Stillwater on the St. Croix River

Stillwater brings together the St. Croix River, a distinctive bridge history, a historic riverfront district, and trails for a range of interests. The Stillwater Lift Bridge connects Stillwater, Minnesota, with Houlton, Wisconsin. At the same time, it has a functional and symbolic relationship with downtown. In Stillwater, river and city history meet—an appealing starting point if you want to explore culture, outdoor activities, and nature on your trip.

A Bridge with a Distinctive History

The Stillwater Lift Bridge was built in 1931 and is a rare surviving example of a Waddell and Harrington-type vertical-lift highway bridge. Its construction makes it more than a crossing over the river: it tells the story of a distinctive engineering design. In 2020, the bridge was converted for bicycle and pedestrian traffic. Visitors can therefore appreciate both its history and its present-day function for cyclists and pedestrians. Those interested in engineering will find a tangible point of interest here; the bridge is also part of Stillwater’s distinctive landscape.

The Riverfront District and the History of the St. Croix Valley

Stillwater’s Main Street riverfront district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is home to more than 100 locally owned shops and restaurants. This gives a visit to the city a distinctive mix of historic character and locally rooted commerce. If you enjoy browsing shops or including restaurants in your stay, this district is a natural focus for your trip to Stillwater. Its proximity to downtown is also part of the symbolic and functional connection between the city and the Lift Bridge.

Another cultural stop is the Washington County Heritage Center. Founded in 2021, it is both a museum and a central resource for the history of the St. Croix Valley. Interactive exhibits for all ages provide an introduction to this regional history. This can be especially interesting if you want to combine different interests on a trip: a museum visit offers a different focus from time by the river or on a trail. Families can include the center as a possible shared cultural activity, without limiting the visit to a single age group or topic.

On Foot, on a Paved Trail, or on Horseback

The Brown’s Creek State Trail is 5.9 miles long and paved. A natural-surface trail runs parallel and is suitable for horseback riding. The different surfaces are a practical consideration when planning your day: you can choose a paved trail or consider the natural-surface trail as an option for riding. In Stillwater, the trail connects to the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway. This means that trails and river scenery are among the things you can consider when planning your stay.

River Scenery and Waterways

The St. Croix’s variety is also evident on the water. The Stillwater Islands area between the Soo Line High Bridge and Stillwater is popular with houseboats, cabin cruisers, pontoon boats, and fishing boats. These types of boats point to different ways of enjoying the river; they give a stay a different focus than a museum visit or exploring on foot. The St. Croix River Water Trail runs south from downtown Stillwater to the confluence with the Mississippi River near Prescott, Wisconsin.

The Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway also includes the Lower St. Croix segment, which runs from Highway 8 to Boom Site Landing in Stillwater, Minnesota. Together with the Water Trail, this segment makes the river an important consideration when orienting yourself in the area. If water and scenery are your main interests, you can include these river areas in your plans; if you are more interested in city history, the Lift Bridge, the riverfront district, and the Heritage Center offer other points of interest.

Which Vacation Rental Is Right for Your Stay in Stillwater?

When choosing a vacation rental or vacation home in Stillwater, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your trip. Will your stay center mainly on city history and the Main Street riverfront district, or would you like to give more attention to the river, the Riverway, and the Brown’s Creek State Trail? This question can help you focus your search on the location within the destination that suits you, without assuming a particular place to stay. You can weigh Stillwater according to your own interests—as a cultural destination, a starting point for trails, or a destination on the St. Croix River.

If you’d like to explore nearby places: Cottage Grove, Woodbury, Afton, Lake Elmo, Oakdale, Forest Lake.

For the broader travel overview: Washington.