Afton State Park
Encyclopedia
Afton State Park is a state park
of Minnesota
, USA, on the St. Croix River
in Washington County
. Its hiking
trails offer views of the river, rolling glacial moraine
, and bluffland it preserves. It is a popular place for birdwatching
, picnic
s, camping
, and other typical outdoor recreational activities. To deter overuse of a state park only 20 miles (32.2 km) from downtown St. Paul
, there is no vehicle access to the camping area or swimming beach.
The park is located approximately five miles south of the town of Afton, Minnesota
. The park surrounds the unaffiliated Afton Alps
ski area on three sides. The name "Afton" was given to this area by its settlers as a reference to the Robert Burns
poem "Afton Water," which is about a stream in Scotland
.
, scribed with deep ravine
s running down to the St. Croix River. Sandstone
outcrops have been exposed in some of the ravines. The vertical drop from the blufftop to the water is 300 feet (91.4 m).
A few patches of remnant prairie
survived the decades of farming that took place on the blufftop. Today the former fields are being restored to prairie and oak savanna
. The ravines leading down to the riverbank are thickly wooded with oak
, aspen
, birch
, and cherry
.
growing increasingly crowded in the 1960s, Minnesota was on the lookout for more recreational land near Minneapolis – Saint Paul. Very little state park-caliber land remained, especially along the scenic and well-settled St. Croix River. Therefore, it was a surprise when an undeveloped property directly on the river, containing the last beach on the Minnesota side, went on the market in 1967. Although some of the blufftop had been farmed, the steep ravines had deterred most other development. State park officials and advocacy groups acted quickly and purchased the property the next summer. Many local residents opposed the new state park, fearing the onslaught of visitors it would attract. Resistance continued after the park was authorized by legislation
in 1969, and acquisition of property to fill out the park dragged on for thirteen years. Residents did achieve a few key compromises. The park entrance was moved from the north to the west side, snowmobile
s were banned, and the road was shortened from its original plan. Thus, the camping area and beach are only accessible by hiking. Afton State Park finally opened to the public in 1982, with the visitor center only being completed the following year.
During the 2011 Minnesota state government shutdown
, all state parks were closed, leaving Afton open to a serious vandalism and burglary of three park buildings. A group of a dozen young men drove around the gate into the park, where they ransacked an administrative building and vandalized two camper cabins. The shingles of one of the latter were pried off and burned in a campfire. State parks were open to people entering on foot, and an early-morning hiker alerted authorities to the suspicious presence of vehicles. Some of the group scattered and hid, but the Washington County Sheriff's department conducted a manhunt through the park and arrested all but one of the suspects.
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, USA, on the St. Croix River
St. Croix River (Wisconsin-Minnesota)
The St. Croix River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. The lower of the river form the border between Wisconsin and Minnesota. The river is a National Scenic Riverway under the protection of the National Park Service. A...
in Washington County
Washington County, Minnesota
Washington County is a county established in 1849 in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 238,136. Its county seat is Stillwater.-History:...
. Its hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trails offer views of the river, rolling glacial moraine
Moraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
, and bluffland it preserves. It is a popular place for birdwatching
Birdwatching
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
, picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
s, camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
, and other typical outdoor recreational activities. To deter overuse of a state park only 20 miles (32.2 km) from downtown St. Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
, there is no vehicle access to the camping area or swimming beach.
The park is located approximately five miles south of the town of Afton, Minnesota
Afton, Minnesota
Afton is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,886 at the 2010 census. It is located on a small bay where Valley Creek empties into the St. Croix River several miles north of the confluence with the Mississippi River....
. The park surrounds the unaffiliated Afton Alps
Afton Alps
Afton Alps is a ski resort, which hosts a collection of ski and snowboard trails, located along the St. Croix River south of Afton, Minnesota in the United States. There are nearly skiiable at Afton Alps. The Alps often utilize artificial snow for maintaining the slopes. A total of 48 trails...
ski area on three sides. The name "Afton" was given to this area by its settlers as a reference to the Robert Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
poem "Afton Water," which is about a stream in Scotland
River Afton
The River Afton is a small river in Ayrshire, Scotland. which flows North from Alwhat Hill in the Carsphairn and Scaur Hills, through Afton Reservoir and then for eight miles down Glen Afton before joining the River Nith at New Cumnock.The river is memorialised in Robert Burns's poem and this led...
.
