Hudson · US

Willow River State Park

Just five miles northeast of Hudson, Wisconsin—and barely half an hour from the Twin Cities—Willow River State Park wraps 2,800-plus acres of rolling countryside around one of the most dramatic natural features in the upper Midwest: Willow Falls, a 45-foot cascade that tumbles over three sloping ledges into a deep, rugged gorge. For a state park this easy to reach, the sense of wildness is surprising. The gorge was carved over some 500 million years, and the park's nature center is the best place to grasp that timeline before you head down to the water. Beyond the falls, the park balances two very different kinds of fun. There is a sandy swimming beach, a boat launch and paddling waters on Little Falls Lake for hot summer afternoons, and miles of scenic trails running through prairie remnants, hardwood forest and wetland for everyone else. Add family and group campgrounds, lakeside picnic areas and a calendar of seasonal events, and it becomes clear why this is consistently one of Wisconsin's busiest state parks.