This small but highly scenic region derives its beauty from the St. Croix River and the surrounding landscapes, as well as the wealthy New England families who settled here more than a century ago, re-creating their home villages along the riverside, small towns that remain intact and as charming and historic as they were when they were first built. Along with the New Englanders came the Scandinavians, building tight agricultural and cultural enclaves, and today there is still a close-knit community known informally as Little Sweden. Going up the river can provide insight into some of Minnesota’s Scandinavian heritage. Logging and the fur trade drove the growth of the area during the 19th century, and today’s visitors can still find remnants of those trades, primarily in placenames, but also in the quaint, wonderful small towns. Artists have not been immune to the area’s beauty, and there is a strong and growing arts community throughout the valley.
GUIDANCE Falls Chamber of Commerce (715-483-3580; fallschamber.org), St. Croix Falls, WI. Open Mon.–Thurs. Provides visitor info for Taylors Falls in Minnesota and St. Croix Falls in Wisconsin.
THE STILLWATER LIFT BRIDGE
INTERSTATE STATE PARK
Greater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce (651-439-4001; greaterstillwaterchamber.com), 200 Chestnut Street E., Stillwater.
Afton Area Business Association (701-269-4639; exploreafton.com), Afton.
GETTING THERE By air: Air service is available through the Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport (612-726-5555; mspairport.com).
By car: From the Twin Cities, take I-35W north to US 8 east to Chisago City. Follow US 8 east through Lindstrom, Center City, and Taylors Falls. Take US 8 south to MN 95 (St. Croix Trail) to reach Franconia. Continue on MN 95 to MN 97, turning right to arrive in Scandia. Return to MN 95 and travel south to County Route 4 (Maple Street) to stop in Marine on St. Croix. Follow MN 95 south to Stillwater. From Stillwater, you can take MN 96 or MN 36 back to the Twin Cities.
GETTING AROUND Having a vehicle is a necessity when traveling around the St. Croix Valley region.
WHEN TO COME Summer is the most popular time to visit, and Stillwater in particular can be quite busy and congested as shoppers and boaters converge upon the quaint little town. Fall is busy with leaf-peepers, but the area quiets down in the winter as traffic involves mostly shoppers.
MEDICAL EMERGENCY Call 911.
Lakeview Hospital (651-439-5330; lakeviewhealth.org), 927 W. Churchill Street, Stillwater.