Font ResizeWe set off with a slight breeze at our back and a stretch of placid brownish-blue water in front. Dragonflies darted past the canoe as we paddled past banks of birch, maple and basswood.
"Is this really going to take three hours," said the 8-year-old, sitting in the bow seat with an orange life jacket hunched over his shoulders. "I'm bored already."
So much for pleasing everyone.
I thought a canoe trip down the St. Croix River would offer enough adventure to entertain my two sons, ages 6 and 8, but my oldest had announced during the hourlong car ride from St. Paul he was not enthusiastic and did not intend to paddle.
During the summer and early fall, the St. Croix River just south of Interstate Park is canoe country. Motorized traffic is restricted on this stretch, and the sandy beaches and back channels make it a perfect destination for a day trip.
Two outfitters rent canoes in Interstate Park, Taylors Falls Canoes and the smaller Eric's Bike and Canoe Rental. We opted for Eric's because he launches a bit upstream in St. Croix Falls. We were told the seven-mile canoe trip down to Osceola would take us two-and-a half to three hours, if we paddled straight through.
Two other groups headed out at the same time. One couple paddled upstream to get a closer look at the rock cliffs carved by melting glaciers that we'd seen on the drive into Interstate Park. Two 14-year-old boys with fishing poles headed off in search of bass and northern pike.
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The St. Croix is a forgiving river and good for kids, at least when the water level is low and it's not too windy. I have very little canoe experience — a week of summer camp as a kid, a few high school outings and a trip or two as an adult with experienced friends determined to teach me some technique. But I found the river easy to navigate.
After about 10 minutes, the 8-year-old shook off his boredom and picked up his paddle. We saw Canada geese feeding at the water's edge, and we startled a great blue heron into lazy flight. As we paddled over shallow sections, the water took on the orange cast of the sandy bottom, and we peered over the gunwales to see mussel shells lying open on the gravel like underwater butterflies. Sometimes, we came upon floating logs, half submerged with their ends poking above the current.
I had somehow imagined a scene without other people. But we were seldom on a stretch of water without other canoes or kayaks in sight. And at one point, I counted 24 canoes within view.
As we came around a bend in the river, we suddenly found ourselves in the midst of a flotilla of a dozen young men who were having a grand time tipping each other's canoes, stealing paddles and splashing in the river. It was amusing for a while, and then it wasn't. So, we increased our speed and left them behind.
Halfway through the trip, we heard a throbbing motor behind us and turned to see a large paddleboat, the Taylors Falls Princess, bearing down on our port side and blasting hip hop music while a group of teens danced on the top deck.
After about an hour of paddling, we broke out sticky caramel rolls and then rinsed our fingers in the water.
After about two hours of paddling, we stopped at a beach for a picnic. Other people had been there before and molded the fine sand into hummocks resembling chairs. We reclined in the shade of an overhanging tree and spit our cherry seeds into plastic bags. A few yards downstream, we explored a few rough stairs leading to a campsite, one of five on this stretch of the river that can be used for free.
If I had thought about it, I would have used the campsite locations to pinpoint where we were on the map we got from the rental place. But that didn't occur to me, so when we got back into the canoes, I had no idea how far we had come.
I was surprised that within 15 minutes, my son spotted the blue water tower of Osceola, Wis., above the trees. The metal trusses of the bridge came into view a few minutes later. The entire trip, even with a half-hour stop for a picnic, had taken only three hours.
We called Eric's canoe rental from the boat landing. During the weekends, he picks up people on the hour. But during slower weekdays, he has people call or arrange a pick-up time in advance.
We ended up waiting almost an hour for the van to give us a ride back to our car. But we were satisfied with Eric's. It was a bit cheaper, since we avoided the $5 day pass for state park parking. And, the molded plastic seats on his Old Town canoes looked a bit more comfortable than the aluminum seats on the canoes from Taylors Falls.
On the drive home, we took Wisconsin Highway 35 and stopped at the Dairy Queen in Osceola. We walked across the street to eat our chocolate-dipped cones on a wood deck overlooking a small waterfall. Afterward, we climbed down 150 steps into a lovely, shaded grotto at the foot of the falls.
Then, we got into the minivan and drove over the bridge and back into Minnesota. As we crossed over the St. Croix River, we could see canoes and kayaks, like tiny toys, floating down the water.
Maja Beckstrom can be reached mbeckstrom@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5295.
FAMILY OUTINGS / THE SCOOP
What: Canoeing the St. Croix River
Where: Eric's Bike and Canoe Rental, St. Croix Falls, Wis.
Information: ericsbikeandcanoe.com or 651-270-1561
Hours: First rentals go out at 10 a.m. daily. Plan on two to three hours of leisurely paddling to get to the Osceola Landing, just over 7 miles downstream. Last shuttle pick up is at dusk.
Cost: $40 per canoe, includes paddles and life jackets.
Target audience: Kids should be old enough to sit relatively still in the bottom of a canoe or on a seat for several hours.
Crowd pleaser: Pulling up on a sandy beach for a picnic and swim.
Avoid: Water accidents. Kids age 12 and younger must wear life jackets. Adults should wear them so they're better able to help kids if the boat tips.
Tip: You can camp overnight at any of the sites along the river, available free on a first-come basis. Most sites can be reached only by water and include a fire ring, picnic table and pit toilet. As of this summer, campers need a free pass to camp between Taylors Falls/St. Croix Falls and just north of William O'Brien State Park.
