I've enjoyed all seasons at this state park: in the winter, I've snow showed, in the spring/fall I've hiked, and in the summer I've enjoyed the beach. I've been to all 69 state parks in MN, and this one is my favorite near the metro area. There is something for everyone, although the hike to the beach includes a steep incline which can be a bother if you are carrying lots of gear (chairs, umbrella, water toys, etc). read more

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Always amazed by the beauty MN has to offer and my friend took me on a scenic trail walk around Afton State Park. Everything was beautiful and the grounds are vast with summer flowers everywhere you look. Love the view of the St. Croix River as well. There are camping grounds here as well, which looks like a lovely getaway. read more

Afton State Park - Parks Near Me - Hastings, Minnesota

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This park is so beautiful! I'm from Arizona, and getting to be by the lake with a bunch of trees and grass gives me life! There's an app you can use to navigate and it tells you where you are so you know if you're on the right trail. If you don't have it, the maps on the trail are super helpful as well. I would totally come back to this park!! read more

Afton State Park is a beautiful blend of wooded ravines, rolling prairies, and stunning St. Croix River views. With over 20 miles of trails, a peaceful hike-in beach, and plenty of wildlife, it's perfect for hikers, birdwatchers, and nature lovers. The hike to campsites can be challenging, but the seclusion and scenery make it worth the effort. Year-round activities like skiing, snowshoeing, and stargazing keep it a rewarding destination in every season. My dog also loves this park, pet friendly is a plus! read more

Afton State Park - Parks Near Me - Hastings, Minnesota

We are on a mission to visit all the MN state parks and Afton was the next on our agenda. We had our grand pup with us and the trail was perfect for a 4 mile-ish hike. We started on blacktop, moved to dirt and finished on grass trails. We hiked in the afternoon and most of the trail was in the shade keeping us cool. The trail had a little of everything, river views, shallow waters for the pup to run through, creek, bridges, forest, prairie, and we saw a few deer hiding among the trees. We took the south trail and it includes a huge uphill hike and a long straightaway along the river. It was a beautiful late summer afternoon, mid 70s, perfect hiking weather. Really enjoyed this park. read more

Afton State Park - Parks Near Me - Hastings, Minnesota

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We made a quick stop on a dreary July 4th morning and did a short hike along the trail at the top of the bluff that parallels the river. Unfortunately there are very few good viewpoints from here with the full foliage. Perhaps if we walked the trail along the river (though going back up the bluff would be a hike!) we would have had a better experience or if we had a boat and stopped at one of the beaches. Surprisingly this place just didn't seem to have a lot going on. read more

Afton State Park - Parking - Parks Near Me - Hastings, Minnesota

Amazing views, would definitely be a 5 star if it wasn't for one thing: The maps don't tell you where you are and it's easy to get lost. Now, this wouldn't be a major problem if it wasn't for the fact that the park is incredibly steep so one wrong path and your legs will be sore for the rest of the day. read more

This is an awesome park! If you live in the Twin Cities and want a State Park that's within reach, and that has lots of camping and hiking options year round and plenty of natural beauty to behold, you should definitely check this place out. It's less than 30 minutes away from my house in St Paul, so I've been enjoying going here for hikes. There are some popular trails along the St. Croix River, largely paved and with some elevation changes to contend with. But there's a quieter section around the "Prairie Loop" where I've enjoyed some serene walks this fall. Those trails are rocky and occasionally treacherous; most of them are meant for sharing with horseback hikers during the summer, and during the winter they are intended for cross-country skiing. I like that area because you can figure out how many miles you want to go and look at the map to find a route that meets your needs. The trails are very well marked. I haven't camped here but they have a good number of hike-to-it campsites, year round even, plus some cabins, yurts, group sites, and a canoe site. Plenty of nice picnic areas as well. Overall this is great place to enjoy the outdoors that's within arm's length of the metro area. Note: If like me you want to just show up for a walk in the Prairie Loop area, there is a separate parking lot on 50th Street. There's nothing there but a lot, so if you don't have a parking permit already there is a way to do it using a mobile phone. read more

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What a great park to get away to from the city especially during Covid. My family and our dog enjoyed a sunny day walking the paved path down to the water. We skipped stones and just chilled out. Lots of parking available. read more

