Minnesota /

Saint Croix River

River in Minnesota · 10,499 acres · near Afton, Bayport, Franconia, Hastings

The St. Croix River flows 164 miles from Upper St. Croix Lake in Douglas County, Wisconsin, to its confluence with the Mississippi River near Prescott, Wisconsin. For about 130 miles it forms the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin. In 1968 it was one of the original eight rivers protected under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and it is now part of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. The only interruption to its free flow is the hydroelectric dam at St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. Just below Stillwater the river widens into Lake St. Croix, which was formed by a natural bar where the St. Croix meets the Mississippi. Its watershed covers about 7,800 square miles.

The Minnesota DNR runs the river as a state water trail and co-manages it with the National Park Service. Minnesota and Wisconsin boating laws both apply. Lower-river launches include the state-owned Boomsite and St. Croix Crossing accesses near Stillwater and Washington County's St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park. From the Taylors Falls dam down to the Apple River confluence (mile 31), motorboats are limited to slow speed. Below mile 31, slow-no-wake applies within 100 feet of shore. Once the Stillwater gauge reaches 683.0 feet, a slow-no-wake rule covers the whole river, a rule in place since 1986. Personal watercraft are banned upstream of Boom Site Landing. Towing is restricted by location and time, and boats may not travel upstream past the High Bridge (mile 29.5) to stop the spread of zebra mussels.

More than 60 fish species have been recorded in Lake St. Croix, including lake sturgeon. Minnesota's state-record 70-pound catfish came from the St. Croix.

Boating rules

Rules change; check with the agency or town before you go.

Launches

Community

Where people who fish, boat and paddle Saint Croix River talk about it. Lake associations, clubs and local groups will be added as we find them.

Sources

  1. St. Croix River State Water Trail - Minnesota DNR
  2. Boating - Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (U.S. National Park Service)
  3. Boat Speeds on the Lower St. Croix River - Minnesota DNR
  4. St. Croix River (Stillwater to Mississippi River) - Minnesota DNR
  5. St. Croix River (Wisconsin–Minnesota) - Wikipedia
  6. Mission & History - Wild Rivers Conservancy

Researched October 13, 2026 from the sources above. Written content CC BY 4.0. Something wrong? Corrections are welcome.

Wikidata: Q1507416