William OBrien State Park

About William OBrien State Park

William O'Brien is one of the most popular parks in the United States and offers a variety of hiking trails that offer scenic views of New York City, New Jersey and the Hudson River Valley.

The canals of St. Croix offer the Northern Lights, walleys, perches and trout for anglers, and the river is home to hiking trails that offer visitors an exciting variety of sights and sounds.

In winter, you can go snowshoeing, skiing and camping, as well as hiking, cycling, canoeing and snowmobiling.

Wildflowers give colour to the spring forest and summer fields, and scattered white pine areas and highland prairies provide habitat for diverse animal populations.

Sandstone outcrops, which were formed millions of years ago by the inland sea, are found along the river St. Croix, and glacier activity has played an important role in the development of this picturesque valley. The StCroix is one of the best canoe rivers in our nation and offers spectacular views of Lake Superior and the Great Lakes as well as the Hudson River and Lake Michigan.

As the giant glaciers sloped south, they combed the earth and deposited soil and rocks of varying sizes. When large masses of ice melted, the enormous water masses were cut, creating the St. Croix River and dumping debris on the vast valley.

Raccoons, mink, beavers and clogs are common, and bird watchers often spot birds of prey such as jays, hawks and owls. The Highland meadows and forests provide habitat for many bird species as well as a variety of mammals, reptiles and birds.

Dakota and Ojibwe Indians used the animals, which carried the fur of the fauna and useful plants of the valley. European trappers entered the lucrative fur industry and sawmills began to pollute the St. Croix River. Later, loggers began to harvest white pines, and industry flourished when the valleys were cleared of white pines.

William O'Brien, a wood baron, bought land that once belonged to a timber company, and in 1947 his daughter gave his father 180 acres, which he converted into a state park. Over the years, other private properties were added to the park, which now totals 1,520 hectares. The park is located on the north side of the St. Croix River, south of Lake Superior, about 30 miles north of Duluth.