Things to Do in Taylors Falls, Minnesota

This is the reason to come. The park straddles the Dalles of the St. Croix, a gorge cut through at least ten ancient lava flows, and its Glacial Gardens hold more than 80 potholes drilled by swirling meltwater. One, the Bottomless Pit, is 60 feet deep, the deepest explored pothole in the world. The stone restrooms, shelters and 1939 refectory, now the visitor center, were built by the CCC and WPA and are on the National Register.

★ Good to know Short on time? Park at the visitor center and walk the Glacial Potholes Area, which the DNR says fits in an hour. A state park vehicle permit is required.

In 1906, 17-year-old Carl Muller started taking visitors through the Dalles in an eight-passenger powerboat called the Pinafore. His family still runs the tours, now on paddlewheel boats, with narration on the river’s history and rock formations.

★ Good to know The boats are dog friendly, and the family also books private charters; check the cruise schedule before you go.

The same family has rented canoes here since 1910, when Carl Muller built his own. The canoe base sits inside the Minnesota side of Interstate State Park, and the classic trip is a one-way paddle downriver with a shuttle back.

★ Good to know The William O’Brien Express runs Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day: you park at William O’Brien State Park, shuttle up, and paddle back to your car.

Lumber baron W.H.C. Folsom built this Greek Revival house in 1854, and it still holds the family’s own belongings, including a grand piano and his library. It sits in the Angel’s Hill Historic District, a New England-style village of white frame houses above downtown. Taylors Falls also claims Minnesota’s oldest public schoolhouse, built in 1852.

★ Good to know Admission is free, and guided tours run on weekend afternoons from late May to mid-October.

Wild Mountain, run alongside the boat and canoe business, is a ski and snowboard hill in winter and a waterpark in summer. Its Arctic Rush alpine slides run 1,700 feet down the hill through 21 banked corners, and the chairlift up has views over the St. Croix valley. There are go-karts too.

★ Good to know Solo alpine slide drivers must be at least 8 years old and 48 inches tall; smaller kids can ride with an adult.

The Drive In has served Taylors Falls since 1956. Carhops in poodle skirts bring hand-packed burgers and homemade root beer in a 1950s setting.

★ Good to know It’s a warm-weather spot, so check its hours before you plan a visit around it.

In nearby Shafer, Franconia spreads more than 100 large outdoor sculptures across 50 acres of prairie. The grounds are open 365 days a year, and admission is free, with donations welcome.

★ Good to know Leashed dogs are welcome on the grounds, and the Franconia Commons building has a gallery, gift shop and restrooms.

Across the river on Highway 8 in St. Croix Falls, this family-owned wildlife education park has welcomed visitors since 1963. It’s a slow-paced, hands-on stop, best known for its deer yard.

★ Good to know It pairs well with a morning at Interstate State Park, since you cross the same bridge to get there.