Discover Taylor's Falls & the St. Croix River area on foot or by water.
Taking a day trip to Taylor's Falls from the city is the perfect getaway to spend time in the great outdoors. Taylor's Falls is an hour drive from Minneapolis. We prefer the scenic route along MN Highway 95 aka the St. Croix Scenic Byway when driving to Taylor's Falls, and it only adds a few minutes so it's definitely worth it.
We took 2 day trips to Taylor's Falls last Summer so these ideas can be customized to what you find interesting.
Hike Interstate State Park
There are 2 different Interstate State Parks, the MN side and WI side, we are covering hikes in MN. Start out by hiking the Saint Croix River Trail, which is an out and back trail that's 2.4 miles long. Look out for the clearings along the river to get a closer look. The cliffs are gorgeous, this hike is especially pretty in the Fall. The trail ends at another parking lot in Interstate State Park.
You can decide to turn around at this point or continue to Sandstone Bluffs Trail, which will give you an entirely different look at the park, alongside sandstone rocks. It's a short .9 miles and we'd definitely recommend doing both! You'll end back at the parking lot, where you'll take the Saint Croix River Trail back to your car.
Be sure to check out the Glacier Potholes too!
Kayak the St. Croix River
During our hike, we discovered there's a canoe and kayak launch in the Interstate State Park parking lot so we came back to kayak the St. Croix River with Taylor's Falls Canoe. There are lots of other rental outfitters in the area, but we chose them since they only required 1 shuttle service since you launch right from the parking lot. They even have a non-shuttle option if you have 2 cars to park.
As for the experience, it was SO MUCH fun! It was a VERY hot day out, but it isn't bad when you're on the water & have cold beer to quench your thirst :).
The route is 7 miles and there is no time limit. You reserve online and are free to show up anytime between 9am-3pm on weekends. The shuttles are constantly running until 6pm. It's so flexible that you can take your time, relax, pull to the shore, have a picnic and you really don't even need to paddle! The current was pretty slow, we maybe paddled 2 of the 7 miles, you definitely can make it what you want. Just be sure to bring water, sunscreen, snacks & beers...duh ;)
Another way to experience the St. Croix on the water is the Taylor's Falls Scenic Boat Tours.
Franconia Sculpture Park
This has to be one of the most unique and bizarre places we've ever been to and we are absolutely obsessed! Franconia Sculpture Park is minutes from the river and it's FREE! We had no idea how big this place is. We have always driven by, but have never stopped until last year. You can literally spend hours walking around here, we even saw a couple having a picnic. The artists come from near and far, the sculptures range from playful to completely obscure to something from another planet. It's a must stop!
Fawn-Doe-Rosa
Fawn-doe-rosa is a wildlife educational park & petting zoo. I haven't visited it in years, but it's adorable if you like animals. The admission is $9.50 for adults and $8.50 for kids. There are lots of deer, hence the name as well as other barn yard animals including LLAMAS! I'm planning a trip stat!
Oliphant Brewing
What's a day trip without a brewery stop? Oliphant Brewing is located in Somerset, WI which is only 30 mins south of Taylor's Falls. It's a great pit stop before you head home. Oliphant Brewing not only has amazing beers, their artwork is insanely unique and their staff is amazing! Be sure to stock up on beers to-go from the taproom & visit the liquor store adjacent to it for your New Glarus fix!
There are also 2 other breweries closer to Taylors Falls, but they were both closed when we visited. The Uncommon Loon is located in Lindstrom, MN & Trap Rock Brewing in St. Croix Falls, WI.
We hope you take a day trip & discover all the outdoor activities St. Croix Valley area has to offer. Be sure to look up all their wineries in the area too, there are so many!!
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