St Croix

River flowing through Wisconsin and Minnesota, USA; length 264 km/164 mi. It rises in northwest Wisconsin, forms part of the Minnesota-Wisconsin boundary for most of its course, and merges with the Mississippi River at Prescott, Wisconsin.

Course After rising near Solon Springs in Wisconsin, the St Croix flows generally southwest. It is a National Scenic Riverway; the upper section is narrow and turbulent, cutting through a deep gorge known as the Dalles. At Stillwater, Minnesota, it broadens into Lake St Croix, and flows downstream to the Mississippi.

History The valley was inhabited by Sioux and Chippewa, and travelled by British and French fur traders, until the mid-19th century, when logging became the major activity.