• Canoeists paddle by tree lined shores

    Saint Croix

    National Scenic Riverway WI,MN

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  • High Water

    Sections of the lower St. Croix River are running higher than normal for this time of year. Be prepared and cautious if venturing out on the river, and watch for debris and other obstacles in the water.

  • Wells Closed

    Beginning in 2013, water will no longer be available at McDowell Bridge Landing, Riverside Landing, and the Marshland District Office on Highway 70. Please plan accordingly and bring an adequate supply of water.

Operating Hours & Seasons

Discover the unique ways that you can explore the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway by stopping at a National Park Service visitor center.

 
A girl getting her hands on a rotating cylinder filled with amber water and sediment.

Interactive exhibits at the Visitor Centers provide discovery for all ages.

NPS

St. Croix River Visitor Center, 401 North Hamilton Street in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. From mid-April to mid-October, open daily 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. During the rest of the year, it is open daily 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The visitor center is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. (715) 483-2274.

The St. Croix River Visitor Center has a 500-gallon freshwater aquarium and a large scale aerial photo of the Riverway mounted on the floor. The photo shows the river from north of Grantsburg to its confluence with the Mississippi.

Namekagon River Visitor Center, on Highway 63, one mile east of Highway 53 in Trego, Wisconsin. From Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day, open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. (715) 635-8346.

The Namekagon Visitor Center has a large model of a sturgeon, for which the river is named and a birch bark canoe. The exhibits include both human and natural history and their interrelationship over hundreds of years.

Both visitor centers feature exhibits and the 18-minute film, The St. Croix: A Northwoods Journey. National Park Service rangers are available to help you plan a river trip, direct you to maps and educational materials, and answer your questions about the Riverway and your national parks.

Arcola Mills-NPS Visitor Center: 12905 Arcola Trail North located six miles north of Stillwater, Minnesota on Arcola Trail, off of MN Highway 95. Look for signs. Open Thursdays through Mondays, May 9 through October 21, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The site will be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. (651) 439-1659

The site, owned by the Arcola Mills Historic Foundation, features the Mower House, a restored Greek Revival mansion built in 1847. Visitors can enjoy unique views of the river and of a historic lumber mill site, watch a film about the Riverway, and view exhibits to learn more about the history of Arcola Mills and the logging history of the St. Croix River.

 
A Park Ranger kneel over the river map on the floor talking with two visitors.

Park Rangers at Visitor Centers answer your questions and enrich your experience of the Riverway.

NPS

Admission to visitor centers is free.

There is one Riverway stamp for the "Passport to Your National Parks" program and it is available at the visitor centers during regular hours.

Park headquarters is located in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. It is the Riverway's business office and is open 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and closed on federal holidays.

The Riverway features approximately 60 river landings and 150 shoreline campsites. These are open year round. Campsites are available first-come, first served and are free of charge. Outfitters are available that rent watercraft and provide other services. Some landings and campsites have water available on a seasonal basis. Wells are normally open late May through September and are closed the rest of the year.

Did You Know?

Two mussels or clams on sand. They are yellowish brown with greenish stripes

St. Croix National Scenic Riverway is home to 40 species of native mussels. Throughout the United States their populations are considered highly threatened. The Higgins Eye Pearly mussel is on the endangered species list.