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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

State park trail heads to small waterfall

Wolf Creek Falls at Banning State Park. Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Map to Wolf Creek Falls. Courtesy Minnesota DNR.

Wolf Creek Falls
drops 12 feet
in Minnesota

Hikers can enjoy a wooded walk alongside a river to a waterfall at Minnesota’s Banning State Park.

Twelve-foot Wolf Creek Falls await at the end of the 2-mile round trip Wolf Creek Falls Trail. This is not the trail’s official name but has been christened her for convenience’s sake.

To reach the trailhead, from downtown Sandstone take County Road 123/Third Street east toward the Kettle River. Turn left/north onto Old Wagon Road and enter forested Robinson Park. Park in the lot at the road’s end near the boat landing. From there, follow the wide dirt road north. You’re now in Banning State Park.

Through the trees to the west, you’ll catch some great views of the Kettle River as it flows over Quarry Rapids. The river also narrows here, so you may see kayakers walking along the trail as they make a short portage.

The river calms as the trail continues north through a forest. At about 0.45 miles, the trail crosses railroad tracks with a bridge over the river.

The Kettle River runs 83.6 miles flowing out of the northwoods from east of Cromwell. It ultimately joins the St. Croix River at Chengwatana State Forest to the southeast.

Since the last ice age, the Kettle has cut through glacial drift and into an underlying formation of Hinckley Sandstone, deposited here about 545 million years ago. The river was able to do that because it drained ancient Glacial Lake Duluth in a fast-moving flow.

At 0.85 miles into the hike, spring-fed Wolf Creek meets the Kettle. The creek is fairly short, flowing for a bit over 2 miles from outside of the state park.

Just upstream in 0.15 miles on Wolf Creek is the waterfall. To see the highest waterflow, visit in spring or early summer.

After taking in the sights, retrace your steps back to the parking lot.

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

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.

Hike to 100-foot tall fire tower at St. Croix SP

View from fire tower at St. Croix State Park, Minnesota.

Day hikers can walk to and climb to the top of a 100-foot fire tower at St. Croix State Park in Pine County, Minn.

An amazing 127-plus miles of hiking trails cross the state park’s 34,000 acres. A combination of three of them (here dubbed the Kettle River Highbanks to Observation Tower Route) marks a great 3.6-mile (7.2-miles round trip) route for physically fit families with a lot of energy.

To reach the park from Minneapolis-St. Paul, take Interstate 35 north, exiting on Minn. Hwy. 48 in Hinckley. At County Road 22, turn south. In about five miles, you’ll reach the park headquarters. From there, turn right/west onto St. John’s Road. At the point the road turns to gravel, you have about a nine-mile drive. Your destination is the Kettle River Highlands, which offers limited parking.

From there, hike north paralleling the road you drove in on. You’ll first pass the Chapel Grove, an impressive stand of red pines. In about 1.5 miles, the road forks. Go right/northeast.

In just under 1.1 miles, a trail bridge crosses Bear Creek. At the next fork, go left/west. You’re now on the Matthew Lourey State Trail, which links the park to the Chengwatana, St. Croix and Nemadji state forests.

In about 0.8 miles, head off the Matthew Lourey by turning left/south for the observation tower. You’ll arrive at the tower in about a third of a mile.

The Civilian Conservation Corps constructed the tower in 1937. For the next 40-plus years, watchmen assigned to it scanned the surrounding forests for fires. No breaks or reading were allowed, and visitors were limited to 10-minute stays. The last watchman sat here in 1981, when aerial surveys became the preferred way to spot forest fires.

These days, you can stay in the tower as long as you like. Looking south from it, Bear Creek runs west to east immediately below. In the distance is the Kettle River, a State Wild and Scenic River, which flows southeast to the St. Croix.

After taking in the view, follow the trail back to your vehicle or have someone meet you at the parking lot below the tower (Yes, you could have driven straight to the tower, but then there wouldn’t have been any hiking, would there?).

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