enjoy a dip into the St. Croix River at its swim area that the Purple Trail passed at its start. There’s a small sand beach at the swim area, and the St. Croix is one of the Midwest’s cleanest waterways.

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

Hike to river shore, through apple orchard

An apple orchard makes Carpenter Nature Center a major
autumn destination.

Day hikers can enjoy a walk down a bluff to the St. Croix River and then through an apple orchard at the Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center in the southeast Twin Cities.

A nonprofit aimed at preserving wildlife habitat and providing educational opportunities about nature, Carpenter St. Croix Valley is free and offers a number of quality programs through the year. The facility is open every day from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

The South River Bluff Trail and a paved trail connecting it to the visitor center runs about 0.95-miles round trip to the shores of the St. Croix. This trail heads through the heart of the center’s 425-acre main property in Minnesota; a separate 300-acre restored prairie and wooded bluffs are on a nature preserve in Wisconsin.

To reach the nature center, from U.S. Hwy. 10 take Minn. Hwy. 21 (aka as St. Croix Trail) north and watch for the signs; the center is on the right/east in about two miles. Once on the center entry road, park in the northern lot.

Check out the interpretive center northeast of the parking lot for several exhibits and displays about the Lower St. Croix Valley. A paved trail departs from the center's north side.

River shore
Follow the trail east, avoiding the turnoffs onto other trails (Save them for a later visit!). Most of this area is open, so be sure to don suntan lotion or wear a sunhat during summer.

The trail soon curves south; at each of the next three trail junctions, continue heading south. A wetlands is to the east/left with a tree line in the distance that turns an array of reds, yellows and browns each autumn.

Soon the pathway makes a hairpin turn north and reaches the unpaved South River Bluff Trail. Take this down the ridge to the river’s edge, which is on the other side of the Railroad Bed Trail. Upon reaching the river, you’re about halfway through the hike. The far shoreline is Wisconsin.

The St. Croix River there is close to its widest before flowing into the Mississippi River just a couple of miles south in Prescott, Wis. For the next 123 miles to the north, the river forms the Wisconsin-Minnesota border before meandering into the Badger State for its last 44 miles.

Apple orchard
Upon taking in the great views, turn back, going the way you came. However, if it's autumn, at the next junction after making the hairpin turn north, go left/west. The trail passes through a small wooded area, then heads south into the apple orchard.

The orchard was started by the center's namesakes, Thomas and Edna Carpenter, in the 1940s. Thirteen types of apples grow at the center; you'll be able to purchase most of them in mid-September.

Staying on the orchard's west side, the trail exits into the Apple Shack, which sells apples and honey grown at the center, as well as food ranging from pumpkins and squash to jams and syrups.

Leave through the Apple Shack’s other side into the southern parking lot. Follow this back to the northern parking lot where your vehicle is.

Click map for larger version.

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

Trails await at little-known Chengwatana SF

Autumn leaves in Minnesota's Chengwatana State Forest.

Islands of upland boreal forest in a sea of brushland and marshes make up the little known Chengwatana State Forest along the St. Croix River in Pine County, Minn.

This hidden gem for hikers offers primitive camping sites and has designated trails for off-road and all-terrain vehicles. To reach the state forest, from Interstate 35 take the Beroun Exit onto County Road 14 and follow the signs.

Three major trails make for good day hikes the state forest’s 29,039 acres:
g Matthew Lourey State Trail – The unpaved trail links the St. Croix State Park to in the north to the St. Croix River along the forest’s southeast side. Tamarack and burr oak dominate the Chengwatana, which boasts wild turkeys, beavers, mink and muskrat along the way.
g Redhorse Creek Area Loops – Day hikers can see how the lumberjack era altered the northern Minnesota landscape on this trio of stacked loops. Today, paper birch and bigtooth and quaking aspen have largely replaced yesteryear’s white pine.
g Snake River Campground Trail – About a mile-long trail runs south of the Snake River near the primitive campground site. The pathway runs between the Mathew Lourey State Trail and the St. Croix River with stem trails to the campground.

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

Burnett County offers great hiking country

Sandrock Cliffs Trail

Imagine a place of crystal blue waters surrounded by lush green forests, of friendly Mayberry-like villages, of where rare, elegant birds whose wings span up to seven feet grace the skies. If living in the Upper Midwest, such a place is within only a few hours’ drive. It’s called Burnett County, Wisconsin. 

Located northeast of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., along the St. Croix River, Burnett County sits in Wisconsin’s Northwoods.

