Midwest - St. Croix River Valley

The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway protects 255 miles of the free-flowing St. Croix River and Namekagon Rivers, a federally designated corridor known for its clear water, diverse ecosystems, and abundant recreation, flowing from northern Wisconsin to the Mississippi River. This was one of the first rivers protected under the National Wild & Scenic Rivers Act (1968). On both sides of the river, communities invest in parks, trails, river access, and historic districts that are free or low-cost to enjoy.

St. Croix River Valley Regional Flyover (Google Earth)

Flyover

State Parks

• Interstate State Park (MN/WI) located on both sides of the St. Croix River at Taylors Falls, Minnesota, and St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, the adjoining parks protect the dramatic Dalles of the St. Croix, a steep-sided gorge shaped by glacial meltwater.

  The parks are known for basalt cliffs, glacial potholes, scenic river overlooks, hiking, camping, paddling, fishing, rock climbing, and interpretive programs focused on geology and natural history. Minnesota’s park was established in 1895, while Wisconsin’s park—established in 1900—is Wisconsin’s oldest state park and includes the Ice Age Interpretive Center and several protected state natural areas.

• Willow River State Park in St. Croix County, WI-- nearly 3,000 acre state park featuring Willow Falls and a waterfall plunging into a 200-foot gorge. Provides a major regional destination for hiking, nature exploration, and outdoor recreation.

• Wild River State Park further north – preserving scenic bluffs, glacial features, and long stretches of riverway. Located along 18 miles of the St. Croix River in Chisago County, the park protects a broad landscape of river shoreline, oak forests, prairie, wetlands, and wildlife habitat. Visitors can explore an extensive trail system for hiking, horseback riding, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing, along with camping, paddling, fishing, and scenic river access at Sunrise Landing.

  
  

• William O’Brien State Park located near Marine on St. Croix, the park protects more than 1,800 acres of prairie, oak savanna, hardwood forest, river floodplain, and shoreline along the St. Croix River. Popular activities include hiking, camping, paddling, fishing, wildlife viewing, and cross-country skiing. Lake Alice has traditionally supported swimming and other recreation, but it is currently drawn down. The Minnesota DNR plans to replace its water-control structure and restore public recreation by fall 2027.

  
  

• Afton State Park located along the St. Croix River near Afton, the park features high river bluffs, restored prairie, wooded ravines, limestone outcrops, and scenic overlooks. Trails descend approximately 300 feet from the blufflands to the river, offering opportunities for hiking, birdwatching, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and access to a quiet riverfront beach.

  
  

• Kinnickinnic State Park located in Pierce County, Wisconsin, where the Kinnickinnic River meets the St. Croix River. Combines quiet wooded valleys and trails with active boating and river recreation.

State parks and forests further north along the St. Croix River also includes:

• St. Croix State Park (Hinckley, MN area) - Minnesota’s largest state park, protecting extensive forests, wetlands, prairie and wildlife habitat along both the St. Croix and Kettle rivers. It offers camping, paddling, hiking, horseback riding, fishing and access to the Matthew Lourey State Trail.

• Governor Knowles State Forest (state forest in northwestern Wisconsin) - A 55-mile-long protected forest (approx. 32,500 acres) corridor along the Wisconsin side of the St. Croix River, with campgrounds, trails, wildlife habitat and primitive recreation areas.

These parks are part of the region’s “public asset balance sheet”: protected land, clean water, wildlife habitat, and outdoor recreation that support health, tourism, and local identity.

County and Regional Parks

• Square Lake Park in Washington County, MN – known for exceptionally clear water that attracts swimmers and scuba divers from across the metro.

• Homestead Parklands on Perch Lake in St. Croix County, WI – with trails, a non-motorized boat launch, rentals, swimming beach, and winter recreation.

• Big Marine Park Reserve - this Washington County park protects high-quality uplands, wetlands, wildlife habitat, and landscapes on Big Marine Lake. The long-term park boundary is planned to encompass approximately 1,800 acres, with about 80% preserved and restored as natural land.

• Ojiketa Regional Park located on Green Lake in Chisago City, the 70-acre park features mature forests, fern gardens, natural flower areas, and wooded walking and bicycling trails. Recreational amenities include a swimming beach, dock, marina, tent camping, cabins, lodges, and canoe and kayak rentals.

• St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park in Washington County, MN – about 685 acres on the wild and scenic St. Croix, with bluffs, wooded ravines, camping, and direct river access.

• Osceola Landing (managed by National Park Service) - located on the Minnesota side of the St. Croix River near Osceola, the landing is a major river-access point and the busiest National Park Service landing within the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.

Together, these places with other state, county, and town parks create a network of public lakes, forests, trails, and campgrounds that make the St. Croix Valley an outdoor commons rather than a private, gated landscape.

Highlighted Communities

Stillwater, Minnesota: a focal point of public wealth

Stillwater sits on the west bank of the St. Croix River and is often called the “Birthplace of Minnesota,” because an 1848 territorial convention held downtown helped start the process of creating the state.

• Historic downtown and riverfront: Stillwater’s preserved commercial district, Lowell Park, riverwalk, and St. Croix setting create one of the region’s strongest combinations of historic, cultural, recreational, and economic assets.

