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.

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.

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.

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.