St. Croix riverway abundant with day trails

St. Croix River south of St. Croix Falls, Wis.

National Park unit
includes 252 miles
of scenic shore

With the quiltwork of state parks, forests, and natural areas, county parks and other historical sites in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, attractions abound – swimming beaches, boat ramps, campgrounds, shopping in historic towns, ski trails, and more. Well over 70 day hiking trails can be found along the two rivers.

Scenic riverway’s location
From south to north, the scenic riverway begins in Prescott, Wis., where the St. Croix River meets the Mississippi River. This wide stretch of the St. Croix often is referred to as Lake St. Croix, which sports two state parks. At Afton, Minn., and Hudson, Wis., the Interstate 94 bridge handles the greatest amount of vehicle traffic over the river. From there, Willow River State Park sits on a tributary to the St. Croix in what is Lake St. Croix’s most populous stretch, with the cities of Bayport, Oak Park Heights and Stillwater on the Minnesota side and Hudson and North Hudson on the Wisconsin side.

North of Stillwater, the population falls off greatly, with William O’Brien State Park in Minnesota sometimes outpacing the census of the neighboring town, Marine on St. Croix. Then another cluster of villages appears – Osceola, Dresser and St. Croix Falls on the Wisconsin side and Taylors Falls in Minnesota. There the twin jewels of Minnesota and Wisconsin Interstate State Parks straddles the St. Croix O’ the Dalles, a beautiful gorge that the river flows through.

North of this region, the river bulges westward, with a state park in Minnesota and several state forests and state natural areas on both sides, before curving eastward to Danbury, Wis. A few miles north of town, the river ceases to be the state border as it heads northeast, taking in the Namekagon, and then coming to the Saint Croix Flowage near Gordon, Wis. The scenic riverway ends at the dam creating the lake.

West of the flowage, the St. Croix continues northward as a narrow waterway to its headwaters at Upper St. Croix Lake. In all, it’s a 169-mile journey.

The St. Croix’s largest tributary, the Namekagon, meanders for 101 miles, crossing four Wisconsin counties. It’s a major recreational area, with a number of boat landings and campsites, especially in Sawyer and Washburn counties.

From west to east, the Namekagon dips south to Trego, Wis., before heading northeast through Hayward, Wis. Its headwaters are at Namakagon Lake in the Chequamegon National Forest. The tributary runs 101 miles.

Attractions
The National Park Service operates two visitor centers in the riverway. The St. Croix River Visitor Center is in downtown St. Croix Falls and open from mid-April to Oct. 27. It boasts a 500-gallon freshwater aquarium. The Namekagon River Visitor Center is a mile east of Trego and open from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day. Hours for both visitor centers are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Major parks, nature centers, and public forests on or near the scenic riverway (from south to north and west to east) include:
g Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center (Hastings, Minn.)
g St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park (Hastings)
g Kinnickinnic State Park (Prescott)
g Afton State Park (Afton)
g Willow River State Park (Hudson)
g William O’Brien State Park (Marine on St. Croix)
g Osceola Bedrock Glades State Natural Area (Osceola)
g Wisconsin Interstate State Park (St. Croix Falls)
g Minnesota Interstate State Park (Taylors Falls)
g Wild River State Park (North Brach, Minn.)
g Governor Knowles State Forest (Grantsburg, Wis.)
g Chengwatana State Forest (Beroun, Minn.)
g St. Croix State Park (Hinckley, Minn.)
g St. Croix State Forest (Sandstone, Minn.)
g Brule River State Forest (Solon Springs, Wis.)
g Chequamegon National Forest (Cable, Wis.)

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

Day hike pass centuries-old trees on trail

You can see trees that are more than 200 years old on the Cedar Interpretive Trail in Governor Knowles State Forest.

Location of Governor Knowles
State Forest in Wisconsin.

To reach the trail, from Grantsburg, Wis., take North Pine Street/County Road F north through Crex Meadows. In about seven miles, the road curves east. After the curve, turn left/north onto Norway Point Landing Road. Park in the lot before the road ends at Norway Point Landing. The trailhead is east of the parking lot.

