The St. Croix River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River, creates more than one hundred miles of the Minnesota and Wisconsin border. Originating in northwest Wisconsin, the St. Croix flows 164 miles and joins the Mississippi just east of St. Paul.
     Protected under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway area surrounds the river, providing dozens of camping sites and river access points. The Riverside Landing Area, pictured here, is a great section of the river for canoeing. Here, the river introduces paddlers to the gentlest type of Class I river rapids. Besides its designation as a paddler's paradise, bird-watching and fishing are another big draw to this scenic river area.