The St. Croix River became one of the first rivers protected under the Wild Scenic Rivers Act, legislation prompted by the damage that decades of damming, development, and diversion on America’s rivers had caused to wildlife, the landscape, and drinking water. The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System seeks to preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for present and future generations. Today, 230 miles of the St. Croix are protected as a national park, and another 25 miles, from Stillwater to the St. Croix’s confluence with the Mississippi, are managed by the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin. The river’s wild and scenic designation is reflected all along its length, even as its character and use change, from boulder-strewn stretches to wide lake-like waters and from quiet paddling to motorboats, making the Riverway a place to enjoy and treasure while protecting its resources.

Photo: McGhiever

Houlton, Wisconsin · USA