Things To Do


Explore Things To Do

Biking & Hiking Trails

View the natural beauty of the St. Croix river valley winding down trails then end up downtown Stillwater for more food and fun. Did you know you can bike from downtown Stillwater to downtown St. Paul or downtown Stillwater to Wisconsin? That’s right bike from the Birthplace to the Capital of Minnesota! Stillwater was also recently named a Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. The award recognizes Stillwater for its commitment to creating transportation and recreational resources that benefit its residents of all ages and abilities while encouraging healthier and more sustainable transportation choices.

Explore the beautiful valley on city, county, and state trails for hiking, biking, or in-line skating. Bring your bike or rent cruisers from self-rental station downtown or e-bikes from several shops. We’ve also got a bike retail & repair shop: Chilkoot Cyclery!

We have miles of trails with amenities like restrooms, restaurants, breweries, wineries, shopping, and lodging all right downtown by the trail head of the Brown’s Creek/Gateway Trail.

As part of the new St. Croix Crossing bridge and historic lift bridge renovation project, a 5-mile loop trail connects the Minnesota and Wisconsin sides of the St. Croix River. As of now, you can enjoy three quarters of this trail from downtown Stillwater south to the new bridge connecting to Wisconsin. Find amazing views and river valley information at three lookout points. The view from the St. Croix Crossing bridge was named Best View 2018 by CityPages viewers. The St. Croix River Crossing Loop Trail was completed in 2020 with the final section which includes the historic lift bridge.

Order a Stillwater Bike Trails Map (part of the Stillwater Visitor Guide) – Click here to order via mail or pick up at downtown businesses.

For more information on nearby trails in Wisconsin visit: www.StCroixTrails.com

PedalMNFor complete Minnesota/Twin Cities biking information for longer trips visit Explore Minnesota/PedalMN, order a Twin Cities Bike Map, or check out the largest Twin Cities recreational bicycling club www.biketcbc.org or local St. Croix Valley Cycling Club Ride Maps. Map my Ride also has many road cycling routes that run through Stillwater. Minnesota is ranked as the #2 bicycle-friendly state in the country by the League of American Bicyclists.

Serious racing cyclists flock to Stillwater for two annual cycling events:

MNIronmanThe Minnesota IRONMAN bike ride in April features the Scenic St Croix River Valley covering Washington County and the communities of Scandia, Stillwater, Afton, Lake Elmo, Marine on the St Croix and Oak Park Heights. Several routes have been established for riders in all types of levels and distances.

The state-wide pro North Star Bicycle Festival annual criterium Grand Prix who’s bike race route includes the famous Chilkoot Hill known as one of the hardest climbs in America. Award ceremony takes place in June in downtown Stillwater. Join the fun and cheer on the riders as they reach the end of the their grueling race.

Annual running events such as road races, half marathon, 10K, 5K events also take place each year in scenic Stillwater. For a complete listing, visit Run Stillwater or our events calendar. Look for the new St. Croix Crossing half marathon over the new bridge this year on the loop trail!

BIERCYCLE ADVENTURES

Pedestrian Mall on Water St
Stillwater, MN 55082 (view map)
651.300.2202

A fun and interactive way to explore beautiful downtown Stillwater! Bike can hold up to 10 eager pedalers, and 3 non-pedalers, for a tour through downtown and along the river. Join us for a public tour or reserve the bike for a private tour with friends and family. Learn about history of the area or join us for caroling tours during the holidays!

Bike Rental: Herman Electric Bike Rental

209 Main St. S.
Stillwater, MN 55082 (view map)
651.342.1914

Electric bike rental conveniently located on the intersection of Main/Chestnut/Water right at the base of the the historic lift bridge and St. Croix Loop bike trail. We have electric fat-tire and electric cruiser bikes for rent for a few hours or a full day. Explore all the beauty and fun around Stillwater. Stop in to see our giant Discover Stillwater bike trail map! Book online or stop in. Entrance on Water Street/River side.

BIKE RENTAL: Pedego Electric Bikes

1650 Market Drive
Stillwater, MN 55082 (view map)
651.342.0310

Pedego Stillwater is a locally-owned electric bike store where you’ll be treated like family. There is no substitute for a brick and mortar store in your community. We offer electric bike sales, rentals, accessories, and service. Stop by and try a Pedego for free. Hello, fun

Brown’s Creek State Trail

575 Main St N
Stillwater, MN 55082 (view map)

Brown’s Creek Trail is a 6.4 mile paved multi-use trail built on an old railroad leading from downtown Stillwater into the countryside. Start at the trailhead parking lot on the north end of Main Street by the old train depot. For continued riding, connect with the Gateway State Trail to bike from the St. Croix River to the Mississippi River in downtown St. Paul – from the Birthplace to the Capitol of Minnesota!

Chilkoot Cyclery

826 4th St S.
Stillwater, MN 55082 (view map)
651.342.1048

Full service bike and repair shop with the attention to detail and service. They carry a full line of road, mountain, fat tire, Tri and urban bikes and will custom fit for you.