We rented a yurt for a couple days at this park. Totally a fun adventure. Very cozy, it was winter so you need to keep that fireplace going especially at night. 3 sets of bunk beds, a nice wood burning fireplace, table,chairs and 2 benches. Lots of windows you so can see the beauty outdoors. There are Curtains for privacy. Many trails in the area. Reasonably priced. read more

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Had a good workout here with many trails for biking and hiking at all difficulty levels. Saw people with baby strollers, dogs being walked and backpackers lugging their gear on the same trail. Looks like this state park caters to one and all! Options for swimming were welcome at the beach especially after a long hike on a warm day. Beware of the biting bugs though. Trails are marked with alphabets so if you stick to the well known trail it's hard to get lost. Overall there are many options available if you want to get a quick workout or need some time away for the weekend. Recommend. read more

Beautiful state park. Lots of trails and scenic views. Nice beach area. Dogs are allowed which makes it a plus. There are also camp grounds for those of you who are interested in not camping far from the cities (like me). read more

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Love this state park due to its location only 45 minutes outside of the city. The trails next to the St Croix river were great and well paved for family of all ages to be able to enjoy. I went during early October and the leaves are just beginning to change! The park itself is well maintained and the signs were actually helpful in comparison to many of the other parks I've been to. There are paper maps you can grab at the visitor center to take along your hike and restrooms along the trail as well. The camping location looks difficult to reach with camping gear because there are some pretty steep stairs you have to go up to get to it but I bet the views are great ! Wish I had more time to do the full loop but I just did the entire trail along the river and it took me about 1.5 hours :) will definitely be back again when the weather permits! read more

Afton State Park - Parks Near Me - Hastings, Minnesota

One of my favorite state parks! I love the trail along the river but the other trails are great too but they are more hilly. This park is worth the drive and I look forward to snowshoeing the winter there! read more

Afton State Park - Pine forest - Parks Near Me - Hastings, Minnesota

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Miles of park along the MN side butting up to the St Croix river. They do a great winter job of separating out hiking trails, snow showing trails, horseback trails, & winter hiking trails. When we have a real winter this park gets exciting. They groom well enough for Classic xx Nordic. There are green, blue & black diamond xx trails & they are labeled pretty accurately most of the time all depending on the temps & your wax. Rustic views & a natural getaway. 4 seasons of perfume. read more

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I am a big fan of this state park. We have the annual state park permit so try to hit up as many as we can throughout the year (typically may through October). Not only is this state park only a short 40/45 minutes east of Minneapolis, it's also not too fair from beautiful Stillwater and Hudson (if you're down for crossing state lines). The scenery here is slightly above average compared to other state parks in MN, but if you take the south river trail, it's a pretty walk along the river. Everything was so green and pretty today, it was a great hike (gravel and pavement mixed). Of course we will be visiting again and again! read more

Afton State Park - Parks Near Me - Hastings, Minnesota

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What a fantastic park! They do a great job keeping up the trails and park in general. The paths are well marked, and there are maps around every bend. We went on the north loop and experienced a variety of landscape and changes. Going on the western portion of the loop first made for a difficult climb, but easy descent and beautiful views on the eastern side alongside the river. There are lots of camp sites up on top of the North Loop- this would be awesome in the summer! read more

Great trails, went there the other weekend with my brother and it was really nice. It cost $7 to get in but I think it's worth it. Great place to hike and has some really good views. read more

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Hiked the Hiking Club trail here. The trail was very well marked and easy to follow. The first half (going down) is nice, with a beautiful view of the St Croix valley and meandering along the creek at the bottom. The second half is pretty boring, and at times feels like you're just walking on a poorly maintained service road for Afton Alps (which you may be). You see all the out of service ski equipment and the trails are like gravel roads. Convenient to the Twin Cities, so I guess it's good for city hikers to get out from time to time, but some of the other more out-state parks are more scenic and make you feel more like you're out in the woods. read more

