Afton State Park
Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota membership has helped preserve scenic Minnesota places like this beach at Afton State Park.
Gary Alan Nelson
Afton State Park is set in a rolling glacial moraine and bluffland.
Gary Alan Nelson
Remnant prairies at Afton State Park are being expanded and oak savannas are being restored through an aggressive resource management program that makes extensive use of volunteers
Visionaries build parks from scratch – even when the odds are against them. Such is the case of Samuel H. Morgan and the battle for Afton State Park. One of seven founding members of the Minnesota Parks Foundation and longtime president of the Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota, Morgan learned in 1967 that lands with the best beaches on Lake St. Croix in the lower St. Croix River were for sale. At the time, the fledgling Minnesota Parks Foundation (now the Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota) didn't have the funds necessary to negotiate with the landowners who were fast recognizing the tremendous value of their land. To further complicate matters, legislation establishing the park and its boundaries couldn't happen until purchase options for a substantial amount of the proposed park were secured.
Fundraising efforts began in earnest through the Afton Land Company, an entity created by Morgan and others with the sole purpose of soliciting and managing loans and donations for the park. Despite many trials and tribulations, the Afton Land Company managed to purchase or negotiate options on 827 acres valued at $876,000 by the time a bill to create Afton State Park went before the Legislature in 1969. Strong local opposition to the park led to a last-minute legislative battle in which park supporters eventually prevailed. However, even though Afton State Park was legally established in 1969, it didn't officially open to the public until 1982.
With miles of winding trails, topography that varies from deep woodland to sunlit prairie and some of the best beaches along the St. Croix River, Afton State Park is a popular destination for residents of the Twin Cities. Deep ravines that drop 300 feet to the river displaying spectacular outcrops of sandstone cut the park. The rugged terrain also offers spectacular views of the St. Croix River Valley. Visitor amenities include camping areas, picnic areas, interpretive exhibits and trails for hiking and cross-country skiing. The Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota added 70 additional acres to the 1,695-acre Afton State Park in the mid-1990s