Interstate State Park

A good state park, and worth visiting. Be aware that Fall weekends are not a good time to visit — while the vistas are the best, that leads to an overwhelming number of people visiting. Parking can be overwhelmed. Certainly the two-​lane roads into and out of Taylor’s Falls are overwhelmed, and traffic back ups are tremendous. Aim for a weekday. But I do have to point out that the general scenery around the rocky cliffs overlooking the St. Croix River are very, very good.

We came to the park to go canoeing down the St. Croix and had a really wonderful experience. Except turns out the boy and the pup are both afraid of water… But I had a great time!
The scenery on either side of the river is stunning. I prefer the MN side, but I’m clearly biased. Boo Wisconsin.
There were tons of places to stop and camp, explore, or just take a whole boatload of selfies! Overall the ride was around three hours. Keep in mind that return shuttles don’t arrive until 2pm and the landing is literally just some grass and a parking lot. Definitely more fun to stop at some islands along the way than to sit in a parking lot.

There are really 2 parks called by this name. There is the Minnesota side and Wisconsin side. First off, we visited the Minnesota side in Taylor Falls which is shares the same entrance as the Taylor Falls Boat Excursions. The visitor center was closed since we got there early before 9am. However, the park map board had some visitor maps which we picked up to navigate around. We saw several pot holes and it was nice there were railings to brace yourself hiking up and down. For the deep potholes, it was sad that the railing were underwater from all the rain water so we could not go deeper. Anyways, the filled pot holes were more marshy and boggy with all the algae on the water. We made it down all the way to the boat landing. Afterwards, we took the car to see what was near the Folsom Island area. Not much except for canoe rental if you were interested in 1-​way paddling.
For the Wisconsin side, the attendant at the Folsom Island entrance told us to just park near the Taylor Falls Boat Excursion and walk over the bridge. This would save Minnesota folks on parking permit. Plus, I already had a yearly pass to Minnesota state parks. Well, the grass was high and we made it over to the Wisconsin without any bug bites. Then, we took the Ice Age loop. I wasn’t expecting too much but I was amazed. The views are sooo much better on Wisconsin side and hiking was spread-​out. The Minnesota side was a bit cramped with a lot of pot holes. There were more delicate pot holes on Wisconsin side and trickling water made it peaceful. After doing the loop, we made our way back to the car. By then, the traffic picked up so be sure to come early to enjoy the views– sunrises and cliffs.

I have camp here @ least twice and had a great time both times. The park rangers are very nice and helpful.
The campsites and RV park are right by the river and extremely clean. This is a panaramic, climbers, and scenic’s lovers paradise. The only draw back is the road noise. The main road is practically right above you and you will hear every single semi going by.
Nevertheless, this one of the most beautiful state park in MN and I am looking forward to go back real soon.
Yes, they allow pets… I have no idea what the 1 star reviewer is talking about.