• Historic Lift Bridge and Loop Trail: The former highway bridge now carries pedestrians and bicyclists and anchors a regional loop connecting Minnesota and Wisconsin.

• Major public investment in river access: Parks and projects such as Lowell Park and Lumberjack Landing protect shoreline, expand trails and public access, restore habitat, and connect residents more closely with the St. Croix River.

  
  

In Stillwater, public wealth shows up in the historic fabric of the city, the river as a shared public resource, and the network of parks and trails that connect people to the landscape.

Stillwater Flyover (Google Earth)

Flyover

Osceola, Wisconsin: A Plan for Community Public Wealth is on the Horizon

Osceola, WI, is a historic village in the scenic St. Croix River Valley, near the Wisconsin and Minnesota border. Founded in 1844 as a logging and mill town, the community is a blend of small-town living with access to city amenities.

• Historic downtown and Cascade Falls: Osceola’s National Register-listed downtown connects directly by walking trails to Cascade Falls and the St. Croix River, combining historic preservation, local businesses, and public recreation.

• Exceptional access to conserved land: The community is surrounded by major public and nonprofit assets, including Osceola Landing, Standing Cedars Community Land Conservancy, The Acreage, and nearby Interstate State Park.

To learn more about community public wealth initiatives in flight in Osceola-- please visit the link below.

Community Public Wealth - Osceola, WI

Hudson, Wisconsin

• Lakefront Park and the dike: Hudson’s central riverfront provides a beach, boat launch, paved trails, playgrounds, picnic areas, fishing, swimming, and scenic access to the St. Croix River.

• Historic downtown–riverfront connection: The proximity of the waterfront to Hudson’s downtown allows public space, restaurants, shops, community events, and tourism to reinforce one another.

• Community gathering place: The Lakefront Park bandshell, summer concerts, beach, trails, and open spaces make the riverfront one of the city’s most important shared civic and recreational assets.

Prescott, Wisconsin

• Two-river confluence: Prescott’s location where the St. Croix meets the Mississippi creates a nationally significant landscape, scenic views, boating access, fishing, and tourism value.

• Public riverfront and parks: River Walk Park, Mercord Mill Park, Freedom Park, and ongoing riverfront improvements connect residents and visitors to the water, downtown, and the Great River Road.

• Regional trails and environmental education: Freedom Park’s visitor and learning facilities and the developing Coulee River Trails network strengthen outdoor education, recreation, and connections among city, county, school, and conservation partners.

Non Profits

The Acreage — Osceola, Wisconsin

• The Acreage is a 360-acre nonprofit property overlooking the St. Croix River, with woodlands, prairie habitat, gardens, and historically significant buildings. Note: This property is only open for public events.

• It serves as a regional gathering place focused on creativity, education, environmental stewardship, artist programs, and nature-centered experiences.

• The property connects land conservation with community wellness, arts, sustainable practices, and interdisciplinary learning.

Standing Cedars Community Land Conservancy

• This volunteer-led nonprofit protects and restores forests, fields, prairie, and other natural habitats along the Lower St. Croix River.

• Standing Cedars has protected more than 1,700 acres and provides free public access to over 1,500 acres for hiking, birding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and permitted hunting.

• Its publicly accessible properties include Engelwood, Buffalo Skull, Tewksbury, and Brown, creating a substantial network of conserved lands near Osceola.

Franconia Sculpture Park

• Franconia combines a large outdoor contemporary-art exhibition with prairie landscapes, artist residencies, educational activities, and community arts programs.

• Visitors can explore more than 100 sculptures along paths covering approximately 50 acres near Taylors Falls.

• The outdoor grounds are free and open throughout the year, making art and cultural programming broadly accessible to the public.

Carpenter Nature Center

• Carpenter Nature Center protects approximately 725 acres across its Minnesota and Wisconsin campuses, including prairie, oak savanna, woodland, ravines, orchards, and St. Croix River bluff habitat.

• More than 20 miles of trails provide opportunities for hiking, wildlife observation, birding, environmental education, and nature-based recreation.

Belwin Conservancy

• Belwin protects approximately 1,600 acres of prairie, oak savanna, woodland, wetlands, and habitat within the Valley Creek watershed near Afton.

• Public areas include Stagecoach Prairie, Tallgrass Trails, Oxbow Trails, and a bison observation area, with several trail systems free and open throughout the year.

• Belwin is also a major environmental-education asset: its partnership with Saint Paul Public Schools has introduced more than half a million children to outdoor science education.

Why this matters for Public Wealth

Looking at the St. Croix communities through a public-wealth lens highlights:

• Natural capital – protected river corridors, clean lakes like Square Lake, trout streams, and semi-wilderness in county parks.

• Civic and cultural capital – Stillwater’s role in Minnesota’s founding, the preserved lift bridge, and historic downtowns that tell the story of the valley.

• Recreational and health value – year-round opportunities to hike, paddle, ski, camp, fish, and simply walk along the river in public spaces rather than private enclaves.

  
  

Taken together, the Wisconsin and Minnesota communities along the St. Croix River demonstrate how public assets—state parks, county parks, regional trails, historic structures, and riverfronts—form a shared portfolio of public wealth that underpins quality of life, local economies, and a strong sense of place on both sides of the river.

Note: Content summarized with assistance from ChatGPT. ChatGPT can make mistakes-- check important information.