Note: St. Croix 360 will publish a more detailed report on this plan next week.
The National Park Service invites public participation in the final draft of the Comprehensive River Management Plan for the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.
This draft plan outlines the long-term management approach for protecting and enhancing the outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values that led to the riverway’s designation as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers system and one of America’s 430+ parks in the National Park Service. Once finalized, the plan will guide NPS decision-making on lands it manages within the riverway.
Over the course of this multi-year planning process, the NPS has engaged the public through two previous rounds of outreach. In summer 2023 and fall 2024, riverway staff hosted nine public engagement sessions across the region. Each session included presentations on the planning process, followed by opportunities for attendees to speak directly with NPS staff, ask questions, and share feedback. Comments were also accepted online.
The current comment period marks the third and final opportunity for public input. At this stage, the focus is on reviewing a detailed 146-page draft document. The National Park Service encourages the public to read the full draft online and share their feedback through the official comment portal. This is a key opportunity to provide input directly on the proposed content before the plan is finalized.
Comments can be submitted online at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/sacnriverplan from January 20-February 21, 2026. While online comments are preferred, written comments may also be mailed to:
St. Croix National Scenic Riverway
Attn: Superintendent
401 N. Hamilton Street
St. Croix Falls, WI 54024
Additional information can be found at the “Comprehensive River Management Plan” link on https://www.nps.gov/sacn or by calling the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway Headquarters at 715-483-2274.
The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, a unit of the National Park System, was established by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1968. It is one of a group of eight rivers in the country which first received this recognition. For over 200 miles, the St. Croix and its tributary, the Namekagon, flow through some of the most scenic and least developed country in the Upper Midwest.
Comment