The Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway is a federally protected system of riverways on the border of eastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. It encompassing a stretch of river and adjacent lands about 250 miles long, including the St. Croix River and the Namekagon River. Largely as a result of legislation by senators Walter Mondale of Minnesota and Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, it was created as one of the original eight “National Wild and Scenic Rivers” and has the distinction of being the largest scenic riverway east of the Mississippi River.
The riverway is an especially popular fishing destination for walleye, northern pike, sturgeon, catfish, and trout. The upper St. Croix also includes a nationally renowned smallmouth bass fishery. Additionally, the area is popular for canoeing, boating, camping, tubing, and hunting. There are also numerous hiking trails, some of which are designated for cross-country skiing during the winter.
- Visited: 1987 (Dunrovin Christian Brothers Retreat Center, located in Marine on St. Croix)
Traces of Places 