Saint Croix State Park

About Saint Croix State Park

Those who plan a longer visit to St. Croix must climb the fire tower, because there is much to do.

Campers can book a ride, and large groups can be booked for camping, hiking, horseback riding, canoeing, kayaking, fishing and other activities. The park has behaved well in recent years, without major incidents in recent years.

At least ten other streams flow through the park, forming a watershed of hundreds of square miles. The St. Croix River, a tributary of the Mississippi and an important source of the state's drinking water, forms the eastern boundary of the park before merging with the StCroix River to form the western boundary. In addition, at least ten other rivers flow into the river from the north and south, forming catchments of more than 100 square miles.

The water also offers important opportunities for canoeing, fishing and kayaking and is an important location for plants and animals. St. Croix State Park is now home to a natural community that includes a unique plant community known as the Jackpine Desert. Visitors will see areas where work is underway to bring the fire back into the pine forest to restore the ecosystem.

The St. Croix River valley serves as an important drain for meltwater from Lake Superior, and when the water finds its way into the river, it leaves behind soil and sediment that cover ancient lava rocks far below, including what is left of Glacial Lake Grantsburg. The river valley was eroded by glacial gravel, releasing the sediment trapped by the water. In the valley there is an enormous variety of plants and animals, including the lady's slipper, the shining star and many wild flower species.

The last wave of glacial meltwater has cleared the debris from the Kettle River Valley and exposed much of the basalt and sandstone rocks. The stop at K-Kessel River Highbanks is a step back in millions of years, and it is one of the few places in the state with such a stop.

Many bird species thrive here, and warblers, flycatchers, eagles, owls and ospreys are widespread in St. Croix. Eastern Forest Lions are also found in the park but are not often seen, and their habitat is made up of aspen and conifers that benefit from the elevation of the Kettle River Valley and its Mississippi tributary.

After the fur trade ceased in the mid-19th century, timber stores were built that used the power of the river to drive logs downstream to timber mills. The St. Croix River was an important trade route, but by 1915 the blockade had shifted to other parts of the country.

The newly cleared land was attractive to farmers and immigrants from around the world, but the settlers struggled to live on the poor land. In 1934, 18,000 hectares of farmland were purchased in the St. Croix area and declared a theme park between 1934 and 1935. People set out to transform the land into a state park with a mix of hiking, cycling, fishing, camping and other activities. Most of these efforts are still in use today, and many of the buildings and structures are listed as historical sites on the National Register.

This design sign describes the RDA of St. Croix, which was to become the St.-Croix State Park in 1943, as a former CCC campsite. The park is located on the west side of the river at the intersection of state road 30 and St. Croix road.