Arcola Bluffs Day Use Area

Arcola Bluffs Day Use Area (DUA)
Stillwater, Washington county, MN
207 acres; hardwood forest, meadow, river bank, small seepage forest, marshes, prairie
It is in the process of being restored to oak savanna and native prairie

Park/Area Notes

Arcola Bluffs Day Use Area is part of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway (National Park Service), but there is very little formal information about this spot.

iNaturalist observations made in or close by Arcola Bluffs SNA include approximately 80 species of plants (mostly woodland plants), 20 species of insects, 10 species of fungi, and 10 species of birds. eBird's Field Checklist for the DUA includes 97 species of birds.

From a 2018 National Park Service (NPS) report on Arcola Bluffs (link below): "Oaks dominate the forested sections of the study area, providing habitat for a variety of birds and mammals including sensitive bat species such as the northern long-eared bat and little brown bat. The white-tailed deer is the most common big game animal. Other common species include mink, weasel, skunk, woodchuck, raccoon, gray squirrel, masked shrew, deer mouse, and meadow vole. Common bird species include redwinged blackbird, belted kingfisher, bald eagle, tree swallows, and a variety of warblers."

The park is generally bounded on the east and south by the St. Croix River, on the north by the Arcola High Bridge (aka Soo Line High Bridge), and on the west by Arcola Tr N. There is a section of private land south of Rivard Rd that cuts into the park further east than Arcola Tr N. By my rough estimate, there are about 2.5 miles of trails here (most require hiking in then back). A trail map is on the info sign at the parking area entrance and other options for trail maps can be found in the links below.

The topography of the park includes a gently sloping plateau that is separated from the St. Croix River bank by steep slopes and bluffs. The 2018 NPS document said "Safe and logical routes to experience the river are needed as steep cliffs and bluffs present fall hazards similar to what exists in other areas of the Riverway." The main northernmost trail definitely leads to the River and provides a view of the nearby (railway) Arcola High Bridge (per multiple online bloggers). Parallel to the river lies a former railroad bed. Additionally there are some historic roadways (no longer accessible to vehicular traffic) running through the park that vary in condition but a few have firm, stable surfaces.

Dogs are allowed on leash. The entry sign cautions visitors to check for ticks and to avoid digging in moist soils due to the presence of blastomycosis. There are no bathrooms and parking is limited.

Visits

November 23, 2021
This was our last stop of the day so we only hiked about .3 miles into the park mostly to check it out for a future visit. The trail leading out from the parking area and left at the first intersection had large trees but not a lot of undergrowth, giving it an open feel. Being late November, there wasn't a lot to see but there was a decent amount of fungi. For observing nature, I'm not sure there is a lot that makes this stand out on its own. But it's not far from the Twin Cities and there are other nature spots nearby that can be combined in a day trip. There is also some historical significance to the site that could appeal to other interests as well as the opportunity to view the Arcola High Bridge.

We visited on a weekday around 1:45 pm and there were enough cars in the parking area pullover that things were getting a little tight. I suspect, on a lovely weekend day, this park could get busy and parking could be an issue. A drive along the St. Croix River is popular on pleasant weekends and traffic through Stillwater can get insanely and aggravatingly congested at times. We would only consider visits to this area on 'off' times.

Other sites in Washington county that we visited on the same day:
Blueberry Hill
St. Croix Savanna SNA | Journal Post

Useful links/info

Location of parking: 45°07'09.0"N 92°45'16.2"W | 45.119153, -92.754508
Google Maps has a pin for Arcola Bluffs Day Use Area but the pin is just north of the parking area.
The Plus Code for the park is: 469W+XC Stillwater, Minnesota
There's a narrow pullover on the east side of Arcola Trail North, just north of the intersection with Rivard Road North that can accommodate up to 7 or 8 vehicles (if parked neatly). Other than at this pullover, no parking is allowed on Arcola Trail (or Rivard Rd).

iNaturalist: observations north area | south area (in rough geographical bounding boxes around Arcola Bluffs)
eBird Hotspot reports: Arcola Bluffs Day Use Area
eBird Field Checklist: Arcola Bluffs Day Use Area
BackYardBiology blog entry: patch of wildflowers found in Arcola Bluffs DUA
GalavantGal blog entry: "Hiking Near the Cities: Arcola Bluffs Day Use Area and William O’Brien State Park" | has good photo of entry sign
YouTube Video: snowshoeing at Arcola Bluffs DUA
National Park Service 200MB pdf: "Arcola Bluffs; Cultural Landscape Assessment" (2018) | contains the most info I found on Arcola Bluffs
page 37/163 (in the pdf reader) or 2-23 (in the original print document) is a good topgraphical image of the trail system
Subsequent pages contain photos of the trails that show their condition (as of 2018).
National Park Service: Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway website | no info on Arcola Bluffs DUA but lots of info on nearby features