You can’t get lost on the trail, as the 1-mile round trip is on a boardwalk. It partially crosses the 330-acre Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area and the state forest.

The trail is named for the stately eastern white cedar, which here are at their northern limit in Wisconsin. Cedars can live for up to 400 years; the cedars you pass that are a foot in diameter were mere saplings during the War of 1812.

The cedars sit in a floodplain forest. Though you’ll only walk a half mile one way, you’ll head through an impressive five major lowland plant communities:
g Northern sedge meadow – Sedges and grasses dominate in depressions and the margins of nearby Iron Creek. This plant community occurs in several locations across northern and central Wisconsin.
g Shrub carr – Tall shrubs, including meadowsweet, red-osier and silky dogwood, and willows run through the forest. Though a common wetlands ecosystem in Wisconsin, it usually occurs farther south.
g Northern wet-mesic forest – You’ll know you’re walking through this ecosystem once mosses, lichens, ferns and wildflowers dominate the forest floor. The mineral-enriched groundwater from seepages helps support these plants.
g Southern wet-mesic forest – When maples, elms and ash trees with an open understory appear, you’re walking through this community in the floodplain. This is the northermost reach of the ecosystem in Wisconsin.
g Iron Creek – Near the trail’s end, you’ll come alongside Iron Creek, a minnow stream and tributary of the St. Croix River. The creek’s waters generally are acidic and infertile.

Each of these plant communities are fragile ecosystems within the bottomlands, so don’t step on or remove plants, many of which are rare.

Also, be forewarned that the boardwalk can be a bit uneven as roots break through the wood and as springs and seeps feed Iron Creek to the north. Because of this, you should wear waterproof hiking boots, even on the boardwalk. Insect repellent also is a good idea.

If you have a little extra energy, when the boardwalk ends, continue on the Kohler Peet Hiking Trial. Keep track of your distance so that you don’t go too far on this backcountry trail, which runs another 5.5 miles.

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

Minnesota trails explore St. Croix riverway

Stevens Creek Landing. Photo courtesy of MN DNR.

Trails near old ferry crossings, through a forest of red and white pines, and along a clean blue river await day hikers in the Rush City, Minn., area.

The small town is easy to reach from Minnesota’s two largest metro areas. Rush City sits off of Interstate 35 about midway between Minneapolis-St. Paul and Duluth-Superior. Only a few miles to the east of Rush City is the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.

Among the great trails in the Rush City region are:
g Old Railroad Bridge Landing Trail – A short trail runs near this boat landing at river mile marker S82.0, just off of Bridge Trail, east of County Road 5 in the scenic riverway. The trail near the St. Croix River is a great spot for a picnic.
g Stevens Creek Landing Trail – A half-mile round trip trail runs from County Road 52 (aka River Road/Macy Lane) west of the boat landing on the St. Croix River. The trail heads through woodland in the scenic riverway to the St. Croix.
g Sandrock Cliffs Trail – Across the river in Wisconsin’s Governor Knowles State Forest, up to five miles of bluff-top trails can do be done in various combinations. A three-mile loop of the trail heads through a forest of red and white pines while river views wow hikers.
g Wood River Interpretive Trail – The 0.8-mile trail in Governor Knowles State Forest runs from the St. Croix Campground to near the Wood River, a tributary of the St. Croix. Reach the trailhead by taking River Road south of Wis. Hwy. 70 to the campground.

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

Variety of great day hiking options run in Pine City, Minn., area

Fur trading post along the Fur Post Trail.
Photo courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society.

A diverse array of woodlands, wildlife sightings, and a historic trading post await day hikers in the Pine City, Minn., area.

The small town sits about midway between Minneapolis-St. Paul and Duluth-Superior. It can be reached from Interstate 35 from either metro area.