Afton State Park - Hiking Club Trail - Parks Near Me - Hastings, Minnesota

I have a hiking club centered on the east side of the metro and I lead several hikes a month here. The trail system is fantastic! A great variety of trails that traverse through woods, prairies, along rivers and creeks, deep climbs and amazing bluff views. The park is butted up to the Afton Alps ski resort so you can imagine that the park has a lot of hilly terrain. This is the place to go if you enjoy a nice steep climb on your hikes. I generally lead a 4 mile hike when I come here. Favorite trails: North river trail along the st croix, a steep climb up to the prairie restoration area, trek through the upper bluff campsites and deep descent back down to the beach area. Deer valley loop. Wonderful narrow trail winding through the trees with some prairie at the beginning and end of your round trip loop Trout brook loop. What a lovely place! Access this trail from the 50th street entrance (no permit required). Hike through the prairie down to the loop in the trees. Heavily wooded, narrow trail. Sections of stairs and climbing. The trout brook winds through the trail. South river trail. Follow the trail along the st croix then a 1/2 mile climb up through the woods to the camping sites. There are yurts and camper cabins to rent as well. Follow a lovely trail through the wood and prairie back to the start. This is a large beautiful park that you could easily take at least 2 days to hike. The camp sites are nice. There is a beautiful visitor center and a sandy swimming beach on the st croix river. Take a day to explore this wonderful park! read more

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The deeper you go on the trails the effort has to increase. No wonder when I spoke to some fellow hikers about this park having the sissy trails and separation trails. Steep climbs, great views a few outhouses and I found a solar powered water station (see pic). There are maps available in the front building and many color coded maps along the way. There is ample parking and all the usual amenities along the river but the true hiking will take you to high ground and optional rough trails. The DNR states no one is more than 30 minutes from a state park and this one is on the edge of what's considered the twin cities to it's an easy drive. read more

Afton State Park - Solar powered water station, even operates in late Nov. - Parks Near Me - Hastings, Minnesota

Absolutely beautiful park. Staff are always friendly and the trails are well kept up. Best place to take my family

Come here for nice hiking trails and scenic views of the St. Croix River valley. Afton State Park is cool because of the great diversity of landscapes in such a small area. Hike through prairies, oak savannas, forests, flood basins, and the river coastline, all within a mile or so of each other. The trails are all well-maintained and well-marked - though be aware that during winter or after a heavy rain, segments of the trails may be muddy or inaccessible. Some of the trails are accessible by horseback or bicycle, as well. The entrance fee is per vehicle, making it a good deal for families - not as much so for individuals. The facilities (welcome center and restrooms) aren't particularly great, but hopefully that's not why you came, anyways. Pay Afton a visit if the weather is nice and you want to enjoy the great outdoors! read more

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Great state park with lots of trails and a little bit of elevation! You can camp here but be warned that you need to walk a bit of a distance to haul your stuff in. read more

Afton State Park - Afton state park beach - Parks Near Me - Hastings, Minnesota

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This is a pretty close to the Twin Cities state park that is worth a look. It is a bit crowded due to that closeness, but the scenery is nice for a quick getaway. The campground is hike-in only, and there appear to be a lot of hiking trails around the park, including the old rail bed along the river. You won't get peace and quiet here like the north shore, but you can also plan this as an afternoon escape. read more

I like this park, and it's cool that it's no more than a 30-minute drive from Mpls. I stayed here in the winter months one time, which was fun. In the summer it's quite beautiful as well. They have a canoe site and cabins, neither of which I've tried. What I have tried, the backpack sites, are great once you reach them. Getting there, however, unless you're in pretty good shape, can be a real pain in the arse. It's a considerable hike and I remember the last part feeling like you're trying to scale a brick wall. If you're bringing food and beverage in, PACK MINIMALLY! I've only been to probably one other hike-in campground that was anywhere close to as much work to get to as this is. Once you get there, though, it's nice and isolated, serene. You chop up your own firewood from a large pile. Afton is super convenient for Twin Cities residents, but perhaps we don't go here as often as we would because of that rigorous hike, plus it's almost too close to the city to really feel like a getaway. read more

Afton State Park - tree planting - Parks Near Me - Hastings, Minnesota

There aren't any words good enough to express how much I love this state park. I don't know who gets more excited once we enter the park, my dog or me? Like a previous reviewer said, the maps aren't as clear and concise as other parks but the trails are easy to navigate and superbly clean. There are plenty of benches or picnic tables to chill at if you want/need. Definitely made my top 5 Minnesota state parks, easily! read more

Afton State Park - Parks Near Me - Hastings, Minnesota

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A great State Park for a full or partial day of "hiking". Really affordable and lots of different options. They also have a lot of bathrooms, which is great. Room for bikers as well. read more