This is one of my favorite outdoor places in MN. Close enough to the cities to make a run at the spur of the moment, yet far enough away to be secluded and wilderness-​ish.
Ever thought about trying rock climbing? The park occasionally runs a program called «I can climb» that teaches you all the basics. Vertical Endeavors out of Saint Paul also runs guided beginner climbing clinics up here during the summer. There are a lot of good beginner climbs, as well as some more challenging ones. On the weekends most climbers make what’s called a «Minnesota Alpine Start». A tongue-​in-​cheek way of saying that they will roll up to the climbs around 8 or 9am. Most climbs will be occupied, but most climbers are willing to share routes — just ask. Most of the climbs free up again when the afternoon heat hits around 3pm. If you want to climb, you need to get a (free) annual permit at the ranger office. Just once per season. It helps the park track usage.
The park also runs a program (check the schedule) where they teach you how to geocache (a sort of electronic treasure hunt or hide-​n-​seek using gps receivers to find hidden stashes of little prizes)
Want to try canoeing or kayaking? They have that here too. You can paddle around the area or all the way down to the river. There are several islands for you to have a secluded private picnic at. If you paddle about 2 miles down the river, to where it take a fairly noticeable right hand turn, there is a great island and sandbar that usually attracts a crowd. It’s a great place for swimming and lunching. While cliff diving is officially prohibited (and you will be fined if caught — and I guess it’s sort of dangerous — and they actively patrol this spot on the weekends), this spot is also a great vantage point to watch people jumping in (I won’t give the spot away, but it’s fairly obvious on the Wisconsin side if you are looking from the sandbar I mentioned). Something you might want to try at least once in your life!
They also have a great 2 mile hike between the upper and lower parking areas. It’s a very scenic river trail and definitely worth checking out. There are some parts that are a little steep or a tiny bit technical but anyone in moderate physical condition (including children) should have no problem at all. There are plenty of benches and overlooks to stop at and admire the scenery. Lots of good little places to bring a blanket for a picnic or a nap too!
They have decent, though not very private, camping sites. Water and electric are available as well as a pull-​through dump station if you’ve got a trailer. The sites are kind of crammed in there. If it’s available, grab site #21. It’s pretty much the roomiest and most secluded site in the camping area.
A word about dogs… since we are dog lovers and ours has a great time hiking and climbing with us… Dogs are welcome everywhere *except* the campground beach, provided they are leashed and you clean up after them. They can go on all the hiking trails, they can stay in the campground, they can accompany you when you check out the potholes area and interpretive trail, etc. They can sit at the base of the rock climbs (though local climbing ‘ethics’ frown on this), and If you take the river hiking trail, there are plenty of opportunities to step off the trail and walk down to the river and swim with your dog or play fetch in the water. This is perfectly fine too. It’s just the one public beach at the campground that’s off limits.
While you’re in the area… there is a great pizza place in downtown Taylor’s Falls, as well as a great little winery across the border on the Wisconsin side. Both are worth the trip after a day of hiking!

Wisconsin side is most excellent:-)I live in Osceola and still love the park very much. Hiking, biking canoeing, fishing. Wht more could you ask for? :-) Breathtaking beuty 10 mins from home :-)

Beautiful views of the river from the bluffs and the potholes are really interesting!

What a special place with break taking views and serenity just north of the TC. I would love to come back and experience the WI side or maybe do some camping.
Someone recommended going to «Taylor’s Falls» after visiting Minnehaha one weekend, so after a little research found that we had a state park that straddled the river and two states. [Unbeknownst to me, there aren’t any actual falls in Taylor’s falls or St. Croix, and there are several signs at the park explaining this phenomena.] I packed a picnic for two and a bottle of wine and made a day trip out of it. After asking my friend for advice, she recommended the Minnesota side for the rock formations. We got to the park at about 1pm on a Friday afternoon. There were only a few campers and other cars there, so it was quiet. The rangers at the station were really friendly and helpful as I told them it was my first time there and asked about the trails and if I wanted to go to the WI side how to do that. We decided to park on the South end and walked the River Trail to the north where the potholes are. On the way there we may have passed a couple people, but it was a decent hike. The only downside is it is near the road so you can still hear traffic. There are several «off the path» trails that lead to the cliffs overlooking the river. It was a warm day and the hike was enough to get us sweating. We got to the north end and there were more people there, but it wasn’t crazy busy or anything like that. There are a lot of rocks to climb all over and look down into the bottomless pothole. You can even walk down there! I learned some cool information about MN geology (why don’t I remember talking about this place in my college geology class? Oh yeah, that’s because I didn’t attend). After exploring for a little bit and getting some cool pictures, we decided to take the same trail back to have our picnic. I’m glad we did, because we picked a spot off the main trail to eat and drink wine overlooking the river. By the time we got back, it was about 4pm. There were campers coming in and more people had set up for the weekend. I at least wanted to put my feet in the water although swimming is not recommended because of the currents. I was hoping this would be a place that had nice swimming spots because I have yet to find any outside of the city and didn’t get to go swimming at all last summer. Oh well, everything else about this park was beautiful and I would love to camp and go canoeing next time. The wisconsin side looked like there were many trails that could’ve been more interesting but we needed to get back to the bustle of the city.
I’m not sure that Amy’s review is very fair, by giving it 1 star because her dog couldn’t go in the water. There was a family and their dog playing in the water, and they just kept him on leash. I’m pretty sure I read in several spots that as long as they are on leash they can be at the park. Maybe that’s just the MN side though. Still, not a very fair rating for such a beautiful place.
Note: The directions from the MN DNR website ARE correct, but when I tried to find Milltown Rd on my GPS, there was no such thing. Instead I just put Taylor’s Falls city center and followed the signs. It was really easy to find.

