Everything to Do in St. Croix Falls, WI (Beyond the Campsite)

There are plenty of things to do in St. Croix Falls, WI, and most first-time visitors are surprised by just how much sits within a few minutes of one another. This small town on the Wisconsin side of the St. Croix River packs in glacial rock formations, a national scenic riverway, state parks, art, and a historic main street, all wrapped around some of the best river scenery in the Upper Midwest. It is the kind of place where you come for a weekend at the campground and end up filling every day.

If you are staying out at Big Rock Creek or just planning a trip to the area, this is your guide to everything worth doing once you leave the campsite. The river runs through all of it, so that is where we will start.

Things to Do in St. Croix Falls, WI: Start With the River

You cannot talk about things to do in St. Croix Falls, WI without starting at the water. The St. Croix is a National Scenic Riverway, one of the original eight rivers protected under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and it is the reason this whole area looks the way it does. Whether you want to paddle it, ride it, or just sit beside it, the river is the main event.

Paddle the St. Croix

The stretch of river around St. Croix Falls and Taylors Falls is made for paddling. The water is calm enough for beginners in most spots, and the bluffs rising on either side make it one of the prettiest paddles in the region.

• Rent a kayak or canoe and put in for a few hours, or make a full day of it.
• Watch for bald eagles overhead, which are a common sight along this stretch.
• Bring a dry bag, some water, and a plan for where you are getting out downriver.

If you are staying at Big Rock Creek, the property has its own private lake with complimentary kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, and paddle boats, so you can warm up on calm water before tackling the river. Our post on kayak rentals in the St. Croix River Valley covers your options in more detail.

Take a Scenic Boat Tour

Not everyone wants to paddle, and you do not have to. The Taylors Falls scenic boat tours run across the river in the warmer months and give you the best possible view of the Dalles of the St. Croix, the dramatic rock gorge that the river carved over thousands of years. It is a relaxed way to see the bluffs, hear the history, and let someone else do the work.

Fish the Quiet Water

The St. Croix and its surrounding lakes are full of fish, from smallmouth bass to walleye. If you would rather keep it simple, the trout-stocked lake at Big Rock Creek offers fly fishing right on the property, with rods available to rent. It is a good way to spend a slow morning before the day heats up.

State Parks and the Great Outdoors

St. Croix Falls sits at the doorstep of some genuinely special protected land. This is glacial country, shaped by ice sheets that left behind rock formations you will not see just anywhere.

Interstate State Park and the Glacial Potholes

Interstate State Park is the star, and it is a short drive from town. Wisconsin’s oldest state park straddles both sides of the river, and its signature feature is the glacial potholes, deep smooth-walled cylinders drilled straight down into solid basalt by the meltwater of the last Ice Age. Some are more than 60 feet deep. Standing over them is a strange and humbling thing.

What to know before you go:

• The pothole trail is short but rocky, so wear real shoes.
• The overlooks above the Dalles gorge are worth the climb for the view alone.
• The park has both a Wisconsin side (in St. Croix Falls) and a Minnesota side (in Taylors Falls), each with its own trails.

The Ice Age Trail Starts Here

Here is a detail most visitors miss. St. Croix Falls is the western starting point of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, a thousand-mile footpath that traces the edge of the last glacier across Wisconsin. You can stand at the beginning of it inside Interstate State Park. You do not have to hike the whole thing, obviously, but walking even the first mile of a trail that runs clear across the state has a certain appeal.

Nearby State Parks Worth the Drive

If you have more than a day, the area around St. Croix Falls has several more parks within easy reach.

• Wild River State Park sits just up the Minnesota side of the river, with quiet trails and excellent paddling.
• William O’Brien State Park lies a bit south toward Stillwater and is a favorite for hiking and family camping.
• Straight River and the surrounding county forests offer more trails for anyone who wants to get further off the beaten path.

Adventure for the Whole Family

St. Croix Falls is not only for quiet nature lovers. There is plenty here to wear the kids out, and a few things adults will secretly enjoy more than they admit.

Wild Mountain

A few miles up the road, Wild Mountain is a four-season recreation spot that changes personality with the calendar.

• Summer brings the alpine slide, go-karts, and a water park with slides.
• Winter turns it into a ski and snowboard hill with snow tubing that families love.
• It is the kind of place where you can spend a full day and still not do everything.