Among the best trails in the Pine City area include:
g Cedar Interpretative Trail – Though short at 0.7 miles, this trail in the Governor Knowles State Forest just across the border in Wisconsin heads through five major lowland plant communities amid a cedar grove. You’ll likely spot the activity and impact of beavers on the landscape.
g Matthew Lourey State Trail – Previously known as the Minnesota-Wisconsin Boundary Trail or Willard Munger Trail East, the Lourey rambles for several miles north-south through Chengwatana State Forest. Tamarack and burr oak dominate the route, with wild turkeys, beavers, mink and muskrat along the way.
g North West Company Fur Post trails – The Fur Post, Snake River and Wetlands nature trails can be combined for 1.5 miles of hiking at the historical site that replicates life in this part of Minnesota during 1804. The Minnesota Historical Society operates the post.
g Redhorse Creek Northern Loop – 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 this roughly 4-mile loop in the Chengwatana State Forest.
g Snake River Campground Trail – About a mile-long trail heads south of the Snake River near the primitive campground site in the Chengwatana State Forest. The pathway runs between the Matthew Lourey State Trail and the St. Croix River with stem trails to the campground.
g Upper Phantom Cross Country Skiing & Hiking Trail – A set of four loops offer a hike of up to 3.7 miles in length at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area across the state line in Wisconsin. The wildlife area is part of one of the largest remaining pine barrens in the state.
g Voyageur Park walking paths – Several trails run through the Pine City park on the Snake River’s north shore. Picnic tables and a carved statue of a voyageur can be found in the park.

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

Trail runs alongside remote section of river

Topo map of Sunrise Loop in Wild River State Park.

Sunrise Landing, courtesy of MN DNR.

Sunrise Loop cuts across nearly 5 miles of woods

Day hikers can enjoy a walk through a bottomlands forest along the St. Croix River in Minnesota's Wild River State Park.

The 4.6-mile Sunrise Loop at the park’s north is little used and so offers lots of solitude. 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 trailhead, from Amelund, take Minn. Hwy. 95 north. Turn right/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. Go right/south onto.

Bottomland hardwood forest
The entire trail heads through a bottomland hardwood forest, sometimes referred to as a floodplain forest. For most of the year, these forests just above the river channel remain dry, but the silver maple – as well as some ash, black willow and cottonwood – can support tolerate seasonal flooding. Wild grape, Virginia creeper and other woody climbers also are common here, but there is a distinct lack of shrubs and other understory plants, which usually can’t survive the flooding.

Along the south side of the loop, the route passes an interpretive exhibit for the Arrow Line Railway. In 1907-08, a straight railroad line, which led it to be called The Arrow, was planned for the Twin Cities to Duluth. Part of the rail grade remains here. Work in the project stopped at this spot as the bridge over the St. Croix never was constructed.

The route reaches a junction with the Sunrise Trail at 2.2 miles from the trailhead. A shelter can be found at the intersection. To stay on loop, go left/north.

In short order, the trail comes alongside the St. Croix River. Northern pike, walleye, and smallmouth bass are common in the river. Wisconsin's Governor Knowles State Forest is on opposite shoreline and two islands sit in the river.

Wildlife sightings
A secluded area, the loop is a good place to spot wildlife. You’ll likely see white-tailed deer and paw prints for coyote, red fox, gray fox, and river otters. The trail also crosses a large beaver dam area. Trumpeter swans sometimes can be heard honking overhead. During the spring and autumn migrations, songbirds descend upon the forest.

You’ll know when you’re nearing the end of hike as the Sunrise Landing, where boats can be placed on the river, comes into sight.

Upon arriving back at the footbridge, go right/west, and retrace your steps back to the parking lot.

Final note: Originally called St. Croix Wild River State Park, this park still appears on various maps that way. It’s now just Wild River State Park, though.

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

Quality trails abound near Grantsburg, Wis.