Geographically, most of the landscape is part of Wisconsin’s central plain, a region flattened by glaciers and the outflow of its meltwater during the last ice age. The St. Croix River marks the county’s western boundary, cutting across the northern quarter where the Namekagon River joins it. Those rivers and the kettle lakes left by the melting glaciers today are the main draws to this region. The county’s topmost quarter sits in the state’s northern upland, a region that some 700 million years ago was an ancient mountain range towering as high as today’s Alps. Today, the base of those mountains is all that remains, and it stands at a slightly higher elevation than the central plains to its south.

Due to its remoteness, abundance of wetlands, and generally sandy soil, Burnett County was among the last areas in Wisconsin that pioneers settled. Though Wisconsin joined the Union in 1848, a half-century later the state still held 125,000 acres of the county for homesteading. The logging industry dominated the county through much of its early history, but in the latter half of the 20th century, a shift toward tourism began. Then Congress during the early 1970s established the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, consisting of both the St. Croix and Namekagon rivers. At the dawn of the 21st century, the county remains sparsely population with fewer than 16,000 residents. In fact, it’s the only Wisconsin county to have villages and no cities.

Attractions
Visitors will find several excellent parks and trails in Burnett County. Foremost among them is the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, which runs 255 miles along two rivers, offering a plethora of boating, camping and hiking opportunities. Nestled against the riverway, Governor Knowles State Forest provides a nearly 20,000-acre wilderness buffer for it. More inland in Burnett County’s wetlands area is the Crex Meadows Wildlife Area, home of several endangered animals, including sandhill cranes and a pack of timber wolves.

Two major trails traverse the county. The Ice Age National Scenic Trail runs for 1200 miles across Wisconsin, roughly tracing the advance of the glacier that covered much of the state during the last ice age. It skirts Burnett County’s southeastern section with several other segments close by in Polk and Washburn counties. The Gandy Dancer State Trail, a former rail line turned hiking trail runs for 98 miles from St. Croix Falls, Wis., to Superior, Wis. It passes through Siren and Webster in Burnett County and at Danbury crosses a trestle bridge over the St. Croix River into Minnesota on its way north.

See these other blog entries about Burnett County hiking trails:
g Big Bear Lake Nature Trails
g Grantsburg area
g Sandrock Cliffs Trail
g Siren area
g Webster area

Find out about other trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Observe effect of 1800s logging on day hike

Grove of paper birch

Birch, aspens grow where
white pine once dominated

Some 120 years ago, loggers swept through northeast Minnesota, as they fed a young nation’s growing need for lumber to build homes, make furniture, and lay rail beds. Hikers can see how that era altered the landscape on the Redhorse Creek Northern Loop in the Chengwatana State Forest.

Islands of upland boreal forest in a sea of brushland and marshes forms this state forest along the St. Croix River in Pine County. The Chengwatana offers primitive camping sites and has designated trails for off-road and all-terrain vehicles.

To reach the state forest, from Interstate 35, take the Beroun exit onto County Road 14. After 6.25 miles, turn south onto County Road 10/Evergreen Road. In a little more than three miles when County Road 10 and Evergreen Road split, turn left/southeast onto the gravel road (staying on Evergreen Road) then go left/east onto Chengwatana Forest Road. Watch for signs that make finding your way easy.

Where the Chengwatana Forest Road itself forks, go right/southeast. After crossing a stream, you’ll come to a parking lot on the road’s left side.

'White-pine town'
For the trailhead, follow the road you came in on south to a gate. On the other side of the gate, the trail is a stem leading to three stacked loops. Redhorse Creek is on the stem’s left.

At the first trail junction, you’ve reached the northernmost of the stacked loops. Go left/northeast so you do the trail clockwise. The trail is largely forested with a few spots that open to meadows.

The state forest’s name is an anglicized version of the Ojibwe word zhingwaadena, which means white-pine town. During the 1800s, eastern white pine was the dominant tree here. Then the area was heavily logged with the pine trunks floated down the St. Croix River to sawmills in Stillwater. The loop you’re on comes near the St. Croix after about a mile of walking.

At the next fork, go right. If you go left, you can extend the trail by either a little more than a mile by adding the middle stacked loop or by a little more than two miles through combining the middle and southern loop; the last combination also will take you alongside the river.

Today, paper birch and bigtooth and quaking aspen have largely replaced the white pine. The old granddaddy of the forest still can be found here, though, along with balsam fir, burr oak, jack pine, red oak, red pine, tamarack and white spruce.

