Afton State Park

About this park

Afton State Park, established by the legislature in 1969 though not opened to the public until 1982, protects 1,600 acres of rolling, glacially carved terrain overlooking the St. Croix River southeast of the Twin Cities. Deep ravines drop as much as 300 feet down to the river, and the park's elevation changes, unusually steep for Minnesota, reflect the sandstone outcrops and glacial moraine left behind as ice sheets retreated thousands of years ago. Trails traverse both remnant and restored prairie, winding through ravines and climbing to grassy ridgetops and bluffs with sweeping views of the St. Croix, making the park a genuine favorite among hikers, horseback riders, and cross-country skiers alike. A swimming beach, backpack campsites, and a visitor center with interpretive displays on the park's prairie and river-bluff ecology round out the facilities, and the fog that settles over the long-needle pine groves and river on quiet evenings has become something of a local legend among regular visitors. Just 20 to 30 minutes from downtown St. Paul, Afton offers an accessible slice of genuine wilderness close to the metro area, drawing day-trippers for hiking and picnicking alongside more dedicated backpackers using the park's hike-in group camping sites. Its position within the broader St. Croix River valley, alongside Interstate, William O'Brien, and Wild River state parks further upstream, makes it one of several protected stops along one of the Midwest's most celebrated scenic rivers.