Denise L.

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.

Samantha N.

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!

PJ C.

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.

Bob A.

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.

Angie O.

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.

Xia Y.

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).

Mikey A.

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!

Nancy H.

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!

Grace S.

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.

Katlyn P.

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!

Cole A.

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.

Kirk H.

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.

Kim C.

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!