Minnesota has 64 state parks, and the biggest of them all hides in plain sight near the small town of Hinckley. St. Croix State Park covers about 34,000 acres along the Wisconsin border, yet it never cracks the state's top five for visitation. For anyone who likes their riverside camping with a side of solitude, that math works out nicely.
The park was established in 1943 and is flanked by two state forests, with protected natural land facing it across the water in Wisconsin. Water is the main draw: 21 miles of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway run along the eastern edge, while the Kettle River — Minnesota's first State Wild and Scenic River — traces the west. Add roughly a dozen smaller streams and Lake Clayton, plus aspen and conifer forest that shelters black bears, bald eagles, timber wolves, bobcats and whitetail deer.
Paddling is the headline activity. Both rivers offer a mix of calm water and mild rapids, with launch sites ranging from carry-in bank spots to a concrete ramp at the Main Landing (a state park vehicle permit is required). The gravel Head of the Rapids Landing sits where the two rivers meet and gives easy access to gentle water — though a small set of rapids waits just downstream. Ten canoe-in campsites make multi-day river trips straightforward.
If you'd rather stay on foot, there are 127 miles of hiking trails, some spilling into the adjacent state forests. The River Bluff Trail follows the St. Croix, the Kettle River Highbanks Trail tracks its namesake, and the Two Rivers Trail is a forgiving five-mile loop with barely any elevation gain. Several trails convert to snowshoe routes in winter.
Camping options are unusually varied. Three campgrounds hold 211 RV and tent sites, just under half with electric hookups, and RVs up to 60 feet are welcome. More remote options include two backpack sites reached via a five-mile hike, four walk-in tent sites, eight carry-in group sites and a horse camp with 40 sites and a corral. For a softer landing, one-room cabins with a double bed, full kitchen and half bath run from mid-May to mid-September, and two guest houses sleeping 12 to 15 people are bookable year-round.
Logistics are easy: the park is about 90 minutes from Minneapolis, and Minneapolis-St. Paul International is the closest major airport. It also pairs well with other stops — Banning State Park is under 30 minutes away, Interstate State Park sits downstream on the St. Croix, and Mille Lacs Lake is roughly an hour's drive — making this a natural anchor for a Minnesota road trip.
For travellers, the appeal is simple: big-park scenery and river access without the crowds that come with fame. If you want a peaceful base for paddling, long hikes and proper dark-sky camping in the Upper Midwest, this is one of the region's best-value outdoors plays.
Original reporting: Islands.
