Where: https://goo.gl/maps/NZbwkcDgHmoQy3Lq8
Was it worth it? Yes, I give it a 6/10
Highlight: The waterfall hike and river views
Suggested time here: 1-2+ hours
When we visited: April 2021
Worth the Stop
I hadn’t been to the Boom Site since high school so it was a little trip down memory lane. It definitely still appears to be a teenage hangout spot, that hasn’t changed! One thing is for sure though, if graffiti bugs you, you’re probably not going to love it here. This is not an area of untouched nature and unless you go midweek during the day, you probably won’t be alone. But please don’t let that scare you off, this place is still full of beauty! Plus it’s another great waterfall in the Twin Cities area!
A Lil’ History
The St. Croix Boom was established in 1856 and it ran until 1914. What the heck is a boom you may ask? Honestly I had no idea before I Googled it. A log boom is a barrier placed in a river that’s made to collect floating logs that have been timbered and sent down river. The log drivers (also known as “river pigs”) would control the logs and guide them to the river mouth or sawmills. More than 150 companies were in the logging business on the St. Croix at this time so they needed to keep track of who the logs belonged to. Every lumber camp had a unique log mark that they’d brand to the end of their logs. The logs were sorted at the boom. This area was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1966.
Getting Here
If you’d like the easiest access to the waterfall, park in the 2nd Boom Site parking area (travelling north on 95) labelled the “Historical Marker”. This will ensure you don’t have to walk in the river to see the falls. Once parked, head down the big staircase and take a left along the shoreline.
Park at the Historical Marker for easiest access to the waterfall 
The Hike
The hike to the waterfall is less than a mile. It’s not strenuous but you do have to do a bit of climbing over/under tree stumps & roots. Some spots are kind of washed out so just watch your footing. If you’ve got little ones with you, just be wary of some areas with drop offs (none are all too steep though). You’ll know you’re on the right track when you see the makeshift gate with the “Turn back” sign painted on the cliff. Onward you go! Don’t let that scare you!
But not really!
The Waterfall
Even though this waterfall is surrounded by graffiti, it’s still beautiful! You can get right up behind it too which is really cool! Bring some snacks or a lunch and stay awhile. With the river being high, you can’t hike too far past the waterfall but if you keep walking just a bit, you’ll come up to a bridge made of logs that goes across the stream. Give your balance a test and make your way across 😉
Unexpected Surprise
If you take a right at the bottom of the main stairs by the parking lot and walk just a short ways, you’ll find the cave. This cave had a surprise in it! It was kind of hilarious because I didn’t expect it but also sad too that someone used the cave as a dump (pun intended). I didn’t spend all too much time in there because it was stinky, only long enough to snap a few pics.
A Waterfall Hike that’s Worth the Stop
I probably wouldn’t drive from afar to make a special trip to the Boom Site but it’s definitely worth the stop if you’ll be in the area. I feel like any time spent by the St.Croix River is never wasted time. Yes, there’s a ton of graffiti and plenty of litter scattered about but if you can look past that, you’ll like it here. (If you can, bring a plastic bag and pick up some trash on your way through).
You can pair this with a visit to downtown Stillwater or drive about 25 minutes north and check out another waterfall in Osceola, Wisconsin (see post HERE).
Another option is to head 20 minutes east and visit Willow River State Park (see post HERE).
Have you been to the Boom Site before? Please comment below!
Happy Exploring!
More Info
- There are no restrooms here (unless you want to use the cave potty)
- Dogs welcome (on leash)
- If the river is high, some areas of the trail might be inaccessible
- This is not a paved trail, not suitable for strollers/wheelchairs
- Kids will love climbing around here
- There are some sandy areas great for swimming but watch out for broken glass in the sand!
Dear Minnesotan Mama,
What a lovely blog post about the Boom Site! I was wondering if I could use some of your waterfall and cave images for my work as a freelance editor at Komoot. At Komoot we create hiking/cycling routes all across the US and to visualize the trails we try to find images. Some of your images in this blog post would help our users to get a general idea of what to expect when visiting Boom Site. I will of course credit you by your name and link to this blog post.
Please let me know if you have any questions,
Wilko Koning
Hi Wilko, sure thing, you can use the imgages 🙂 Thanks for checking!