Fawn-Doe-Rosa

For families with younger kids, Fawn-Doe-Rosa is a small wildlife park where children can get close to and often feed deer and other gentle animals. It is simple, old-fashioned fun, and it tends to be a highlight for the little ones.

Biking the Gandy Dancer Trail

The Gandy Dancer Trail is a rail trail that runs right through St. Croix Falls, following an old railroad grade north into the countryside. The surface is smooth and mostly flat, which makes it friendly for casual riders and families. Rent a bike, pack a snack, and ride out as far as the mood takes you.

Art, History, and Small-Town Charm

Between the outdoor adventures, St. Croix Falls has a quieter, more cultured side that is easy to overlook and worth making time for.

Franconia Sculpture Park

Just across the river and a short drive away in Shafer, Minnesota, Franconia Sculpture Park is an open-air museum spread across acres of field. Dozens of large-scale sculptures sit out in the grass, free to walk among at any hour. It is unexpected, a little surreal, and completely free to visit. Kids can run, adults can wander, and everyone leaves having seen something they did not expect.

Historic Downtown

Downtown St. Croix Falls has kept its small-town character, with a walkable main street of local shops, a historic theater, and places to eat that are not chains. Across the bridge, downtown Taylors Falls offers more of the same, including beautifully preserved 19th-century homes worth a slow stroll. Spend an afternoon browsing, grab an ice cream, and let the pace slow down.

Local Food and Drink

You will not go hungry here. The area has a growing collection of good places to eat and drink, from casual cafes and coffee shops to spots for a proper sit-down meal. After a day on the river or the trails, a relaxed dinner in town is the right way to end it. Ask a local where they go, and you will usually get a better answer than any review site.

Seasonal Highlights

Part of what makes St. Croix Falls worth returning to is that it genuinely changes through the year. The things to do shift with the seasons, so the town rewards more than one visit.

Summer on the River

Summer is the busy season, and for good reason. The river is warm enough to swim, the boat tours are running, Wild Mountain’s water park is open, and the evenings stretch long and golden. It is the classic time to visit.

Fall Color Season

For many locals, fall is the best-kept secret of the year. The bluffs along the St. Croix turn brilliant shades of gold, orange, and red, and the crowds thin out after Labor Day. A paddle or a scenic drive during peak color is hard to beat. Book your stay early, because the word is out and the good weekends fill fast.

Winter Adventures

Winter does not shut the area down, it just changes the menu. Snow tubing and skiing at Wild Mountain, quiet snowshoe hikes in the parks, and the Miracle at Big Rock light festival, a month-long walk-through and drive-through Christmas display, all give you reasons to bundle up and come out.

Where to Stay: Your Basecamp at Big Rock Creek

All of these things to do are easier when you have a comfortable, central place to come back to at the end of the day. Big Rock Creek sits on close to 1,000 acres just across the river from Taylors Falls, which puts you minutes from nearly everything on this list.

Lodging for Every Style

However you like to travel, there is a way to stay here.

• Glamping tents and a geodesic dome for anyone who wants the outdoors with a real bed
• On-site cabins that sleep up to 30, ideal for families and groups
• A private campground for tents and RVs, with room to spread out

You can see the full range of stays on the camping and lodging page.

On-Property Things to Do

Even if you never left the property, you would not run out of things to do. Big Rock Creek has 23 miles of hiking and biking trails, a private lake with complimentary watercraft, fly fishing, Polaris Ranger rentals, bonfire spots, and a cast of resident animals including Maggie the Scottish Highland cow. It works as a destination on its own and as a basecamp for everything else in the area.

Conclusion

For a small town, St. Croix Falls delivers a remarkable amount. The river alone would be reason enough to visit, but add the glacial potholes, the start of the Ice Age Trail, Wild Mountain, the sculpture park, and a historic main street, and you have a destination that easily fills a long weekend and pulls people back season after season. The best part is how close it all sits together, and how close the whole area sits to the Twin Cities.

Make Big Rock Creek your basecamp and everything on this list is only minutes away, with a comfortable place to return to each evening and a thousand acres of its own to explore. When you are ready to plan your trip, the team is happy to help you find the right dates and the right stay. You can get in touch here to start planning.