Upon reaching the next trail junction, continue on your trail (that is, head west). If you accidentally turn, you’ll end up on a segment of the trail shared by the middle and southern loops.

The state forest still is logged today, though it’s controlled. The loop passes through a few areas in which companies have timber permits.

Excellent birdwatching
At the next fork, go right/north. You’re now solely on the northernmost loops and curving toward the trailhead.

Keep a watch out for wildlife. You’re likely to spot the footprints of, if not see, white-tailed deer, bear, beaver, mink, muskrat, ruffed grouse and turkey in the forest.

A number of other birds also can be seen here, thanks to the marshes and rivers. Bald eagles, northern harriers, osprey, sandhill cranes, and warblers all call the Chengwatana home. In spring and autumn, migrating waterfowl can be spotted as well.

The next junction is the stem you took to enter the loop. Go left onto the stem back to the parking lot.

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

Day hike prairie grasslands at Wild River

Big bluestem grows in the Amador Prairie.

Trail loops in restored meadow

The Northwoods is far more diverse than fragrant pine trees and picturesque lakes. At Wild River State Park, hikers can enjoy some of that variety by taking one of two loops through a restored prairie.

Wild River State Park rests upon the St. Croix River in Chisago County and features an all-season trail center. The Amador Prairie Loops start at the trail center.

Autumn wildflowers
A mild summer day is best for the hike because the trail is open to sun. A warm fall afternoon also is pleasant; in mid-September, asters and goldenrods usually peak, a pretty sight against the tall grasses’ reds.

To reach Wild River, from Amelund take Minn. Hwy. 12 (aka Park Road) east into the park. Past the service road, turn at the first left to the trail center.

Park at the center. At the trailhead, go clockwise, or left/north.

Either loop ranks easy on the difficulty level as they meander through open grassland of big bluestem and Indian grasses with islands of oak savannah. The smaller of the two loops runs for a mile and forms part of the longer trail, which is 2.1 miles long.

Almost extinct
From the trailhead, the path curves northwest for 0.2 miles, where it joins the route to the equestrian trailhead. At that intersection, turn right/north.

A few decades ago, this prairie area almost ceased to exist as farmer-introduced trees and thatch threatened to wipe out the grasses. Controlled burning and annual seed sowing, however, has helped rehabilitate the grassland.

After traveling north for 0.2 miles, hikers have the option of taking a short or a long trail. If you want to make small loop, turn right at the trail intersection and go 0.2 miles across the prairie restoration. At the next trail intersection, you’ll rejoin the larger loop; from there, go right/south for 0.7 miles and back to the trail center.

Along the way, there’s a very good chance that you’ll spot wildlife. Songbirds are prevalent on both prairie loops; May is an opportune time to witness the warbler migration. But white-tailed deer, coyotes, raccoons, squirrels and even black bears sometimes can be seen here as well.

Ancient river's edge
If taking the longer loop, don’t cut across prairie but continue north for another 0.7 miles to the next trail intersection and curve east. Even in a gentle breeze, prairie grass moves and sounds like sea waves as you walk.

The restored prairie, as with the rest of the park, sits upon basalt from 1.1 billion-year-old lava flows. Floodwaters from glacial lakes carved out what is now the St. Croix River Valley and much of the parkland. Look for the bluffs, now sitting far inland, that mark what was the river’s edge some 10,000 years ago.

The longer loop goes 0.5 miles southeast before connecting with Nevers Dam Trail. Continue heading south another 0.2 miles where the path meets the shorter loop’s cut across the prairie. From there, walk 0.7 miles back to trail center.

Dogs are allowed to use the trails if on leashes of no more than six feet. Hikers share the loops with riders and as a courtesy should yield and let horses pass.

Read more about day hiking Northeast Minnesota in my Headin’ to the Cabin: Day Hiking Trails of Northeast Minnesota guidebook.

Loops offer great views of St. Croix River

The Ridge View Trails head through a maple and oak forest.

Ridge View Trails map. Click for larger version.

Scarlet tanager
Photo courtesy NPS.

Fantastic river views atop beneath a lush forest canopy await visitors to the Ridge View Trail near Osceola, Wis.

Not to be confused with Ridgeview Trail at the adjacent Osceola Bedrock Glades State Natural Area, this pair of trails actually is two loops that only locals really know about. The loops run through the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and the Osceola State Fish Hatchery on a bluff overlooking the St. Croix River’s back channel.

To reach the trail, take Wis. Hwy. 35 north of Osceola and turn north onto County Road S. Two trailheads are on the road’s west (or driver’s) side. Both trailheads have their own parking areas off of the road. Just beyond 93rd Avenue is the southern-most parking area, which actually is an excellent trailhead for either loop.

