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Arcola Bluffs Day Use Area
4.7 ★★★★★ 55 Google reviews · Running trail in Stillwater, Minnesota · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Crushed gravel
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Arcola Bluffs Day Use Area's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Park featuring hiking trails down to the St. Croix River.
What runners say about Arcola Bluffs Day Use Area
“You can hike up to the bridge, which is dizzingly high once you're up there, but the views are gorgeous.”
“A lovely, fairly easy walk to the Arcola High Bridge with several optional branches to make the hike longer.”
Little parking but big on views, valleys and trails. It's a nice walk through the woods on a bit of a muddy trail at first then you connect with an old gravel/pavement homestead road which takes you down to the stream, a short trail from there brings you to amazing views of the high bridge.
Amazing wilderness along the river bluff with trails winding down to the river below the Arcola high bridge. In the summer when it's lush and green, the stream looks like a magical fairy land. You can hike up to the bridge, which is dizzingly high once you're up there, but the views are gorgeous.
A little hard to navigate trails but a really nice place to hike. Great streams, steep bluffs, and cool river views with the high bridge. The landscape is really cool with thick woods and windy side trails. You can get down to the river beach but be careful with kids!!!
Yup, 5 stars is rare. This place was a moderate hike to the railroad Bridge. Some very amazing views for this close to the Mn metro area. The heights of the bluffs & bridge were enough to tickle the stomach.
Trail conditions & character
“You can hike up to the bridge, which is dizzingly high once you're up there, but the views are gorgeous.”
“Great streams, steep bluffs, and cool river views with the high bridge.”
Plan your run at Arcola Bluffs Day Use Area
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceCrushed gravel — the rail-trail classic: softer than asphalt, still smooth enough for tempo work
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- Websitenps.gov
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Tuesday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Thursday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Friday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Saturday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Sunday | 6 am–10 pm |
Running trails near Stillwater
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
St. Croix Boom Site State Wayside
4.6 ★★★★★ 501 reviews
Timber was once sorted at this site, which is now a nature area with a picnic area & boat launch.
Pine Point Regional Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 206 reviews
Natural area featuring forests & lakes, with biking, hiking & equestrian trails, plus bird-watching.
