St. Croix Select

Natural History

The St. Croix River and its tributaries are an area of diverse natural history. These resources highlight the geology, plants, and animals found within the watershed and the natural beauty that has made this region a mecca for outdoor recreation.

Natural Connections

Emily M. Stone

The natural world offers a cornucopia of delights and amazements. Emily Stone knows how to unearth these stories and tell them with style. Life inevitably becomes richer the more we explore it. This book will enrich the life of anyone who lives in the Northwoods. I expect to go back to it many times, and every time, to be surprised while learning something more.

—John Bates, naturalist and author of seven books on the Northwoods

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Sand and Fire: Exploring a Rare Pine Barrens Landscape

Dave Peters

Few know about the Namekagon Barrens, a rare pine barrens landscape within a few miles of their confluence. A tiny remnant of the millions of barrens acres that once covered the region, the Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area lies in the heart of the state’s Northwest Sands, a band of pine and oak stretching from Bayfield on Lake Superior to St. Croix Falls on the Wisconsin–Minnesota border.

Available on Bookshop.org (independent booksellers)

Available on Amazon

Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway

Rob Bignell

This book is a complete guide to great day hiking trails along the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.

Available on Bookshop.org (independent booksellers)

Available on Amazon

Kayaking the St. Croix: A Travelogue and Trip Guide for Solo Paddling the St. Croix and Namekagon Rivers

Lisa M. Dembouski

This book details the research and planning that went into my trip, my daily experiences along different sections of the rivers along the way, “trip guides” designed to explain elements of the river sections to support paddlers in their own planning (which was something I did not have when I was planning but really could have used), and appendices describing my gear, terms used throughout the book, and resources for where to learn more.

Available on Amazon