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Saint Croix National Scenic Riverwaymisty morning on St. Croix where it is a wide river
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Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
Photos & Multimedia
Three aluminum canoes travel down river with young men in lifejackets paddling
Boy Scout Troop
The upper stretches of the Namekagon are shallow and narrow

St. Croix National Scenic Riverway offers a rich visual experience to even the casual observer. From scenic vistas to encounters with wildlife it is well worth a look. Maybe these selected photos will "wet" your appetite for more.

A great way to see the river is from a canoe.

 
A narrow stretch of the Namekagon River with several bends
NPS
The Namekagon has Curves
Where every bend has wonders to reveal.
 
A reddish-brown deer stands knee deep in the river
NPS
Wading in for a Drink
Perhaps a deer will be getting a drink of water.
 
Two red headed ducks with orange bills and feet, stand on a gravel bar in the river
NPS
Mergansers Dry Off
or mergansers will be resting on a gravel bar.
 
A pale green wet dragonfly emerges from his brown larvae skin
NPS
A Dragonfly Emerges from the River to a New Life
Not everything is obvious. Check the shoreline, you might observe a dragonfly emerging from it's exuviae
 
Two people stand on a pebbly beach with a sandstone white rock face with some vegetation
NPS
A Small Channel Reveals a Sandstone Cliff.
Areas like Sandrock cliffs can be great places to take a break from paddling and stretch your legs.
 
Two women in lifejackets canoe past trees
NPS
Canoeing through Riffles
Continuing down river, the Namekagon joins the St. Croix and the river widens and eventually deepens.
 
Three men in a red fishing boat rleax and fish
NPS
Waiting for the Big Catch
Fishing boats will begin to be seen where the water is deep enough. The Riverway is known for its fishery.
 
High sandstone banks with trees frame a pontoon boat on the river
NPS
Near Stillwater the River is Deep Enough for a variety of Boats
Pontoons and larger boats are seen on the flowages or lakes behind dams and on the lower stretches below St. Croix Falls.
 
White clouds in the sky are reflected on the calm water
NPS
A Quiet Summer Day
On weekends the river can be a busy place, but during the week one can still find solitude. St. Croix National Scenic Riverway is a great place to take some time and enjoy yourself.
two men with a circular ice saw.  In the background blocks of ice are moving up a ramp into an ice house  

Did You Know?
Before the invention of refrigerators, people harvested ice from rivers and lakes in the winter and stored the ice, covered in sawdust, in buildings. An ice house, storing ice from the river, once stood near the site of the park headquarters for St. Croix NSR, in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.

Last Updated: August 10, 2006 at 11:19 EST