Further north along the river is Afton State Park, with
restored prairie along the blufftops and a swimming beach
on the St. Croix. The slopes of nearby Afton Alps are used
for skiing and snowboarding in the winter, and mountain
biking in other seasons. The tiny, picturesque village of
Afton is a cluster of lovely homes and shops dating to the
1850s-1870s, with an ice cream shop and several eateries
that draw visitors to this charming spot. West of Afton,
in Woodbury, is Prestwick Golf Club, where fields of
wildflowers and groves of trees border the greens.
Stillwater, several miles north of Afton, is the
largest city on the St. Croix. It’s also one of Minnesota’s
oldest towns, founded in 1843, and its beautiful, historic
architecture now houses an array of antique shops, art
galleries, book stores, specialty shops, eclectic
restaurants, and charming B&Bs. Main Street is a great
shopping and dining destination. One of the best ways to
108 ExploreMinnesota.com
Ki-Chi-Saga Park
near Lindstrom
see the beautiful old homes is to take a narrated trip
aboard the Stillwater Trolley. The St. Croix Boat and
Packet Company offers river cruises aboard
paddlewheelers. The former warden’s house of the
Minnesota state prison is now a history museum, and
the 1870 county courthouse is the oldest in the state.
Tiny Marine on St. Croix is another quaint village on
the river with architecture dating to the 1800s. The stone
foundation of Minnesota’s first commercial sawmill is now
a historic site, with interpretive trails along the river. Next
to Marine is William O’Brien State Park, where you can
rent a canoe to paddle along the St. Croix. In nearby
Scandia, Gammelgarden is a collection of log homes and
a church built by Swedish immigrants in the 1850s-1870s.
In the 1800s, Taylors Falls was a landing point for
Swedish immigrants arriving by paddleboat. This former
lumbertown sits at the scenic Dalles, where the St. Croix
River rushes between soaring cliffs. Swirling waters created
some of the world’s deepest potholes centuries ago, and
these interesting rock formations can be seen in Interstate
State Park at the edge of town. An excursion boat offers a
great view of the gorge from the water. There are several
1850s Greek Revival style homes in the Angel Hill district
in Taylors Falls, including the Folsom House, open for
tours in summer and fall. North of town is Wild Mountain,
a year-round recreation area with a water park, alpine
slides, go-karts, canoe rentals, and in the winter, downhill
skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing.
Many of the area’s Swedish immigrants settled in the
Chisago Lakes area west of the river. Swedish novelist
Vilhelm Moberg wrote a popular saga on Swedish
immigration after visiting the area in 1947. The 1880s
homestead that he used as a basis for his characters’ home
has been restored and stands in a lakeside park at Lindstrom,
and the city’s water tower is a giant Swedish coffee pot.
The chain of lakes here are popular for fishing. Wild River
State Park lies along 18 miles of the St. Croix, with miles
of scenic hiking and skiing trails through the forest.