No dogs along the water. fuck you.

I love to drive the hour to get here and just veg. I like the lower area where the canoe rental is. It’s quieter and calmer. There’s nothing like the actual falls, though.

This is a great place to go for a day hike. We go here for a quick hike in Taylor’s Falls (That’s what all the Minnesotans call it, the city nearby) every so often when you need to vent off the pressure in your skull from the work week.
It’s got great scenery, and everything you would expect to see from northern Wisconsin and Minnesota alike. There are 2 parks, and they offer camping (I’ve never been camping here, too close to home) and all the regular commodities of the MN DNR system.
One great thing about this is you can really just find yourself a quiet spot out on the bluff, and take a nice nap. Done this a few times, it’s really, really peaceful out there.
Another thing for you people who like to climb or boulder, this is a great spot for it. Plenty of open rock face for you to get your climb on. Safe anchor points a plenty.
My wife just went on the riverboat tour and she says it’s really fun. So that’s always a plus. Plenty to do in the Interstate Park area!
Have Fun out there!

The first thing you need to know about this beautiful state park is that it’s in two states. It straddles the St. Croix River, so part of it is in Minnesota and part is in Wisconsin.
I went camping here last year with a big group of friends and we had so much fun that we relived the s’mores, the canoeing under the cliffs and the beer darts (will explain shortly) again last weekend.
We camped on the south end of the Wisconsin side (St. Croix Falls), on account of the lax alcohol laws. The campsites are not at all private, and you will practically need a jackhammer to get pitch your tent because the ground is made of gravel (bring a tarp, mat and/​or air mattress). The plus side is that you can park right on your site, and if you book early enough, you could grab one with people on only two sides of you. Despite the rocky terrain and the non-​wilderness setting, there are so many pluses to this park that it still deserves five stars.
We had a big group spread out on two adjoining sites, which was a challenge around the campfire during quiet hours. A little after 11 p.m., one of the rangers asked us all «not to laugh at the same time,» which caused us all to laugh at the same time. Still, I think we were all pretty respectful and so were the other campers around us. The rangers were also really nice, even though one of them made every one of us show our IDs (we were all approximately seven years older than she was… but it was dark, and we look good in the dark).
There was a water station near our site, and glorified outhouses nearby (I kind of preferred the woods). We never made it to the showers, but I think they have those somewhere too.
On Saturday, we jumped the river to the MN side (Taylor’s Falls), where we rented canoes. I really hate that you have to buy another parks pass (MN/​WI), but we did it anyway because canoeing is fun. The rental place is making a killing ($ 46 per canoe), but it’s so worth taking the 2−3-hour trip down to Osceola with a cooler full of sandwiches and refreshments (no glass). Our small fleet of paddlers was nothing compared to some of the sandbars full of partiers (someone even set up a volleyball net in the middle of the river!). For the most part though, it’s quiet and relaxing. You rent upstream and then a school bus picks you up in Osceola and brings you back to your car.
After canoeing, we headed to the beach on Lake of the Dalles, which is inside the park. There’s a grass beach there, and lots of room to take some sun and swim. We spent the rest of the afternoon playing beer darts there. We learned this dangerous game last year on the very same beach from some crazy Wisconsinites who invited us into their fold. The rules are simple: shake up a beer, sit a safe distance away from that beer (and across from each other) and throw steel-​tipped darts at each other’s beers. When the can takes a dart… you shotgun it. Throwing it into the air and yelling, «RAAAA!» after that is optional.