City Trails

The Cities of Stillwater and Oak Park Heights are home to a multitude of beautiful hiking and biking trails. As part of a comprehensive trail system, there are walking paths throughout both cities.  The paths wind through the neighborhoods and go past the City Hall.  Many of the paths connect to parks.  The paths have blacktop or gravel for your walking and biking pleasure.

City of Stillwater Trails Maps 651-430-8800
City of Oak Park Heights Trails Maps 651-439-4439

Gateway State Trail

The former paved Soo Line rail bed runs 18 miles from St. Paul to Pine Point County Park in Stillwater offering mostly flat, scenic riding. From St. Paul to Interstate 694, the trail travels through an urban setting that joins numerous parks and other local and regional trail connections. Many trail users are surprised to find rural landscapes of fields, wetlands, and lakes so close to the metro area of downtown St. Paul.

HISTORIC LIFT BRIDGE

106 Chestnut St E
Stillwater, MN 55082 (view map)

Stillwater’s lift bridge was built in 1931 and spans the St. Croix River between Stillwater and Houlton, WI.  It is one of a few remaining operating lift bridges in the U.S. today. In 2020, the conversion from a highway to a pedestrian/bike trail only bridge was completed. Check out the lift bridge schedule to see when you can watch it go up/down for boats to pass through.

HISTORIC STAIRS

Downtown Stillwater was built on hills (much like San Francisco) and has five sets of historic steps that you can climb for exercise or the view? The steps are marked on the map in the Stillwater Visitor Guide: Main Street Stairs · Chestnut Street Stairs · Pioneer Park Stairs · Triangle Park Stairs · South Hill Stairs. Each set has about 100 steps in a very steep vertical climb. Wind your way through downtown to find them all (about 3 mile/1 hour walk). Click to view/print suggested route.

Mountain Bike/Fat Tire Trails

5575 Ozark Avenue North
Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 (view map)

Valley View Park in Oak Park Heights (Trail map): 3 miles of single track trail just minutes from downtown Stillwater. Connect to paved trails that go over the new St. Croix Crossing bridge Loop Trail and Brown’s Creek trail, too.

Lake Elmo Park Reserve (trail map): 8 miles Beginner to intermediate: Beautiful park with a pleasant view of Eagle Point Lake. This is a multi-use trail, including horseback riding. Some hard-packed singletrack, some grassy trail. Fat bikes are allowed on Big Bluestem Trail in the winter.

City of Lake Elmo Reid Park (coming soon): https://www.sascatrails.com/reid-park-trails 

Next Bend Birding Tours

With over 400 species, Minnesota is one of the top birding destinations in the country. Our customized tours are led by a professional naturalist and give you a hassle-free taste of the landscapes and wildlife of our beautiful state!

St. Croix River Crossing Loop Trail

Highway 36
Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 (view map)

The St. Croix River Crossing Loop Trail connects Minnesota and Wisconsin over two bridges – historic lift bridge and the new St. Croix Crossing bridge – along the St. Croix river back to downtown Stillwater for a total of 4.7 miles. Park near at Houlton Elementary school (70 Cty Rd E, Houlton, WI54082) on the Wisconsin side or the lot near the new bridge just off hwy 36 on hwy 95 (1315 Main St. S.) or downtown Stillwater in city lots or on street.

State Parks – Minnesota & Wisconsin

Stillwater is located along the St. Croix River on the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin, so visitors have the benefit of access to both Minnesota (866.857.2757) and Wisconsin (800.372.3607) State Park system.

State Parks closest to Stillwater are:
William O’Brien  16821 O’Brien Trail North Marine on St. Croix, MN 55047  (651.433.0500)
Wild River  39797 Park Trail Center City, MN 55012  (651.583.2125)
Afton State Park  6959 Peller Ave S Hastings, MN 55033  (651.436.5391)
Willow River
  1034 County Hwy A Hudson, WI 54016  (715-386-5931)

 

Wahoo Adventures

See Stillwater from a new perspective! Look for guided kayak paddles, bicycle tours, and snowshow adventures throughout the year. We provide all the gear, maps, guidance, and inspiration you may need! No experience necessary. Book all events online.

Washington County Parks

Stillwater is located in Washington County with many nearby large outdoor recreation areas such as:


Lake Elmo Park Reserve (Beach/playground/multi-use trails/camping) 1515 Keats Ave. N. Lake Elmo, MN 651.430.8370
Square Lake Park (beach/fishing) 15450 Square Lake Trail North Stillwater, MN  651.430.8200
Pine Point Park (multi-use trails – Gateway State Bike Trail) 11900 Norell Avenue N. Stillwater, MN
Big Marine Park Reserve (boat launch/beach/playground/trails) 17495 Manning Trail N. Stillwater, MN  651.430.8200

 

Pick up Washington County Parks & Trails Maps at any of the above locations.

Discover Stillwater