St. Croix State Park dates to 1943

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published 12:00 p.m., June 1, 2009

Minnesota’s largest state park, St. Croix, is worth a visit if you travel along Interstate 35, between the Twin Cities and Duluth. This park, which our family visited on May 20, includes not only the scenic St. Croix River but also forests, meadows, marshes and streams near the Minnesota-Wisconsin border.

The park is located 15 miles east of Hinckley, the halfway point between the Twin Cities and Duluth. St. Croix State Park dates back to 1943 and includes 33,000 acres, making the park triple the size of Maplewood State Park east of Pelican Rapids.

Evidence of Woodland Indians has been found throughout the park. The descendants of the Woodland — the Dakota — lived in the area when the first French traders and explorers arrived in the late 1600s. As noted on the state park’s web site, the Ojibwe were attracted to the natural wealth of the area which also became known as the St. Croix Valley.

Native Americans continued to live in the park until the 1930s, when the area was developed for recreation.

During our visit to the park we found that the St. Croix River was an important trade route for hundreds of years, first for the Native Americans and then for the French, English and American fur traders. Many fur trade companies established trading posts along the St. Croix, including one in the park.

French fur trading history is nothing new for people who reside here in Otter Tail County. Furs were transported through our area, during the early 1880s, as part of the oxcart trails that ran from St. Paul to Pembina, N.D.

Although the fur trade died out along the St. Croix during the mid 1800s, another economic era closely followed. Beginning in the mid to late 1800s, logging camps along the St. Croix River sprung up, all taking advantage of the river's force to float logs to lumber mills downstream.

The state park informational brochure points out that St. John's Logging Camp was one of many logging camps in the park where logs sat along the shore of the river until spring thaw. St. John's later served as a camp for the Minnesota Conservation Corps during the 1930s.

Another important reminder of the logging era is the main park road which closely follows the railroad bed for the Flemming Railroad. Owned by the Empire Lumber Company, the railroad hauled cars of sawed logs from 1894 to 1898.

The park lodge is located in the vicinity of the campgrounds. The building is a historic log and stone building that reminded our family of the buildings at Itasca State Park and Gooseberry Falls State Park, north of Duluth.

One of the highlights for us on May 20 was stopping at the Kettle River highbanks within the park boundaries. At least nine other streams flow through the park. Visitors also can explore the rivers by canoe — available for rent — or with a fishing pole.

During the summer months people can swim at Lake Clayton or climb a fire tower, similar to the one at Itasca State Park. St. Croix State Park has many miles of trails for hikers, horseback riders, bicyclists and snowmobilers and cross-country skiers during the winter months. Campers can reserve drive-in, walk-in, backpack and horseback campsites.

Large groups can reserve the modern group centers or the primitive group camps.

Here in Otter Tail County, people should take advantage of the opportunity to visit Maplewood State Park near Pelican Rapids and Glendalough State Park near Battle Lake. If your travels take you to another area of Minnesota, visit a nearby state park. Each park is a real treasure that every Minnesotan can enjoy.

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