Upper Phantom Cross Country
Skiing & Hiking Trail

Cabin-goers in the Grantsburg, Wis., area can enjoy several great day hiking trails. Among them:
• Cedar Interpretative Trail – Though short at 0.7 miles, this trail in the Governor Knowles State Forest heads through five major lowland plant communities amid a cedar grove. You’ll likely spot the activity and impact of beavers on the landscape.
• Fish Lake State Wildlife Area trail – From County Road O, a jeep trail makes a 3.2-mile loop past marshes. Eagles, sandhill cranes and trumpeter swans grace the wildlife area.
• Grantsburg Nordic Ski Trails - Stacked loops totaling 6.5 miles in length can be skiied in winter or hiked the other three seasons. From Hwy. 70 in Grantsburg, take Olson Drive to the parking area, which overlooks the Wood River dam; cross the dam via North Park Street to the trailhead at edge of Cattail Pond. Note: The Lower Loop, which heads through a wooded area, currently is the only open trail.
• Grettum Trail - A stem trail leads to a pair of loops over gently rolling terrain that double as a cross country ski trail in winter. A total of 2.2 miles long, the trailhead is off of Hickerson Road north of Grettum Dike Road.
• Hay Creek Hiking Trail – A 1.5-mile trail meanders through woodland at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area near Hay Creek. An observation platform at the trail’s end allows hikers to spot several waterfowl.
• Trade River Trails – A series of loops, including a large one around a meadow, sit near the Trade River in neighboring Polk County. The wide trails head over easy, rolling terrain.

• Upper Phantom Cross Country Skiing & Hiking Trail – A set of four loops offer a hike of up to 3.7 miles in length at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area. The wildlife area is part of one of the largest remaining pine barrens in the state.

• Willard Munger State Trail – The Boundary Segment of this trail runs in Chengwatana State Forest, across the St. Croix River in Minnesota. Tamarack and burr oak dominate the forest, which boasts wild turkeys, beavers, mink and muskrat.

Read more about day hiking Burnett County in my Hittin’ the Trail: Day Burnett County, Wisconsin guidebook.

See trees from 1800s in Gov. Knowles forest

Norway Point Bottomlands
Photo courtesy of WI DNR.

Day hikers can explore tree stands dating to the 1800s, the pristine St. Croix River, and rare plant communities at Governor Knowles State Forest in Burnett County, Wis.

Among the trails in the state forest are:
g Benson Brook Hiking Trail – A lengthy St. Croix River trail at seven miles, the path can be accessed at three points: its terminus at the Rush City Ferry Landing off of County Road O in the south; its terminus at West River Road in the north; or close to its center at the northern tip of Pleasant Prairie Road.
g Brandt Pines Interpretive Trail – The 2.5-mile trail heads through a 130-year-old stand of red and white pines near the St. Croix River in the Brandt Pines State Natural Area. To reach the trail, from Wis. Hwy. 70 west of Grantsburg, take Larson Road north; it becomes Gile Road. Where the road angles right/east at the junction with Hardwood Ridge Trial, go left/west into the parking lot.
g Cedar Interpretive Trail – Hikers can see eastern white cedars and walk through five plant communities that are more than 200 years old on the half-mile Cedar Interpretive Trail. The trailhead begins at the end of Norway Point Landing Road north of County Road F.
g Foxes Landing Trail – From the parking lot at Norway Point Road, the first two miles of this 9-mile trail along the St. Croix River are particularly scenic. Watch the skies for soaring bald eagles.
g Kohler Peet Hiking Trail – The 6-mile trail opens with the Cedar Interpretive Trail on its way to the Clam Flowage. The jeep trail parallels an old rail bed.
g Lagoo Creek Hiking Trail – The trail runs for seven miles alongside the St. Croix River between Evergreen Avenue in Polk County to County Road O at the Rush City Ferry Landing. Parking is available at both terminal points.
g Raspberry Hiking Trail – The 3-mile trail rambles alongside the St. Croix River. Park in a lot at the northwestern corner of West River Road. It passes the Raspberry Landing on the St. Croix north to the Wood River.
g Sioux Portage Trail – The 6-mile trail heads from the Sioux Portage Group Campground south to the Clam River flowage. It parallels the St. Croix River, crossing a stream and a couple of roads along the way.
g Wood River Interpretive Trail – The 0.8-mile trail runs from the St. Croix Campground to near the Wood River, a tributary of the St. Croix River. Reach the trailhead by taking River Road south of Hwy. 70 to the campground.

Learn about nearby trails in Hittin’ the Trail: Day Burnett County, Wisconsin.

