'Interstate Park' is a
state park which spans the
Minnesota-
Wisconsin state line along the
St. Croix River Dalles with parts of the park on both sides. The threat of mining in the 1800s along the St. Croix initiated the creation of Interstate Park to preserve the
Dalles of the St. Croix River. The towns of
Taylors Falls, Minnesota and
St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin are adjacent to the park.
The
Minnesota Legislature established the park in 1895. The
Wisconsin Legislature followed five years later in 1900. This was the first park in the
United States to span two states.
The Glacial Gardens area of the park, along with the campground, contain
National Park Service Rustic style buildings and structures that are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places. A
Civilian Conservation Corps crew may have quarried local
basalt stone for the
Works Progress Administration, which was responsible for the building of these structures.
The riverside cliffs are a popular place for
rock climbers, particularly those from the
Twin Cities, only an hour away. The park is also notable for its
white pine forests. The
Ice Age Trail, which crosses Wisconsin, has its western end at the park.
See also
★ For geolocations ...: Explore the
USGS Geographic Names Information System
★
Minnesota cycleways
★
Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
References
★
List of Rustic Style Resources in Minnesota State Parks: Interstate State Park
External links
★
Saint Croix National Scenic River (National Park Service)
★
Detailed River Maps (National Park Service)
★
Wisconsin DNR park maps (PDF)
★
Minnesota DNR park info