St. Croix Falls is a recreational hub in western Polk County. Wisconsin’s first state park, Interstate State Park, is located on the edge of town. The Ice Age Trail Interpretive Center, located in the park, is the western terminus of this scenic hiking trail that traces 1,000 miles of Wisconsin’s glacial legacy. The town also houses the headquarters and new visitors’ center of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway offering 255 miles of clear water paddling through a lush green landscape. Canoe, kayak and camp amid the Northwoods; or boat and fish surrounded by wooded bluffs and historic towns. Recreational bikers love Polk County. The southern trailhead of the 98-mile Gandy Dancer Trail is located in St. Croix Falls. One-third of this popular railbed trail runs north through Polk County. To the east, the Cattail Trail is another rail-trail conversion running 18 miles from Amery to Almena. Balsam Lake is the county seat. The town is surrounded by dozens of area lakes, including 2,000-acre Balsam Lake, renowned for its splendid bass fishing. The Polk County Museum, operated by the county historical society, is housed in the old county courthouse. Along the river a few miles south of St. Croix Falls, the picturesque town of Osceola features an historic downtown district that includes a waterfall - Cascade Falls. For railroad buffs, the Osceola and St. Croix Railway offers summer excursions from the city’s restored 1916 Soo Line depot. For more information about Polk County, call 800/222-7655 or visit polkcountytourism.com.