Kinnickinnic River Land Trust

Working with the community to conserve and protect the beauty and health of the Kinnickinnic River and its watershed.

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Get To Know the Kinni

Click here to see our preserves and other public access along the Kinnickinnic and its watershed.

The Kinnickinnic River is home to a wonderful variety of plant communities and species. From goat prairies to balsam fir stands, from weeping cliffs to sedge meadows, this river must not be taken for granted. In my estimation, this combination of plant communities and endangered species is a rare gem and must be conserved. I have seen nothing like it in the Upper Mississippi River Basin.”
– Sara Rogers, National Biological Survey

Known as the “Kinni” by those who enjoy it, the Kinnickinnic River is a spring fed, cold-water stream 22 miles in length surrounded by a picturesque watershed of 174 square miles. It rises north of Interstate 94 in the Town of Warren in St. Croix County, Wisconsin and flows generally southwest through River Falls, until it empties into the St. Croix River, north of Prescott.

Due to its exceptional water quality and self-sustaining, bountiful trout fishery, the Kinni is classified as an Outstanding Resource Water and a Class I Trout Stream. The river is framed by a landscape with memorable views, ranging from gently rolling farmland in the upper watershed to a spectacular limestone bluff canyon on the lower river from River Falls to the confluence with the St. Croix River.

The Kinni and its uplands are also home to a diverse set of unique and exceptional plant and wildlife habitats. Because of its remarkable natural and scenic qualities, area residents and visitors from all over the world form special, lifelong connections with the Kinni and its environs through fishing, kayaking, hiking, birding, hunting and photography.

It is joined by several spring creeks along its course (including Parker Creek, Kelly Creek, South Fork, and Rocky Branch). On a typical day, the Kinni flows at 90 cubic feet of water per second. See real-time data from the U.S. Geological Survey’s river gage.

Its feeder creeks are cold and clean, containing wild native brook trout, important spawning areas, wetlands, and many springs arising from under picturesque limestone outcroppings. The landscape is home to deer, wild turkey, pheasants, rabbits, ducks and other wildlife.

Many public accesses and other lands are available for anglers and others who want to enjoy the river. See the Public Recreation Map (PDF).

 

 

 

Protect the Kinni

2013©Robert W. Chambers

Your contribution helps us keep the Kinni cold, clean, and free ... forever!

Click Here To Donate!

Kinni River Recreation Map

2013©Robert W. Chambers

See Our  Preserves  »

What’s New

Annual Meeting 2023

THOUGH IT CAN’T LAST – A Dialogue between a poet and a photographer.

Land Trust Days

Kinni Kurrents

Latest river conditions:

Click here to view the current Kinnickinnic River gage information!

Stream:

Clarity:

Gage/camera location is upstream of Highway F. Source: USGS National Water Information System

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Get to know staff member, Steve Leonard! Steve i Get to know staff member, Steve Leonard! 

Steve is the Executive Director at Kinnickinnic River Land Trust. Steve has many responsibilities within the Trust and stated, "I listen to people who already have a sense of connection with the Kinni River; it helps me understand their personal passions of why they love the river so much, their concerns of keeping it clean, and what the future might look like. For others who might not have a personal connection to the river, I hope to develop a sense of place, so they too can develop a passion to help us protect the Kinni River, for many generations to come". 

 #wisconsin #phenology #earth #riverfalls #nature #conservation #prairie #landtrust #mothernature #green
Take a walk through the Community Forest 🌲 The Take a walk through the Community Forest 🌲 The Community Forest is a wonderful place to take a walk as the forest is alive with beautiful plants and animals this time of year!
It's Phenology Friday! 🐝 You may have noticed It's Phenology Friday! 🐝

You may have noticed that a buzz has filled the air as our pollinator friends are active again after a long, cold winter. Bee's rely on flowers for nectar and pollen, and these tiny insects pollinate a majority of the crops we, as humans, rely on for food. Native prairie on KRLT preserves host a variety of wildflowers, making the preserves a wonderful haven for the bees, and a great spot for us to catch them in action!

 #bee #wisconsin #riverfalls #conservation #flowers #earth #nature #prairie #landtrust #phenology
Join us tomorrow from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm for Get O Join us tomorrow from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm for Get Outside and Leave No Trace hike at The Community Forest and neighboring City of River Falls trails! 

There are two locations where you can chat with KRLT, @kinnicorridorcollaborative , and the @leavenotraceorg team about ways to leave no trace when enjoying the great outdoors! 1st location is at The Community Forest parking lot off of HWY FF the 2nd location is Trailhead #11 off of River Ridge Road (see map). 

This is a self-guided hike. There will be a light cleanup and nature scavenger hunt for the kiddos! Gloves and garbage bags will be provided. Hope to see you there!
Get to know KRLT staff member, Marty Engel! Marty Get to know KRLT staff member, Marty Engel!

Marty is the Land Stewardship Manager at Kinnickinnic River Land Trust. Marty works with landowners to protect conservation values on their property and helps to facilitate fish, wildlife, and habitat improvement on conservation easements. 

KRLT appreciates all the hard work that Marty does to protect the Kinni!
Let's talk about Kelly Creek! Kelly Creek was pu Let's talk about Kelly Creek! 

Kelly Creek was purchased by the KRLT in 1998 and consists of 70 acres of restored prairie and oak savanna. The Kelly Creek Preserve is a great place to visit to enjoy activities such as hiking, fishing, foraging, and observing wildlife. Make sure to check out the preserve this month as wildflowers begin to bloom! 🌸

 #kinniriver #riverfalls #earth #nature #flowers #discoverwisconsin #wisconsin #conservation #mothernature #green
It's Phenology Friday! 🌸 The May Phenology Rep It's Phenology Friday! 🌸

The May Phenology Report is out now on the KRLT Website. Read through this month's phenology report to discover what ecological changes are occurring during this time of year. Click the link in the bio to check it out!

 #phenology #greenspaces #nature #grow #kinniriver #earth #landtrust #riverfalls #prairie #flowers
Due to the weather, this morning's highway cleanup Due to the weather, this morning's highway cleanup has been canceled. Here's a little sunshine from last summer at Kelly Creek Preserve!
Get to know KRLT staff member, Molly Barritt! Mo Get to know KRLT staff member, Molly Barritt! 

Molly is the Donor and Community Relations Manager at Kinnickinnic River Land Trust. Molly is passionate about conservation and educating our youth on the importance of spending time in nature. 

Pictured is the first trout that Molly caught next to the Community Forest!
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