Historic Stillwater: St. Croix River Loop, Brown’s Creek Trail, Millbrook Park

Stillwater, known as the ‘birthplace of Minnesota’, is a picturesque small town located on the St. Croix River, about 20 miles northeast of St. Paul. It’s a great spot for a destination run, with two important multi-use trails and some great parks. Note: see the Run Stillwater site for several great running events throughout the year.

St. Croix River Loop Trail. This is a wonderful 4.7-mile paved ‘rails to trails’ multi-use trail, fully separated from the roadway, that incorporates two states & historic bridges and some lovely running along the St. Croix River. Start in downtown Stillwater and run across the river to Wisconsin on the historic Lift Bridge, which is closed to vehicles. You’re now in Wisconsin! Next is a 600 foot, 0.7 mile climb to Main St. in Houlton. Rejoin the trail at Houlton School and follow the trail paralleling Highway 64 (not so scenic) over the St. Croix River Crossing Bridge. The final 1 mile is a more pleasant section of path along the St. Croix River. INFO

• • Add-Ons: Back in Stillwater, off Nelson St. take a short detour up the Stillwater Stairs to a scenic overlook. You can also add with some of the historic streets of the small downtown and pretty residential streets just west of town (especially south of Myrtle St.). You can also join the Brown’s Creek State Trail (below).

Brown’s Creek State Trail. Another ‘rails-to-trails’ multi-use trail that originates in downtown Stillwater. Also known as the Munger State Trail, this paved trail runs for 5.8 miles west to Grant, where it intersects with the Gateway Trail. The Stillwater trailhead is off Laurel St. E. The first 1 mile is north along the St. Croix River, with some nice water views. Then the trail heads west for 4.5 miles, through a mainly wooded landscape.  INFO

• Add-Ons: Millbrook Park, accessed at the 2.8 mile mark off Neal Ave., features a ~2 mile loop trail around fields and the edge of Twin Lakes. In Stillwater, you can also combine Brown’s Creek Trail with the St. Croix River Loop Trail (above). At the west end in Grant, Brown’s Creek Trail intersects with the Gateway Trail, an 18-mile multi-use trail that runs from Cayuga St. in St. Paul to Pine Point Regional Park.

Historic Stillwater. Stillwater’s small downtown features numerous historic buildings, and a marker for the ‘birthplace of Minnesota’ along Main St. To get your heart rate up, take the Nelson Stairs off Nelson St. to a viewpoint, and the Laurel Stairs to Pioneer Park. There are also some pleasant residential streets for running just west of downtown, both north and south of Myrtle St.