This is our go to State Park year round! We love to trail run, hike or even snow shoe! It's convenient to the twin cities and a beautiful walk along the Saint Croix! read more

Have loved every season in this varied state park! An absolute gem for hiking, picnics, cross country skiing, and observing an exceptionally wide range of flora and fauna. An absolute treat any time of year. read more

No parking on 9/6. Paid $7 to enter and park and found no parking. Had to leave. No one monitoring how many people are going in. Cars were steaming in while we were leaving. Save it for another day. read more

* It takes 45 minutes from Minneapolis and only 30 minutes from St. Paul to get here. * This is an all-season park. Camping is available year round. No RV camping here at all. * No flush toilets/No showers. * Drinking water is available at the visitor center or the solar pump at the campground. * Park does not have electric sites. * $15-20 per night on the weekends. * Trails include, self-guided hikes, biking (both paved & mountain biking, and horse trails. You can fish, snowboard and even do cross country skiing here. * Use only firewood purchased from the park or go to the DNR website for a list of the approved vendors in the area. * Reservations are highly recommended during holidays. I have this past summer and many times before avoided folly weekends in the city and instead went to Afton with my Labrador retriever. We have many times been here during non-park hours, which meant we would self-register, dropping the check into the box, park, and then hike for nearly a mile, backpacking to the bluffs of the St. Croix River to reach the campsite. We would set up our tent, grab some firewood from the park and we would sit there doing absolutely nothing but stare at the stars that weren't already masked by the big city pollution. Steady noise from the now and then plane engines hovering over present the only suggestion that your rustic solitude is taking place in the big city. Besides this and the occasional other campers who feel the need to replay Big & Rich over and over again, it is as quiet as a mouse. And you may even get to see a deer show up at your fire (It happened to us). I went last month again for the first time since Plato's passing. It wasn't easy. Fittingly, as I retired to my tent reminiscing of our moments here, I turned my iPod to shuffle, and the first song that came on was Macy Gray's "I try" "I try to say goodbye and I choke Try to walk away and I stumble Though I try to hide it, it's clear My world crumbles when you are not near" Thanks to Afton State Park and the amazingly friendly ladies that work here, I have had a web of experiences and a gift of endless memories with Plato here; to last me till my last rationed breath. read more

Afton State Park - Parks Near Me - Hastings, Minnesota

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I'm still trying to figure out how after having lived in the Cities for most of my life I had never once come to the Afton State Park (it's just south of Stillwater on the St. Croix River and less than 30 minutes from the 'burb you know I love2hate: Woodbury). I don't fish or ski and motorized boats that go any faster than a pontoon boat make me nervous. But I do enjoy hiking, canoeing...I love camping and am anxiously awaiting an opportunity to go kayaking, so it's safe to say that I am one of those outdoorsy Minnesota girls. I think I've mentioned in a previous review the fact that my parents never took my sister and me to Disneyworld when we were kids. The vast majority of our family vacations involved road trips to northern Minnesota where we would then disappear into the BWCA-W (that's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in case you're not down with the camping acronyms) for a week or two at a time. And I think this might be why we never went to Afton. It was always too close to home to ever make it feel like it was worth "wasting" a vacation on. And maybe that's still true. But for a weekend camping trip? Seriously, it couldn't be more perfect. A day pass into the park costs $5. But for $25, you have an all-access pass into the park. (And don't think you can sneak in without buying the pass. Appearances can be deceiving and even though it looks like you might be able to get away without buying the sticker for your vehicle, I saw those DNR guys carefully scrutinizing all the cars in the parking lot and writing out tickets to the offenders). Overnight camping was $12 plus another $4 for firewood (cutting down your own wood or even scavenging for the dead stuff is strictly forbidden, so be prepared to cough up the extra $4 to pay for wood). The campsites themselves are not accessible by vehicle so it's quite the adventure to get to them. It's a 3/4 mile hike, of which the final 1/4 mile is all uphill to the top of a bluff at what I would guess was a 20% grade. Yikes! But it's so worth it. And getting to the top of the bluff with all your gear on your back and realizing you made it leaves you with a great sense of accomplishment. Or it did me. Pitching a tent and sleeping outside not your thing? They also have approximately 20 miles worth of hiking trails (some of which can also be used for horseback riding and biking), a fishing dock, a swimming area and tons of picnicking spots. All of which are free to use provided you have the park pass and pay the $4 for firewood if you want to have a fire (although I saw some charcoal burning grills in the picnic areas as well so you could always bring your own and use that). The scenery is beautiful and relaxing and it made me feel so fortunate to realize that one of the things the state of Minnesota has done exceedingly well is to establish and maintain our parks, because Afton is only one of many. Check them out. read more