Natural history
The park lies on a glacial moraineMoraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
, scribed with deep ravine
Ravine
A ravine is a landform narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streamcutting erosion. Ravines are typically classified as larger in scale than gullies, although smaller than valleys. A ravine is generally a fluvial slope landform of relatively steep sides, on the order of twenty to...
s running down to the St. Croix River. Sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
outcrops have been exposed in some of the ravines. The vertical drop from the blufftop to the water is 300 feet (91.4 m).
A few patches of remnant prairie
Prairie
Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
survived the decades of farming that took place on the blufftop. Today the former fields are being restored to prairie and oak savanna
Oak savanna
An oak savanna is a type of savanna, or lightly forested grassland, where oaks are the dominant tree species. These savannas were maintained historically through wildfires set by lightning, grazing, low precipitation, poor soil, and/or fires set by Native Americans...
. The ravines leading down to the riverbank are thickly wooded with oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, aspen
Aspen
Populus section Populus, of the Populus genus, includes the aspen trees and the white poplar Populus alba. The five typical aspens are all native to cold regions with cool summers, in the north of the Northern Hemisphere, extending south at high altitudes in the mountains. The White Poplar, by...
, birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
, and cherry
Cherry
The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit. The cherry fruits of commerce are usually obtained from a limited number of species, including especially cultivars of the wild cherry, Prunus avium....
.
Cultural history
With William O'Brien State ParkWilliam O'Brien State Park
William O'Brien State Park is a state park of Minnesota, USA, along the St. Croix River. Its hiking trails traverse rolling glacial moraine, riparian zones, restored oak savanna, wooded areas and bogs...
growing increasingly crowded in the 1960s, Minnesota was on the lookout for more recreational land near Minneapolis – Saint Paul. Very little state park-caliber land remained, especially along the scenic and well-settled St. Croix River. Therefore, it was a surprise when an undeveloped property directly on the river, containing the last beach on the Minnesota side, went on the market in 1967. Although some of the blufftop had been farmed, the steep ravines had deterred most other development. State park officials and advocacy groups acted quickly and purchased the property the next summer. Many local residents opposed the new state park, fearing the onslaught of visitors it would attract. Resistance continued after the park was authorized by legislation
Legislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
in 1969, and acquisition of property to fill out the park dragged on for thirteen years. Residents did achieve a few key compromises. The park entrance was moved from the north to the west side, snowmobile
Snowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
s were banned, and the road was shortened from its original plan. Thus, the camping area and beach are only accessible by hiking. Afton State Park finally opened to the public in 1982, with the visitor center only being completed the following year.
During the 2011 Minnesota state government shutdown
2011 Minnesota state government shutdown
The 2011 Minnesota state government shutdown was a government shutdown affecting the U.S. state of Minnesota, due to a fiscal dispute between the Governor and the state legislature. The shutdown started at midnight, July 1, 2011...
, all state parks were closed, leaving Afton open to a serious vandalism and burglary of three park buildings. A group of a dozen young men drove around the gate into the park, where they ransacked an administrative building and vandalized two camper cabins. The shingles of one of the latter were pried off and burned in a campfire. State parks were open to people entering on foot, and an early-morning hiker alerted authorities to the suspicious presence of vehicles. Some of the group scattered and hid, but the Washington County Sheriff's department conducted a manhunt through the park and arrested all but one of the suspects.
Recreation
- Camping: Most of the camping in the park is in 27 backpack in sites. The sites are approximately a 0.75 mile hike depending on site with a large hill going up to the campsite. There is also a canoe site off of the St. Croix River that is only open for canoeists. There is firewood and a solar powered well in the campground. Afton State Park also offers two group campsites which can accommodate 50-75 people at a time. In the fall of 2009, Afton opened four new camper cabins that include electricity.
- Cross-country skiingCross-country skiingCross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
: There are 18 miles (29 km) of groomed ski trails in the park. Many of them are quite challenging as they climb and descend steep hills. - Hiking: There are more than 20 miles (32.2 km) of hiking trails in the park. Some of the trails cover the tops of the bluffs, the bluffs themselves, and the floodplain of the St. Croix RiverSt. Croix River (Wisconsin-Minnesota)The St. Croix River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. The lower of the river form the border between Wisconsin and Minnesota. The river is a National Scenic Riverway under the protection of the National Park Service. A...
. Other trails criss-cross the prairie areas of the park. - Horseback Riding. There are also 4.5 miles (7.2 km) of horseback riding trails in the park.