St. Croix Falls

St. Croix Falls combines outdoor experiences and trail-related activities with an annual celebration. If you’re looking for hotels in St. Croix Falls, deciding what your trip will focus on can help you plan: Will you prioritize the landscape of Interstate State Park, hiking and snowshoeing, cycling routes, or a festival date? The named places and trails each have their own features, which you can consider individually as you plan.

Interstate State Park and Ice Age Interpretive Center

Interstate State Park is Wisconsin’s oldest state park, established in 1900. The park offers views of the St. Croix River and the steep-walled Dalles of the St. Croix gorge. Both the river and the gorge are among the park’s named landscape features.

The park is also home to the Ice Age Interpretive Center. It includes an exhibit area, a classroom, an auditorium, and a gift shop. Interpretive programs are offered at the center year-round, including guided hikes, wildlife programs, and family-friendly activities. They are led by the park naturalist, partner groups, volunteers, and guest speakers. The program offerings are available year-round, but individual programs may vary. So if you’re planning to visit the center, check the schedule for your travel dates.

Hiking, Snowshoeing, and Other Trails

The western terminus of the Ice Age Trail is in Interstate State Park in St. Croix Falls, in Polk County. The trail is open to hiking, backpacking, and snowshoeing. So the trail is described as offering more than one activity: backpacking and snowshoeing are also explicitly mentioned.

The Gandy Dancer Trail has different features. St. Croix Falls is its western terminus; the 98-mile route runs north from there to Superior, following the former rail line of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad. While the Ice Age Trail information names possible activities, the Gandy Dancer description focuses on its length, direction, and historic route. You can therefore factor these two trail profiles into your trip planning based on different interests.

Cycling also has a local point of interest in St. Croix Falls: the Wooly Bike Club maintains 7 miles of singletrack trails there. This figure refers to the club’s singletrack trails; it is different from the Gandy Dancer Trail’s 98-mile route. If you’re planning your trip around cycling, you can consider these local trails as a separate option.

River Road and Wannigan Days

Nearby, River Road begins north of St. Croix Falls on Highway 87. It runs for 29 miles along the St. Croix River, giving you another way to include the surrounding river landscape in your trip plans. Road conditions may vary, so check them for your planned visit.

The annual Wannigan Days Festival is celebrated in the neighboring communities of St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, and Taylors Falls, Minnesota. If you’d like to plan your trip around the festival, take both locations into account and check the event dates before booking. This lets you align your travel dates with the actual event without assuming a specific week.

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