My wife and I went camping at Afton (site 25) for 2 nights and had a great time. My family used to come here when I was little and it's largely as I remember. Fun! If you're hiking in to a campsite, expect to navigate a long hill, or a steep hill. There's no way around it. If you're bringing kids (bigger tent, cooler, more sleeping bags, etc.), you will definitely want to consider taking the long way and pulling a cart or something with your gear. To that end, look for a site with a higher number to put you near the end of the trail with the gentler/longer hill. You're not going to be completely isolated from other campers, but you're far enough away that no one is going to be eavesdropping either. The sites are well kept, and proximity to the city means there are relatively few ticks and pests. There's still plenty of mosquitoes, but this is Minnesota. Learn to live with them if you're going camping. The beach can be fun, but was largely washed out by an unusually high river when we went. Can't blame the park for that. Most people passing through on a Thursday night were hikers out for an evening trek. On Friday night, the place filled right up, but it didn't get loud. On Saturday morning there were a bunch of runners huffing and puffing up the hills, but not in the way of campers. Will we go again? Yes. Probably this summer. It's so close to the Twin Cities, but it feels just far enough away to forget them. You won't feel isolated as a camper like you might at other State Parks (Itasca/Jay Cooke spring to mind), but it's still a great time. read more

What a nice state park so close to the city. We thought about walking down to the beach-but I was too much on the nine-month-pregnant side to attempt that one. We did go on a little stroll and saw the river and enjoyed a lovely picnic. We saw the camper cabins, and thought that they looked really nice and were backed against the woods. We have stayed a few at different state parks-and they are a great deal if you don't feel like messing with tents/air matresses/etc. and still want to be quasi-camping. Very relaxing autumn day. read more

Very nice rate park. Excellent balance of paved trails and well groomed unpaved trails. The park could benefit from some better trail signage, but the lack thereof leads to fun mini adventures. You will get back to the beginning eventually. Excellent views of the Saint Croix river on the river trails Some areas of steep inclines, but nothing unmanageable. Check it out! A Minnesota gem! read more

I'm a big fan of this park in particular. This is where I always renew my park pass, and the last time we went we got a free gps unit to try out geocaching! This park is always nice and clean, and they have a ton of facilities along the trails which have always impressed me. There's also a nice view of the river from many of the trails, plus camping, a beach, and charcoal grills. This is the kind of park that you can either do a really short hike at or go all day and not pass the same place twice. Very versatile! read more

I was planning to go on hike with my girlfriend last weekend with park ranger. Unfortunately, she had plans and I was late to the ranger walk. Oh well, I managed to find a trail to explore which was great. The prairie meadow walk was beautiful. Next, the walk to the cabins was a nice stroll off the beaten path. The visitor center was a bit lacking since it seemed more like an indoor pavilion. Lots of people on a nice day with the fall colors on the trees. It is just $5 per car for the day and $25 for the entire year. read more

Huge park with a river running through it. Less than 2 hours from Minneapolis. Perfect for a day trip. I went here with friends in May and really liked the size of it...a lot of people can be there without it feeling crowded. We went for a lazy afternoon picnic, spread out our mats on a grassy spot under a tree, ate hungrily and contentedly, watched the river flow, heard noisy motorized boats driven by hypercaffeinated drivers, gradually became horizontal, gave up attempts at conversation, and, snoozed. Got up for a longish walk to the restroom and then walked by the riverbank. My idea of a lovely afternoon. read more

Got our State Park pass when we re-upped with MPR, and visited Afton for the first time last fall. I imagine that it must be glorious out there when the leaves change color, but I still enjoyed our crisp fall day. We hiked the South Loop and had the trail mostly to ourselves. We saw trail runners, mountain bikers, and even young couples pushing strollers (with fat tires) down the groomed paths. The views of the St. Croix were spectacular. It's a great place to get away from the city for a day, or even a weekend. We fully intend to go back for a quickie camping trip next summer, and to check out the color closer to home, too. read more