Easy to reach St. Croix National Scenic Riverway offers diversity of day hiking trails

St. Croix River shoreline near campsites north of Danbury, Wis.

Adventure awaits
in nat. park unit

A quick travel quiz: Name the national park unit where you can lean against 200-year-old trees, feel the splash of a hidden waterfall, retrace the steps of historic portages, watch bald eagle families soar overhead, walk across billion-year-old rock, and pick apples as autumn leaves turn red and golden.

Yosemite National Park? Nope. Yellowstone? Nuh-uh. Cuyahoga Valley? Sorry, still wrong.

The correct answer: The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.

Covering more than 250 miles of shoreline, the National Park Service unit straddles the Minnesota-Wisconsin border and includes both the St. Croix and Namekagon rivers. Seven state parks and several state forests, county parks, and nature centers are in the scenic riverway.

Just a few hours’ drive at most for anyone living in Minnesota, Wisconsin, northern Illinois, Iowa, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the scenic riverway’s proximity to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport makes it easier to reach than most national parks. Indeed, the scenic riverway outperforms more than half of all national parks in attendance.

200-year-old trees
Last year, I spent six months hiking 40-plus trails in the riverway as researching my latest book, “Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.” I initially expected to find that every trail was the same: a path through a Northwoods forest with river views. Was I ever wrong.

The St. Croix River begins north of Solon Springs, Wis., where the Bois Brule-St. Croix River Historic Portage Trail runs 4.4-miles round trip. The trail is the same route crossed centuries ago by Daniel Greysolon Sieur duLhut, a French explorer who opened the way for fur traders in the 1680s.

South of there, the St. Croix meets its main tributary, the 101-mile Namekagon River. A plethora of great day hiking trails wind alongside the Namekagon. The Wild Rivers Trail, in Trego, Wis., crosses the waterway on an old railroad bridge near the park service’s Namekagon Visitor Center.

A few miles below the St. Croix-Namekagon confluence is Governor Knowles State Forest. There the Cedar Interpretive Trail heads through a grove of stately eastern white cedar. The cedars that are a foot in diameter were mere saplings during the War of 1812.

Old Man of the Dalles
At Wisconsin Interstate State Park, the Summit Rock Trail climbs to a scenic overlook of the St. Croix River and the Old Man of the Dalles rock formation, which looks like an elderly man’s face. The trail crosses volcanic rock from 1.1 billion year-old lava flows. Families of bald eagles families searching for a meal in the river glide about the summit, sometimes coming within a few feet of hikers.

In nearby St. Croix Falls, Wis., the St. Croix River Visitor Center boasts a 500-gallon aquarium and presents an award-winning film about the riverway. Events featuring authors and artists often are held there.

Day hikers can walk alongside the multi-level Willow River Falls at Willow River State Park east of Hudson, Wis. The rock on the gorge walls’ lowest levels is about 600 million years old.

Apple picking during autumn highlights the stop at the privately-run Carpenter Nature Center. The center sits on the Minnesota side of the riverway close to where the St. Croix flows into the Mississippi River.

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

Eight Romantic Hikes in the Midwest’s St. Croix River Valley

A romantic day hike often involves experiencing something special with the
your beloved. Photo courtesy of Photoree. 

What are the most romantic places in the world? Paris? Hawaii? Italy?

If a day hiker, try the St. Croix River Valley, a stretch of beautiful riverway on the Minnesota-Wisconsin border.

If you reside nearby, such as in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, the river valley offers a number of great trails that all are an easy drive away. Among them are waterfalls picnics, gorgeous sunsets, and sweet walks through apple orchards.

Apple picking
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. 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. 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.

Breathtaking vista
On the scenic Summit Rock Trail at Wisconsin Interstate State Park, couples can hike to one of the highest points in the area for an impressive view of the St Croix River, the Old Man of the Dalles rock formation, and the lushly wooded shoreline. In summer, enjoy the cooling breezes as bald eagles ride the currents over the river, sometimes flying within only a few feet of you.

Fairy forest
Couples can walk among giant trees on the Cedar Interpretive Trail in Governor Knowles State Forest near Grantsburg, Wis. The stately eastern white cedars that the trail passes through are a foot in diameter and were mere saplings during the War of 1812. Ferns grow beneath the cedars that soar more than seven stories into the sky.

