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 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.

Array of great day hiking trails await at Minnesota's William O’Brien State Park

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

More than 12 miles of excellent day hiking trails crisscross Minnesota’s William O’Brien State Park, which sits on the scenic St. Croix River.

The hiking trails head past beaver ponds, around prairies, and through woodlands. Their difficulty level varies from easy to moderate, though reaching some of them will require taking a number of connecting trails.

The trails can be divided into three clusters, with three specific parking lots offering access to each trailhead in that zone.

Wedge Savanna Trail Cluster
Take Minn. Hwy. 95 to the park entrance. At the first junction, go left/southeast then turn at the next left/southwest into a parking lot. Trails that can be easily reached from this lot include:
• Wedge Hill Savanna Trail (small loop) – This 0.5-mile loop sits on a prairie atop the river bluff. From the parking lot, take the connecting trail left/west to the Savanna Trail trailhead, going left at the first junction.
• Wetland Trail – The 2.2-mile loop heads around a blufftop wetlands; with connector trails, the hike runs about 2.6-miles round trip. At the trailhead for the Wedge Hill Savanna Trail, go right/north for 0.1 miles to the Wetland Trail loop.
• Beaver Lodge Trail – The 0.7-mile loop encircles a wetlands where beavers have created a small pond; you’ll hike 1.7 miles round trip with the connecting trails. Upon reaching the Wedge Hill Savanna Trail, stay on that loop’s western side. At the next junction at the bottom of the loop, go left/west 0.2 miles, passing a junction for the Savanna Trail’s larger loop; after that, go left/south onto Beaver Lodge Trail loop.
• Hardwood Hills Trail – Though this 1.1-mile loop trail through a forested area at the park’s northern boundary heads off another cluster’s trail, the Savanna Trail parking lot is the shortest route to it; you’ll walk 4.1-miles round trip with the connecting trails. At the Wedge Hill Savanna Trail junction, go right/north, then at the Wetland Trail junction, head right/north; after passing below the railroad overpass, go right/northwest onto the Woodland Edge Trail. The next junction is the Hardwood Hills Trail.

Prairie Overlook Cluster
From Broadway Street in Marine on St. Croix, Minn., take County Road 4/Ostrum Trail north into the park. After going under the railroad overpass, turn right/north into a parking lot. Trails accessible from this lot include:
• Prairie Overlook Trail – The 1.6-mile narrow loop with a pond at its center heads through both open country and a woods. From the parking lot, take the 0.1-mile stem trail to the loop.
• Woodland Edge Trail – This 2.1-mile loop runs through a forest; you’ll hike 3.6 miles total with the connecting trails. From the parking lot, take the stem trail to the Prairie Overlook Trail and head up its west side; at the first junction, go either left or right onto the Woodland Edge Trail loop. You can add 1.1 miles to the loop by taking the adjoining Hardwood Hills Trail.
• Rolling Hills Savanna Trail – This 1.1-mile loop gently rolls through a small woods; connecting trails make for a 4.1-mile round trip. Head up the Prairie Overlook Trail’s west side. At the first junction, go left onto the Woodland Edge Trail and then take the next left/south onto the Rolling Hills Trail.

Alice Lake Cluster
Take Minn. Hwy. 95 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.
• Riverside Trail – The 1.5-mile trail loops 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.

Read more about day hiking this park and others along the St. Croix River in my guidebook Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.