St. Croix State Park spans nearly 34,000 acres in Pine County, making it Minnesota’s largest state park and one of the biggest in the country. Situated at the confluence of the St. Croix and Kettle Rivers — both federally designated Wild and Scenic Rivers — the park offers a scale of wilderness that’s genuinely hard to find this close to the Twin Cities.

The landscape is a mix of dense hardwood and pine forests, river bluffs, and open meadows carved by glacial activity. Over 127 miles of trails wind through the park, serving hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders, and cross-country skiers depending on the season. The Kettle River corridor is particularly popular for kayaking and canoeing, with Class I and II rapids that are accessible for intermediate paddlers.

Camping options are extensive. The park operates over 200 drive-in campsites, backpack-in sites along the trail system, canoe-in sites along the river, and a guest house for groups. Several sites sit right along the riverbank — reserve these early if you’re visiting between June and August.

Wildlife is abundant. White-tailed deer, black bears, bald eagles, and timber wolves all call the park home, making it one of the better spots in southern Minnesota for wildlife observation.

The best time to visit depends on what you’re after: summer for paddling and camping, fall for some of the state’s most vivid foliage, and winter for uncrowded snowshoeing and ski trails. Spring brings wildflowers but also mud — plan accordingly.

Explore Nearby

• Superior National Forest — National Forest in Minnesota
• Chippewa National Forest — National Forest in Minnesota
• Minnesota Scenic Byways — Scenic Byway in Minnesota
• Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway — Scenic Byway in Minnesota
• The Arches Covered Bridge — Covered Bridge in Minnesota