Spring is Waterfall Season!
Is it the noise, the spray, the rainbows, or just the simple pleasure of a “water meets gravity” situation that we don’t have to mop up? There’s nothing quite like a waterfall, from a little burbling trickle to a full-on, knock-you-over cascade, and we have more than our share here in Polk County! Can you find them all this year?
From the heart of downtown Osceola, take the stairway down to one of the area’s most well-known waterfalls. You can get up close and personal with it, but watch out; it’s pretty cold in the spring!
One of the more remote trails at Interstate, Silverbrook Trail will lead you through a variety of habitats to a remote area of the park rich in local history. The trail follows part of the original road from St. Croix Falls to Osceola. Pass by an abandoned copper mine to the grounds of Silverbrook Mansion and view the 18 foot Silverbrook Falls.
In the Buffalo Skull Tract of the Standing Cedars Community Land Conservancy, a 1-mile trail leads to the amazing Buttermilk Falls, where water runs down a long series of tiny ledges, swirling and frothing into a milky white cascade. It’s definitely worth a look!
If you’re looking for an easy find, the rapids under the Hwy 8 bridge between St. Croix Falls and Taylors Falls will show you the power of the river. It’s a short walk from the MN Interstate State Park parking lot.
Another easy find is the dam viewing site at the Overlook in downtown St. Croix Falls, where you’ll get a chance to see the powerful hydroelectric dam in action. Yes, this is the closest thing that we have to “falls” in the town of St. Croix Falls, but take a look for yourself and you might agree that it counts!
And since we can’t deny that a dam makes a pretty convincing waterfall, get your falling-water fix at this 106-acre preserve between Amery and Balsam Lake. Bring a picnic and your fishing gear, and enjoy the wildflowers and plentiful birds!
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