Meet the St. Croix, Kickapoo, and Bois Brule Rivers

Mar 28, 2019 | Members, Recreation

Recognize these Rivers?

Take a moment to meet some of Wisconsin’s most remarkable rivers. We’ll be sharing images and fun facts in this ongoing “Meet a River” series. Is there a river you’d like to see featured? Email us today at [email protected]

Meet the St. Croix River

The St. Croix River, along with the Namekagon, make up the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, the first Wild & Scenic River National Park in the United States. Before its confluence with the Mississippi River, most of its course follows the Wisconsin-Minnesota border. The St. Croix River Association works to protect, restore, and celebrate this incredible river.

(Photo Credit: Craig Blacklock)

Meet the Kickapoo River

Belonging to one of the oldest river systems in the world, the Kickapoo River is the longest tributary of the Wisconsin River at 125 miles long. Named for an Algonquin word meaning “one who goes there, then here,” the Kickapoo flows north, south, east, and west – in fact, if you drew a straight line from start to finish of this meandering river, it would only be about 65 miles long. We are thankful for the Valley Stewardship Network and all of their efforts to work with farmers and landowners to improve water quality. 

(Photo Credit: Tamara Dean)

Meet the Bois Brule River

Often referred to as the “River of Presidents,” the Bois Brule River has been visited by five US Presidents: Coolidge, Grant, Cleveland, Hoover, and Eisenhower. Calvin Coolidge even maintained a “Summer White House” at Cedar Island Lodge – in 1928, he said, “I think this is going to be a coming region for those who are seeking recreation.”

The upper Bois Brule is calm, spring-fed, and gentle, before the river tumbles and falls over 328 feet of rapids before flowing into Lake Superior.

(Photo by Miles Paddled)