These twin parks on the lower part of the upper St. Croix National Scenic Riverway are stunning. All that glacial meltwater from the Wisconsin Glacier 10,000 years ago carved the most spectacular basalt cliffs. The glacial «potholes» on both sides attract rock geeks from all over the world. This area is also the western most terminus of the Ice Age Trail that cuts across the U.S.
The St. Croix Riverway is one of the most unsung beautiful places (so let’s not tell anyone and keep it that way). I agree with our first reviewer, the Wisco side is most excellent, with beautiful beach on both the river and the glacial lake (fantastic spot) plus from high woodland to riverbottom habitats with walking trails galore. And there’s a pet picnic area, for us dog peeps, at the south end of the picnic area.
It’s two of the oldest state parks in both states, I believe, as they were founded 1895 or thereabouts. I also think a day pass or season pass can get you into both parks, too. Used to be anyway.
St. Croix Falls is a nice little town and there’s the rehabbed National Park Service visitor center there, which has some great exhibits and a nice short film on this unique, federally protected river, one of the least developed in the country (there are really only three industrial sites on it, the SCF Xcel Hydro Dam, which is enviro friendly and awesome in its own right to tour if you ever get the chance, plus Andersen Windows and the Xcel Alan S. King coal plant on the lower riverway at Bayport).
The upper riverway is a much different vibe than the lower, which is almost filled to capacity with recreational boating. At the upper, you’ll see rock climbers, kayakers, canoes, hikers, the Taylor’s Falls excursion boats. To canoe (rentals and shuttles avail) from Taylor’s to the Osceola landing is to experience one of the last wild places near an urban area. It’s a must in the spring or early fall, tho it’s not really that crowded in the summer, either.
We were picnicking on the Wisconsin side of the park yesterday, the 4^th, and it was steady but not uncomfortably busy. There’s so much in this area, I recommend drives north on River Road from SCF, where, if taken in early spring during the ice melt, you’ll see tons of eagles on the sandbars. North of Taylor’s falls past the Drive Inn (stop for a burger, can’t miss the big rotating rootbeer sign) along the river there is a nice little city park and some great views close up of the river. Unsure of the road name.

This might be one of the most quintessential parks in the State of MN.
It may also be somewhat confusing.
There are several areas you can hike, and we had long ago claimed the WI side of the park to be better.
Well, this time we didn’t want to pay the fee to get into the WI side, so just relaxed on our pass and stayed on OUR side of the river.
And we were pleasantly pleased by the trail that was suggested at the main office, and we hadn’t ever hiked it before.
We usually hike along the river, where you can see (later in the season) people heading downstream in their canoes or kayaks and a good quantity of boulders to navigate (on land that is).
This time we were on the bluff, whose trail entrance is off a parking lot behind a cute little white house, all unmarked.
Well, once you find the parkinglot, you are fine, as the trail is well marked.
The first 1.5 miles is a flat path made from a former railroad track, with a bit of an elevation. This part would be good for the elderly folks in your life, or even those in a wheelchair?
At the end of this, there is a little lookout and a series of steep and tiny steps that wind down into the «valley».
At the end of this you can turn left and go up the stairs or to the right and around the valley and wind your way up the other way. it is steep and twisty and switchbacky either way, and the loop is fantastic.
A little sweat rewards you with a beautiful view of the St. Croix river and the valley it twists through, including an island stranded in the middle.
Simply beautiful.
If you combine these two trails, you will put in about 4.5 miles and be gone about 1.5 hrs, depending.
Then you can go to the drive in after and have a float!