• Canoeists paddle by tree lined shores

    Saint Croix

    National Scenic Riverway WI,MN

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  • High Water

    The rivers are running high and fast and the water is cold. Be prepared and cautious if venturing out on the rivers!

  • 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.

Things To Do

A turquoise kayak, orange jacket and yellow lifevest makes for a colorful picture of a woman paddling a kayak.

A kayaker, with safety gear, enjoying a paddle

NPS Photo

A wonderful way to see the Riverway is to get out on the water. Recreational opportunities abound for canoeing, kayaking, motor boating, sailing and fishing. If you want to get even closer to the water, here is information on swimming and tubing. Wildlife viewing excels from either water or land.

Need help getting on the water? We have a number of commercial businesses we work with which provide recreational opportunities for visitors to the Riverway. This includes renting a canoe or kayak that is shuttled to and from the river for you; Or having a guide take you fishing. You can even sit back relax and enjoy the scenery on a paddleboat. We refer to these businesses as outfitters.

 
Man walking down a dirt trail through a spring woods. The new leaves are yellowish-green.

A spring walk through the woods searching for wildflowers.

NPS Photo

There are also plenty of activities you can enjoy on land, along the river. Throughout the Riverway there are places to camp, hike and picnic. Bicycling, horseback riding and ORV trails are available nearby. Hunting in the Riverway is allowed, while trapping is restricted. The potential to see wildlife is always around the next corner, so however you choose to do it, enjoy some time outdoors.

If you are visiting the park you can also attend a ranger program or stop by a visitor center to learn more about the riverway, explore exhibits, watch our 18-minute park movie "St. Croix: A Northwoods Journey" and chat with a ranger. The smaller visitors may enroll in our Junior Ranger program.

Beyond the National Park and the visitor centers there are many nearby attractions to enjoy in the area.

 
A snowy foreground with ski tracks and a skier in the distance on the ice by a rock cliff.

Winter solitude on skis

NPS Photo

In winter the Riverway is a different place, from the light and the sounds, to the wildlife, to the activities you can enjoy. Snowmobile trails cross the river connecting to both states. For a more leisurely pace, other winter activities can help you enjoy the outdoors.

For more information about upcoming events, programs, recreational opportunities and the changing seasons check-out our River Currents blog produced by our Park Rangers.

 

Did You Know?

A very narrow insect with skinny legs and a tail

Water scorpions use their tails or siphons as a a "snorkel" thrusting it up through the surface film on the water to the air above.  Their legs are not much use in swimming, so most water scorpions spend life near the shoreline.