This rustic family cottage, built in the 1930s and full of vintage charm, sits nestled in a grove of white pines, right on the bank of the beautiful St. Croix River. Our portion of the river was the first to be designated a Wild and Scenic River by the federal government in 1972. This halted development on the water; the view of the opposite (Wisconsin) side of the river is of undeveloped forest and river flats laced with sloughs, where eagles, herons, beaver, and other wildlife can be sighted. The house is one of the only properties available for rent on this stretch of the river, and the closest to the water.
Amazingly, this peaceful, rustic gem is less than an hour from the Twin Cities.
Extending toward the river bank is the front porch, which is screened on three sides and offers a view of the river and the pines that tower above. French doors separate this porch from the main living area, which, along with the dining area, is located in one large central room. The sofa is a hide-a-bed. To keep you toasty on cool evenings, there is a Jotul cast-iron wood-burning stove on the elevated brick hearth, and a gas heater in one corner.
One small bedroom opens off the living area (and is one step down); it has two small single beds, suitable for children and not-large adults. Another door opens from this room into the adjacent master bedroom.
Past the dining area is the kitchen, with front loading washer and dryer under the butcher-block counter (there's a clothes-line strung between two trees, as well, with clothes-pins provided). An outdoor gas grill is also at your disposal.
Off the kitchen, and one step down, is a small hallway leading to the three-quarters (shower, no tub) bathroom, master bedroom (with a queen-sized bed), and best of all, a screened sleeping porch, where guests have the feeling that they are really sleeping out in the woods. This porch has two twin beds that can be joined to make a king (king sheets are available for this purpose).
All three bedrooms offer views of the river. As an old cabin, it is furnished eclectically, with simple furniture, including a few unassuming antiques. This house is one of a vanishing breed, a simple, sweet summer place that isn't 'retro' because it's the real thing.
Guests have use of a shared boat landing/swimming area with a dock. (A canoe and two sit-on-top-kayaks are also available for renters' use.) If you have a boat of your own to put in, there is a public boat-launch just upstream from us, and from there you may keep your boat on our shoreline. (Note that we are in a Slow/No Wake zone.)
The St. Croix is wonderful for swimming, fishing, paddling, birdwatching, hanging out on sandbars ... and just relaxing and watching the river glide by.
Although secluded, the house is one mile from a state park with many kilometers of hiking trails; five minutes each from the historic villages of Marine-on-St.-Croix and Scandia (the first Swedish settlement in the U.S.); and twenty minutes each to Stillwater, Taylor's Falls/St. Croix Falls, and Forest Lake, which offer rock-climbing, antique shops, coffee shops, gourmet restaurants, paddlewheel river-boat rides, movies, and more.
Some guests have even commuted to the Twin Cities while staying here! There is no public transportation in the area — you must have a car.
We DO now have serviceable wifi. Though you may wish to thoroughly unplug :)
Well-behaved, mellow, housebroken dogs are welcome, though we ask that you please: Pick up after your dog; Never leave your dog unattended, either inside or outside; Keep your dog off the furniture; Bring your own dog blanket or dog bed. There is often a friendly dog nearby who has been known to wander over to say hello to renters.
If summer doesn't work out for you, consider post-Labor Day; that time of year is beautiful, too, as the leaves begin to change and the river is even quieter. (Please note when renting in cooler months that of the five beds in the house (a queen and four twins), two of the twins, as described above, are on a porch with screens on two sides.)
If you wish to have overnight guests over and beyond our limit of 6 guests, please discuss with us.
This house is strictly non-smoking.
Please note that the low-tech nature of this cabin means that there is no air-conditioning. Its location in the woods and down in the valley means that it is usually cooler than the surrounding area. We supply electric fans, and there are ceiling fans in the kitchen, LR/DR, and queen bedroom. Most people find these, and/or dips in the river, to be ample for their needs.
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