Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
A national park site inside Scott
Little or no visiting in Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov and Dec
The Park Service records almost no visits in January, February, March, November and December. Check the official site before planning a trip then. When to go ↓
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 2°, with about 56" of snow a year. When to go ↓
You can sleep inside the park
15 places to stay are inside the park: Mallards Landing and Lenroot Lodge. The nearest town with more is Balsam Lake. Where to stay ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
May, June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 67–80°. When to go ↓
Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals and Overture places to stay, Census town figures. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.
Crowds and weather, month by month
Bars: average monthly visitors, 2022–2025. Line: the typical afternoon high. Green months are mild and quieter than average.
Before you go
Where to stay near Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
You can sleep inside the park (15 places). The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Scott (4) and St. Croix Falls (3), and Minneapolis has the most rooms in the area (92).
- 1Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest
- 2Great Lakes Aquarium
- 3Lake Superior Railroad Museum
- 4Duluth Depot
- 5Lower Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
- 6Franconia Sculpture Park
- 7Fairlawn Mansion
- 8Lake Superior Zoo
Stay in the park
- Mallards Landing lodge or cabins
- Lenroot Lodge lodge or cabins
- Pechas Cabins on the lake lodge or cabins
- Super 8 by Wyndham Hayward WI hotel
- Holiday Inn Express and Suites Hayward hotel
- AmeriVu Inn & Suites- Hayward hotel
St. Croix Falls
2,370 people
1 mi east of St. Croix River Visitor Center · at the park edge
Taylors Falls
1,054 people
2 mi southwest of St. Croix River Visitor Center · at the park edge
Minneapolis
The most places to stay in the area, and a base for a longer trip.
430,324 people
44 mi southwest of St. Croix River Visitor Center · 43 mi to the park
Compare 9 towns
| Town | From the visitor center | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott 69% vacation homes | in town | — | 4 3 lodges & cabins · 1 campground | 609 | $341K | — |
| St. Croix Falls | 1 mi east | — | 3 3 hotels | 2,370 | $249K | — |
| Taylors Falls | 2 mi southwest | 5 min | 3 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 1,054 | $275K | — |
| Balsam Lake 34% vacation homes | 10 mi east | 15 min | 6 1 hotel · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 campground | 945 | $210K | — |
| Shafer Township | 3 mi west | 5 min | 3 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 RV park | 1,137 | $409K | — |
| Osceola | 7 mi south | 10 min | 3 1 hotel · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins | 2,890 | $231K | — |
| St. Croix Falls 25% vacation homes | 3 mi northeast | 5 min | 2 1 inn or B&B · 1 campground | 1,171 | $262K | — |
| Lincoln 22% vacation homes | 15 mi east | 25 min | 7 1 hotel · 1 lodge or cabins · 5 campgrounds | 2,144 | $305K | — |
| Minneapolis | 44 mi southwest | 1 hr | 92 77 hotels · 2 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 4 lodges & cabins · 5 campgrounds | 430,324 | $362K | D− |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center
Also near Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
Other well-known places within 60 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
159 mi National forestChequamegon–Nicolet National Forest
257 mi Zoo & aquariumGreat Lakes Aquarium
357 mi MuseumLake Superior Railroad Museum
457 mi MuseumDuluth Depot
548 mi National park siteLower Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway799K visitors a year
650 mi MuseumFranconia Sculpture Park
753 mi MuseumFairlawn Mansion854 mi Zoo & aquariumLake Superior ZooPhoto credits
Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest: MDuchek, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Great Lakes Aquarium: Tmajewski, Public domain · Lake Superior Railroad Museum: User resedabear on Flickr, CC BY 2.0 · Duluth Depot: Hikki Nagasaki, Public domain · Lower Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0 · Franconia Sculpture Park: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fairlawn Mansion: Nfarmakes, CC BY-SA 4.0
852,296 visitors in 2025
Every full year the Park Service has counted. 2020 (gold) was the pandemic year. Green is the record (2024).
Visiting Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
Is Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway in Scott?
Yes. It’s inside Scott, WI. The address is 401 North Hamilton Street, St. Croix Falls, WI 54024.
When is the best time to visit Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway?
May, June, July, August and September, with highs of 67–80°. July is the busiest month (about 204,542 visitors).
How many people visit Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway each year?
852,296 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 900,828, set in 2024.
How far is Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway from St. Paul?
About 39 miles southwest of St. Paul, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway?
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP), about 46 miles away.
Where should I stay near Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway?
Inside the park: Mallards Landing, Lenroot Lodge and Pechas Cabins on the lake. Nearby: Scott (in town, 4 places to stay), St. Croix Falls (1 mi, 3 places to stay) and Taylors Falls (2 mi, 3 places to stay).
Tips from people in Scott
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Scott’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.