Chisago Loop
From that trailhead, head west. At the first fork, continue straight to hike the Chisago Loop. Slightly more than one mile long, it’s the northern trail. Alternatively, at the fork you can head left, or south, for the Osceola Loop, which is about twice as long as its counterpart. Either loop ranges from easy to moderate in difficulty, so the distance you can handle, especially if you have children along, really determines which one to take.

If heading onto the Chisago Loop, you’ll hike clockwise around the trail. It’s mostly level and sometimes covered in a bed of pine needles or ancient, billion-year-old trap rock. You’ll see a number of these basalt outcroppings along the way. Some neat spurs off the trail offer great views of the river below.

About two-thirds of way around, be careful of taking a fork to the right, or north, lest you end up at the second of two parking lots (which is the one where you didn’t park your vehicle).

Osceola Loop
If opting for the Osceola Loop, upon reaching the main trail, go left, or south, so you take it clockwise. This saves the best views for the last half of the hike.

You’ll begin by heading through a pine and deciduous forest in which the canopy arches over the trail. About half-way through as you turn north, through the trees you can see river’s back channel and hear the rush of a rapids-filled stream in the canyon below the bluffs. Watch for pits off of the trail; they are believed to have been made many decades ago by Native Americans.

Either trail is excellent for viewing birds – scarlet tanagers, eagles, turkeys, grouse – and other forest-loving wildlife. Woodland plants you’re likely to spot include include marsh marigolds and large maple trees.

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

Day hike remains of 500-million-year-old sea

Sandrock Cliffs

Scenic riverway loops
offer fantastic water views

Unique, imposing bluffs set above a lush river await hikers of the Sandrock Cliffs Trail in Wisconsin’s Burnett County. Up to five miles of trails run through the area in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway along the state border.

The southern-most trail – a 3-mile loop – offers more than enough scenery, but connecting trails provide an additional two miles of hiking for cabin-goers with a little more energy to burn.

To reach the Sandrock Cliffs Trail, take Wis. Hwy. 70 toward the St. Croix River. Before the bridge enters Minnesota, turn north into the Hwy. 70 Landing parking lots.

The trailhead sits on the parking lot’s north side. Go clockwise on Loop A, which heads north along the river. Paths are fairly well maintained. There are some hills along the way, but they’re nothing elementary school kids or older can’t handle.

Pine forest
The first section of the loop follows a terrace along the river through a forest of red and white pines. Peacefulness abounds as you walk across a soft and fragrant bed of pine needles.

River views also wow hikers on this trail. The St. Croix’s clear, pristine water teems with smallmouth bass and freshwater mussels. This far north, the river channel also is fairly shallow, so thin sandy islands, riffles and shoals are commonplace.

Watch overhead for patrolling eagles and ospreys. They nest nearby.

On the ground, look for a variety of woodland animals, most notably porcupines, ducks and deer. Ash, maple, jack pine and aspen as well as an understory of ferns grow amid the dominant red and white pines.

500-million-year-old cliffs
About halfway through Loop A, turn onto Loop E, continuing the walk clockwise (or paralleling the river). Along this 0.3-mile loop, you’ll spot the highlight of the trail: picturesque sandstone cliffs towering over a river side channel.

Stand on the sandstone cliffs, and you’re atop what once was the bottom of a shallow sea from 500 million years ago. After the Cambrian-era sea evaporated, the sand deposits left behind were compressed into rock. Some 11,000 years ago during the end of the last ice age, raging flood waters carved out the riverway and exposed the sandstone.

The sandstone does give way easily, so remain clear of cliff edges. Also, carving or writing you name into the cliffs is illegal.

About half-way through Loop E, join Loop B for a 0.3-mile loop. Just a little bit onto Loop B are picnic tables perfect for lunch or a rest break with snack.

Bathrooms can be found about midway along Loop B. They’re in the Tennessee Road parking lot.

Additional trail loops
Heading around the top curve of Loop B, its southern side rejoins Loop E, which in turn rejoins Loop A for a walk back to your parking lot near Highway 70.

As with any scenic riverway trail, bring bug repellent to keep off deer ticks, and stay on the path so you don’t walk into poison ivy.

This set of trails also can be accessed from its north side via Tennessee Road. Two additional trails – Loop C and Loop D, both 0.9 miles long – run north of Tennessee Road.

Dogs are allowed on all loops, so long as they remain leashed.

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