Free Topo Maps of Saint Croix National Scenic River

Download free topo maps of Saint Croix National Scenic River. Use the adjoining 7.5 minute quadrangle legend to locate the Wisconsin maps you need.

Adjoining 7.5' Quadrangle Legend

Saint Croix National Scenic River

Saint Croix National Scenic River encompasses 255 miles of magnificent waters traversing through Wisconsin. The Namekagon River winds its way along the serene landscape until it joins with the St. Croix River to continue its journey through wooded cliffs, forest and marshland where occasionally you may sight wildlife at the river's edge. Historic towns and metropolitan areas lie beyond the borders of the river corridor, but within its boundaries lies the habitats of a large diversity of wildlife. A recreational paradise offers visitors a wide variety of activities including primitive camping, canoeing, kayaking, boating, swimming, picnicking and fishermen seeking either cold or warm water fishing. During the winters there are snowmobile trails and other winter activities to be enjoyed, while spring offers a plethora of colorful wildflowers. Hiking, bicycling and equestrian trails can be found, as well as some hunting areas. The Namekagon River offers cold-water trout, passes through swampy marshland, and evergreen forests with many other coniferous trees; while the St. Croix River offers a broader expanse and runs from shallow to deep waters creating opportunities for varying activities. The sandbanks along the way are nesting habitats for turtles.

The Visitor Centers offer section maps of the corridor which indicate types of currents, water levels, camping sites and other information. There is a Center in Trego, and the St. Croix Visitor Center in St. Croix Falls. Both Centers offer exhibits, a film about the River Corridor, with a focus on the fish in the rivers. There is some information regarding the cultural resources of the area, brochures on the wildlife and aquatic life.

There are also large numbers of archeological sites, covering the past 10,000 years of Native American life in the area, and some relating to the settlers and fur traders during the 1700 and 1800s. Rock art, burial mounds, rice processing areas and Indian village sites have been identified. Most were seasonal campsites when tribes would hunt and gather food, including an abundance of wild rice in the marshlands. When the trappers arrived, they bartered with the Indians, trading staples that the Indians could use for beaver skins. The fur trade existed until the early 1800s, after which the beavers that were sought had greatly diminished.

Logging was another activity along the river until 1912 when the region became over-logged. In the 20th century the need to protect the natural and cultural resources of the rivers prompted the establishment of the Saint Croix National Scenic River. Known as the cleanest river in the Midwest, it is challenging to maintain these standards with the encroaching development around the corridor.