Small state park. Nice short hiking loops. The falls are very scenic. Nice covered bridge. The…read morestaff at the visitor center are very friendly. There is a campground. It was empty when I was there in early June.

Park in the Covered Bridge lot. Gorgeous view of the falls. No hiking needed! Well maintained…read more Bathroom facilities are cleaned weekly, not daily. Worth the stop!!

We had our first time visit to St Croix Park this past weekend and we are already planning our next…read moretrip back to spend more time! The park is located just an hour and a half from the twin cities area so made for a great day trip destination! We did the recommended scenic drive to the 100ft fire tower which gave us some awesome fall color views! The park had many beautiful trees and we saw so many blue birds! We really want to check out camping here but will have to save that for another trip! Overall a great park to check out the fall colors!

I can't believe it took me this long to explore this state park. Close enough to the cities for a…read moreday trip, big enough to make you want to come back and keep exploring -- it helps that the weather was perfect during our camping trip. The park itself is incredibly large. Be prepared to drive 5-15miles to get to different areas of the park. Plenty to do from the largest area of electric campsites I've seen at a state park, to river access for canoes/kayaks, to a beach to swim and relax, to the famous observation tower if you want the most scenic view of the park. Campsites are not super private, but very spacious -- so spacious you could easily fit a large camper (30ft+), a tent or clam, and your vehicle, and still have room for activities. Also, poor to no cell service at campsites (so you can disconnect!), but they do have wifi in park buildings. PS: climbing the tower isn't for the faint of heart -- steep.

Nice park right in Siren and on the lake with a small beach. Decent size playground and plenty of…read morepicnic tables and shelters.

We are always looking for new things to do near the Northern Shore as we take a trip at least once…read morea year up that way. This was our first time driving into Duluth through Superior Wisconsin so we had to make a stop at Pattison State Park. Our favorite view of the Big Falls was from the parking area across the street from the park entrance ( you still need a park permit to park there). Short hike to the viewing area and they also have a selfie station to get a great picture in front of the falls. The colors were beautiful as we came in the fall time but I would love to come back in the spring to see the falls raging!

I spent 3 wet, foggy days camping with my family at Pattison last weekend. The sites and trails are…read morevery well maintained and the hiking was great. The bathrooms were clean for the most part but the showers were kind of gross- however some of that was due to other campers. They are also in the process of building a new shower/bathroom facility. The most standout part of our stay however was Ranger Chris. He was incredibly nice and helpful, especially towards my 5 year old who always has about a million questions and observations. Ranger Chris hooked him up (pun intended) with a series of much treasured "fish cards" and a neat activity book that we had fun completing as a family so my boy could earn a Wisconsin patch. Thanks for making our (and especially his) stay wonderful, Ranger Chris!!

I literally had the entire state park to myself yesterday, Tuesday, in the middle of summer. I was…read morehiking and there were no other cars there. The night before it was me and one other camper in 10 sites. We have 10 walk in tent sites. You need a reservation. It's $15 a night for up to six people per campsite. There's a picnic table in a fire at each site. There are pit toilets. There is no electricity anywhere in the park including no lights even in the parking lot. It's awesome. Great to see the night sky. On the east side of the park there is a picnic pavilion and several picnic tables with a charcoal grill On rainbow lake. Straight Lake has a boat access so does rainbow lake, but you have to carry the boat from the parking lot. Non-motorized boats only Like canoes and kayaks. Several miles of singletrack hiking trails as well as the Ice Age national scenic Trail which transects the park. I had trouble finding firewood in the area so I could not have a campfire. You're supposed to bring it in from only 10 miles away and the gas station in Frederick and Luck did not have any and I didn't see any roadside stand selling wood. If you want tranquility this is your place

Beautiful state park. Enjoyed a picnic by the lake, hiking on two trails, and seeing a variety of…read morewildlife. It was so quiet with only a few other people at the park. We plan to go back again and do some more hiking on the same and other trails.

We did a quick walk down to the falls. It was impressive and pretty. There were a few people around…read moreso I didn't get the greatest nature only picture but it was worth the 100+ steps down and back and only took maybe about 15 minutes.

So beautiful. Worth the stop. You can either make a quick…read moretrip down the stairs or take the trails. The waterfall has a picnic area for family to hang out. Keep it clean cause it is so beautiful. You can get up behind the falls or play in it.

I'll give this park 4 stars due to the large fenced area for the dog park, the picnic shelter,…read morerestrooms, small beach and the usually quiet wooded area. The parking lot is also large and there are hiking trails as well.

We bring our dogs here all the time. There is so much potential for this place. I wish North Branch…read morewould invest more into it. It is a great park regardless though.

We love camping at Wild River camp grounds. There are some nicer sites to reserve, if you know…read moreahead of time which spots are premium, not all sites have a raised tent pad though. They also offer full facilities as well, including warm showers. Each site has a fire ring and picnic table. They also offer specific areas for campers and personal cabins too. Lots of walking and biking paths which connect to all the camping areas. The walking paths will take you down to the St. Croix River and a small sandy beach. The only down side is the over zealous DNR employees. We had one employee driving by around 9pm tell us we were being too loud, even though the "quiet time" is from 10pm-8am. We responded "sorry we were laughing too loud", he then shined a flashlight on our picnic table to see if we were drinking(alcohol is prohibited BTW). How about they tell the family next to us to turn off their music and stop talking so loud when it's midnight ...sorry I was just on my soap box, all in all I would recommend Wild River for a nice place to camp and enjoy nature for a weekend.

This park is located along 18 miles of the St. Croix River. It's a quieter option to Interstate SP…read moreand Williams O'Brien SP (in the nearby vicinity). It's about an hour from the Twin Cities. It has opportunities for hiking, bird watching, and kayaking. The paddle down the St. Croix River from the Sunrise river access to the southern park river access is leisurely. Be selective about the hiking trail you choose. Some trails are shared with horseback riders. The trail I I hiked had its fair share of horse manure, which detracted from the experience.

Banning State Park was one of our favorite outdoor stops during our Hinckley getaway. The park is…read moreknown for its scenic hiking trails, sandstone cliffs, and the views of the Kettle River, making it a great place to spend a few hours exploring. Our goal was to find the waterfall, but like many first-time visitors, we ended up taking a wrong turn and wandered a little longer than expected. Honestly, it turned into part of the adventure. As we explored, we spotted deer quietly moving, squirrels darting between the trees, and plenty of birds and caterpillars along the way. We discovered quiet trails, beautiful overlooks, and peaceful stretches of the river that we might have missed if we'd gone straight to our destination. The sound of the water, the surrounding rock formations, and the forest scenery made it one of those places where you naturally want to stop and take it all in. If you're visiting Banning State Park for the first time, don't stress if you get a little turned around. Give yourself extra time, wear comfortable shoes, and enjoy the journey.

This is a beautiful state park that offers so many opportunities to commune with nature. Lush…read moretrails, flowers native to shorelines and wet soils, and a waterfall are among some of the many joys here. It is located off I-35 near Sandstone, and 90 miles away from the Twin Cities (about an hour and a half away). It is worth making a day trip to visit. The park stretches along 10 miles of the Kettle River, and has 1.5 miles of churning class IV rapids for those daring kayakers.