See all 11 routes on St. Croix River
Minnesota | Lower St. Croix
St. Croix RiverMinnesota Interstate State Park Landing to Osceola Landing
Paddle 6.6 miles from Minnesota Interstate State Park in Taylors Falls to Osceola Landing. This easy gorge-to-bluff day has no rapids, but low flow can expose sandbars and side-channel dead ends; watch for strainers, motorboats, and wakes.
Checking current river conditions…
Route location
Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.
Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping and seasonal notes.
Permits, camping and season
Access and shuttle
Launch from the Minnesota Interstate landing in Taylors Falls and finish at Osceola Landing for the cleanest lower St. Croix day-trip add. This is the classic easy gorge-to-bluff run, but lower water pushes you toward the main channel and away from side slough exploring.
Access map
Put-in
Minnesota Interstate State Park landingMinnesota Interstate State Park is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and requires a vehicle permit; same-day ranger-station, kiosk, or traffic conditions still win over any saved note.
Take-out
Osceola LandingOsceola is a high-use Riverway landing with separate motorized and nonmotorized launch flow, paved parking, restrooms, and drinking water, but it can still feel busy on hot weekends.
Road shuttle
Straightforward two-car shuttle between Taylors Falls and Osceola. Stage the take-out first if you want the easiest finish, especially on summer weekends when Osceola can be busier.
More route and safety guidance
- When flow at St. Croix Falls is below 3,000 cfs, stay in the main channel and avoid side sloughs where shallow sandbars and dead ends become more likely.
- Expect fishing boats, pontoons, and paddleboat traffic. Stay right approaching the Highway 243 bridge; Osceola Landing is just beyond it on the Minnesota side.
Plan this paddle
Choose your trip times
No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.
Times use the selected time zone. Check it against the river’s location before saving or sharing.
Browser plans stay on this device. Sharing opens your device’s share tools or gives you text to copy.
Download GPX Route geometry only; no schedule required.
Conditions
Check how the river is changing and what weather to expect.
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampDetailed weather
Weather
Hourly forecast
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Station details and river cameras
Station observations
USGS measurements
Measurement notes and coverage
These are observations at the station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
St. Croix River at St. Croix Falls, WI. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Photos and recent reports
Look for recent access, obstruction and hazard observations. Context photos may show a different part of the river.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Share a recent access update, hazard observation or photo.
Sources and methodology
Review source dates and published guidance below. We have not inspected this trip in person.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
- Checking data sources and update times.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | St. Croix River at St. Croix Falls, WI |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 3,000 cfs |
| High threshold | Water-level guidance unavailable |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | NPS lower St. Croix paddling guide low-water main-channel note |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesPublished evidence and verification notes
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Official trip6.6 miles / 3 to 4 hours / easy
NPS publishes Highway 8 to Osceola Landing, commonly treated as the Taylors Falls to Osceola run, as a ranger-recommended lower St. Croix paddle with easy difficulty and a 3 to 4 hour average pace.
- Low-water floorBelow 3,000 cfs stay in main channel
The NPS lower St. Croix paddling guide says that when flow at St. Croix Falls drops below 3,000 cfs, paddlers should stay in the main channel and avoid the side sloughs.
- Route characterNo rapids, but wood, sandbars, wingdams, rocks, and motorboats
NPS describes this reach as having no existing rapids, but says strainers, submerged logs, sandbars, wingdams, rocks, and shared motorized traffic occur throughout the area.
- Access supportOfficial launch details on both ends
Minnesota DNR says the Interstate landing has a small concrete boat launch plus toilets, picnic tables, drinking water, and a required state-park vehicle permit, while NPS says Osceola has two launches, paved parking, restrooms, and drinking water.
- Osceola operationsSeparated motorized and nonmotorized launch flow
NPS says the 2023 Osceola rehab added a new motorized launch so motorized and nonmotorized traffic could be separated, along with better wayfinding, parking, restrooms, and utilities.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Other routes nearby
More on St. Croix River
All 11Nearby routes within 75 miles
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.