Moonbow over waterfalls
At night during a full moon, moonbows often can be seen over waterfalls as the silvery light from the nearest heavenly body refracts off the mist. Because for the foreseeable future the full moon rises in the east and you must stand between the moon and the falls to spot it, about the only location in the St. Croix River Valley to see a moonbow is Fairy Falls just north of Stillwater, Minn., in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. Check online for the day and time when the full moon will rise and do the hike in spring or early summer when the waterfalls sees its highest flows.

Natural maze
The northern section of Minnesota Interstate State Park – also known as the Pothole Area – offers day hikers a number of trails for exploring the area’s geology and enjoying its scenic beauty. Among the sites are the Lily Pond Pothole, the famous Bottomless Pit pothole that you can climb into, passing through The Squeeze – an exceedingly tight, L-shaped break between two ultra-large chunks of basalt – and the Shadow Rock Lookout, which offers a great vista of the St. Croix River and gorge rock formations on the Wisconsin side.

Picnic at waterfalls
A number of broad rock layers allow you to spread a tablecloth and enjoy a picnic before wide Willow Falls as it flows through gorge walls of 600 million-year-old rock at Willow River State Park near Hudson, Wis. The quickest way to reach the waterfalls is the Willow Falls Hill (Gray) Trail. Late spring and June mark a great time to hike the trail, as the falls will be in full flow, especially within a day or two of a rainfall.

Sunset to cuddle by
The sun cats a gorgeous orange glow across the wide St. Croix River on an old railroad bridge at the forested Wisconsin-Minnesota border. The Gandy Dancer Trail can be taken from Danbury, Wis., north to the railroad bridge. At dusk, expect to spot bald eagles, osprey, northern harriers, hawks and during spring and fall even sandhill cranes, gliding above the river looking for their dinner. The trail is wide and easy to follow back to the parking lot in the dark.

Wildlife encounters
Day hikers are certain to spot wildlife on the Purple Trail at Kinnickinnic State Park north of Prescott, Wis. The loop takes hikers along a first-class trout stream, and hikers have spotted whitetail deer, raccoons, rabbits, weasels, gray fox, red fox, squirrels and even beaver along the way. A restored prairie that the trail briefly passes is home to partridge and ringneck pheasants while a vista of the Kinnickinnic and St. Croix rivers offers a chance to see bald eagles.

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

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.

Maps of 5 great Burnett County day hikes

Visitors to Wisconsin’s Burnett County can enjoy a number of major recreational areas, many of which contain great day hiking trails.

Five great county day hikes and maps for them include:

Big Bear Lake Nature Trails
The Big Bear Lake Nature Trails offer three great day hiking opportunities for those in the lake country of Burnett County. All three trails are accessible from the same trailhead. The Grouse Walk Trail is the shortest at a half-mile.

Cedar Interpretive Trail
You can see trees that are more than 200 years old on the Cedar Interpretive Trail. You can’t get lost on the trail, as the 1-mile round trip is on a boardwalk. It partially crosses the 330-acre Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area, which adjoins the Governor Knowles State Forest.

Hay Creek Trail
A plethora of trails run through the Crex Meadows Wildlife Area, an expansive, 30,000-acre wetlands in southwest Burnett County. Among the most popular of them is the Hay Creek Trail, a 1.5-mile loop.

Namekagon Delta Trail
Families can day hike to a scenic delta at the confluence of the St. Croix and Namekagon rivers. A number of unnamed and non-maintained trails run near the delta in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. A 2.7-mile out-and-back trail walks a ridge overlooking the delta.

Sandrock Cliffs Trail
Unique, imposing bluffs set above a lush river await hikers of the Sandrock Cliffs Trail. Up to five miles of trails run through the area in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway along the Minnesota border. The southernmost trail – a three-mile loop – offers more than enough scenery, but an additional two miles of connecting trails are available for those with a little more energy to burn.

Learn about nearby trails in Hittin’ the Trail: Day Burnett County, Wisconsin.