Updated October 2026
Best Time to Visit Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
National Scenic RiverwayWisconsin, Minnesota
Best month to visit
May
68°F / 46°F avg high / low
Our recommendation
Visit Saint Croix in May
May offers the lightest crowds of the park's good-weather months. For comparison, July is the most crowded month (~3.1× the average month) and December is the quietest.
- Annual visits
- 852K
- 2025
- Busiest month
- Jul
- 3.1× avg
- Quietest month
- Dec
- 0.0× avg
- 10-yr trend
- rising
- +20.9%
How crowded is Saint Croix by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1979–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway weather by month →
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Very quiet | 2 Poor | 22°F / 5°F | 8.9 h |
| February | Very quiet | 4 Poor | 28°F / 8°F | 10.1 h |
| March | Very quiet | 7 Poor | 40°F / 21°F | 11.6 h |
| April | Very quiet | 56 Fair | 55°F / 34°F | 13.3 h |
| Mayour pick | Busy | 64 Good | 68°F / 46°F | 14.7 h |
| June | Very busy | 63 Good | 77°F / 56°F | 15.5 h |
| July | Very busy | 50 Fair | 81°F / 60°F | 15.2 h |
| August | Very busy | 59 Fair | 79°F / 58°F | 13.9 h |
| September | Busy | 63 Good | 71°F / 50°F | 12.3 h |
| October | Quiet | 55 Fair | 57°F / 38°F | 10.7 h |
| November | Very quiet | 2 Poor | 40°F / 25°F | 9.2 h |
| December | Very quiet | 1 Poor | 27°F / 12°F | 8.5 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USC00474894, ~10.6 mi away).
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About visiting Saint Croix
Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway is a National Scenic Riverway in WI, MN and a moderately visited park, drawing about 852,000 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has climbed over the past decade, up roughly 20.9%, so crowds are trending heavier each year. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: July is the busiest month at about 3.1× the park's average month, while December is the calmest at roughly 0.0× — a 31-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 66% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 70°F in July down to about 13°F in January, with the wettest stretch in July and meaningful snowfall around December. About 5 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is May: the lightest crowds of the park's good-weather months. Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the July rush. Daylight ranges from about 8.5 hours in midwinter to 15.5 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. These crowd figures are drawn from 1979–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
Grab your paddle and your longing for adventure and head to the St. Croix and Namekagon rivers! Together they form the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, offering over 200 miles of clean water that glides and rushes through a forested landscape. Paddle, boat, fish, and camp among this wild and scenic beauty. Hiking and historic towns also beckon.
Weather & conditions
Access to the Riverway is year-round. Early spring temperatures can reach into the 40's resulting in high, fast, and cold water from melting snow and ice. Summers are warm and humid. Severe weather can be experienced anytime from mid-spring through late summer. Fall colors begin in late September with high temperatures averaging in the 60's. Winter can set in early with high temperatures in the teens, lows falling below zero, and occasional heavy snow. The rivers can begin to freeze over by early December.
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Saint Croix
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway — live availability and prices to plan your trip. May is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather. Full lodging guide: when to book, gateway vs in-park, and the crowd calendar that drives room rates.
Top-rated places to stay near Saint Croix
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
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Getting there — nearest airports
Updated October 2026The closest airport to Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway is Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), about 90 mi (2 hr 10 min drive) away.
| Airport | Distance | Drive time | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP)Best for flights | 90 mi | 2 hr 10 min | Air Canada, Air France, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Bemidji Airlines, Delta |
| Duluth International Airport (DLH) | 91 mi | 2 hr 25 min | Allegiant Air, Delta, United Airlines |
| Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) | 268 mi | 5 hr 22 min | American Airlines, Delta, Frontier Airlines, Silk Avia, United Airlines |
| Austin Straubel International Airport (GRB) | 276 mi | 5 hr 44 min | American Airlines, Delta, Silk Avia, United Airlines |
| Outagamie County Regional Airport (ATW) | 277 mi | 5 hr 45 min | Allegiant Air, Delta, Silk Avia, United Airlines |
Which airport should you choose?
- Shortest drive: Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) — about 2 hr 10 min from the park.
Frequently Asked Questions
May offers the lightest crowds of the park's good-weather months at Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway. The park is busiest in July (about 3.1× the average month) and quietest in December.
July is the busiest month at Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, running roughly 3.1 times the park's average monthly visitation.
December is the quietest month at Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, at about 0.0× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway recorded about 852,296 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been rising over the past decade (+20.9%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway averages about 70°F (July). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) is the closest airport to Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, about 90 mi (2 hr 10 min drive) away.
There is no airport inside Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway. Fly into Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and drive the rest of the way — about 2 hr 10 min.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Saint Croix
If you are planning to swim, paddle or fish on this trip, these graded lakes are within a 40-mile drive. Grades are A–F from EPA and state-agency sampling.
- Big Sand Lake water qualityGrade A · 10 mi · WI
- Sand Lake water qualityGrade A · 15 mi · WI
- Blooms Lake water qualityGrade A · 30 mi · MN
- Sunrise Lake water qualityGrade A · 31 mi · MN
- South Lindstrom Lake water qualityGrade A · 32 mi · MN
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.