Saint Croix River Viewpoint – Viewpoint loop from Afton State Park

Hiking trails & Routes

United States

Minnesota

Washington County

Saint Croix River Viewpoint – Viewpoint loop from Afton State Park

Moderate

3.4

(12)

hikers

Saint Croix River Viewpoint – Viewpoint loop from Afton State Park

04:57

17.3km

410m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily walkable paths. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: October 27, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

272 m

Picnic tables with views of the river

Highlight • Rest Area

Picnic tables with a river view from the top of the bluffs

Tip by

639 m

Saint Croix River Viewpoint

Highlight • Viewpoint

Easy access to a big river view, not too far from the parking lot

Tip by

2.42 km

Red Bench Viewpoint, Afton Alps

Highlight • Viewpoint

Watching the Alps turn from a ski resort back to a golf course is an interesting time for sure!

Tip by

6.15 km

Picnic table and bench with a view of Trout Brook

Highlight • Viewpoint

Trout Brook flows through the park, and this is a great place to relax on a bench and listen to it burble over the rocks.

Tip by

8.29 km

Pit toilet, shelter, and horse tie-up area.

Highlight • Rest Area

Big junction out in the prairie. Pit toilet with a shelter.

Tip by

14.3 km

Water and Firewood Cutting Station

Highlight • Rest Area

This is not something you see at all campgrounds, that's for sure. A solar powered well and a place to cut your own firewood.

Tip by

16.3 km

St. Croix River

Highlight • River

Beach on the river. Not too busy even when all the parking lots were mostly full.

Tip by

17.3 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

13.4 km

3.62 km

156 m

152 m

Surfaces

13.3 km

2.29 km

1.21 km

284 m

134 m

103 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (290 m)

Lowest point (210 m)

Weather

Today

Wednesday 4 November

13°C

8°C

69 %

Additional weather tips

There’s a fairly high chance of rain. Consider packing a waterproof jacket.

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

April 29, 2025,Back in Afton

Minnesota has embraced the "prescribed burn". If you look close at the yellow photo, there is a park worker or firefighter in a yellow nomex jacket, lighting a fire. I have also observed this at William O'Brien, and Lake Elmo (Washington county), and maybe elsewhere.

April 21, 2025,Hike at Afton State Park.

It rained all night and into the morning, and I started walking probably within 30 minutes of the rain stopping. I was not sure what to expect, but all the trails were fairly dry. I am not using waterproof shoes, but my feet did not get wet.