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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Recreation

River Safety

As you spend time enjoying the Kinni, please remember safety first. The Kinni has many remote areas that, while beautiful to visit, are not easily accessible by emergency personnel. Please consider the following notes as you enjoy your outing:

  • Study the recreation map to know available entry/exit points. The lower Kinni is a canyon with very few access points.
  • Check river levels by using the U.S. Geological Survey water gauge data found at: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv/
  • Plan sufficient time for your activities. Areas of the river can get dark earlier than expected. Be sure to plan enough time to enjoy your visit during daylight hours.
  • Share your plan for the day with family or friends.
  • Cell phone reception can be difficult in remote areas of the watershed.
  • If canoeing/kayaking, wear a personal flotation device (PFD).

Kinnickinnic River Land Trust Preserves

As part of KRLT’s conservation efforts within the Kinnickinnic River watershed, it owns and manages properties known as preserves. These areas help reduce erosion, clean and protect surface and groundwater, reduce flooding, protect wildlife habitat and rare plant communities, and provide scenic areas.

KRLT also uses the preserves for environmental education activities and for public recreational uses including hiking, fishing, hunting, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, trapping, and wildlife observation.

Each preserve has limits on the recreational activities that are allowed there, so please determine which uses are allowed on the preserve you wish to visit.

Locations:

  • Drewiske Preserve
  • Kelly Creek Preserve
  • Headwaters Preserve
  • The Community Forest 

KRLT – River Access on Private Land

As part of KRLT’s conservation efforts along the Kinnickinnic River, it has secured easements that provide the public use of a portion of the streambank on privately owned properties for fishing, hiking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing and wildlife observation. It is extremely important for people using these areas to respect that they are on private property and understand the limitations of public use on each property, especially boundaries.

Locations:

  • See the recreation map

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Waterfowl Production Areas

WPAs provide habitat for a wide variety of waterfowl, shorebirds, grasslands birds, plants, insects, and wildlife. They also help reduce erosion, clean and protect groundwater, and reduce flooding. WPAs managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also provide ample opportunities for public access and wildlife-dependent recreation such as hiking, hunting, cross country skiing, wildlife observation, and photography.

Locations:

  • www.fws.gov/refuge/St_Croix_WMD/

City, County, and Regional Lands

Within the Kinnickinnic River Watershed, there are various properties owned and managed by town, village, city, and county agencies that allow public recreational opportunities. Most of these properties are parks. Some of the recreational opportunities on these properties include fishing, hiking, picnicking, cross country skiing, hunting, swimming, camping, and biking. Each property has limitations on the recreational activities that are allowed there, so please determine which activities are allowed on the property you wish to visit.

Locations:

  • See the recreation map

Kinnickinnic State Park

The state park was established in 1972. The park is located at the downstream end of the Kinnickinnic River and includes the delta where it flows into the St. Croix River. The delta at the mouth of the Kinnickinnic River constricts the St. Croix River to about one-quarter of its normal width. This constriction causes a substantial increase in the amount of current and keeps this area free from ice. Bald eagles fish in this open water during the winter. Large numbers of waterfowl and other migratory birds use the marshy bottomlands during their fall and spring migrations.

More information:

  • Park website

State Natural Areas (SNA)

State natural areas (SNAs) protect outstanding examples of Wisconsin’s native landscape of natural communities, significant geological formations, and archeological sites. They harbor natural features essentially unaltered by human-caused disturbances or that have recovered substantially from disturbance. Public use of SNAs is available for scientific research and compatible recreation. A permit issued by the DNR is required to conduct studies or collect specimens on SNAs. Natural areas are not appropriate for intensive recreation, but they can accommodate low-impact activities such as hiking, bird watching, and nature study.

More information:

  • http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Lands/naturalareas/

DNR Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs)

Wildlife Management Areas, managed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, provide opportunities and public spaces to hunt, fish, trap, hike, canoe, pick berries, or watch and photograph wildlife. All WMAs are managed to sustain wildlife and natural communities found on the properties and to provide a range of recreational uses. Dog training or trialing (hunting dog competitions) may be allowed by permit. Prohibited activities include: mountain biking, off-road vehicles, and target shooting.

Locations

  • See the recreation map

DNR Fishery Area (FA)

Areas along the Kinnickinnic River and its tributaries are within the DNR’s Kinnickinnic State Fishery Area. Fishery Areas protect, manage, and preserve the river and watershed through land and easement acquisitions. The areas enhance fishing and the production of trout, and provide other compatible recreational and educational activities including hunting, hiking, and cross-country skiing. Prohibited activities include: mountain biking, off-road vehicles, and target shooting.

Locations

  • See the recreation map

DNR – River Access on Private Land

As part of the Kinnickinnic Fishery Area, the DNR has acquired easements along the Kinnickinnic River and its tributaries that provide the public access to a portion of the streambank on privately-owned properties for uses including fishing, hiking, hunting, and cross country skiing. Each easement has specific allowed uses, so be sure to identify which uses are allowed on the easement you plan to visit. It is extremely important for people using these areas to respect that they are on private property and understand the boundaries and limitations of public use on each property.

Locations

  • See the recreation map

Protect The Kinni

2013©Robert W. Chambers

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

Give to KRLT

Kinni River Recreation Map

2013©Robert W. Chambers

See Our  Preserves  »

What’s New

30th Year Kickoff

30th Anniversary Online Auction Kick-off Event

School Forest 1st Trail Development Work Day! 

GoFundMe Accessibility at KRLT

Kinni Kurrents

Latest river conditions:
Gage/camera location is upstream of Highway F.

Live Images:

Stream:

Clarity:

Source: USGS National Water Information System

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Kinnickinnic River Land Trust
Weekend vibes at Kelly Creek Preserve! The cold an Weekend vibes at Kelly Creek Preserve! The cold and clear water from Kelly Creek runs right into the Kinni. This preserve is opening for hiking 365 days a year! For more information on Kelly Creek and other great places to visit along the Kinni, check out the interactive watershed map link in the bio! Your donations make places like these possible!

#nature #conservation #landtrust #kinniriver #discoverwisconsin #riverfalls #driftless #river #wisconsin #greenspaces #keepitwild
Thank you to all who bid on and won items June 13- Thank you to all who bid on and won items June 13-19, 2022, to celebrate our 30th fiscal year anniversary starting this July! KRLT received over $3,000 in proceeds including additional donations during the event! All proceeds will benefit the Kinnickinnic River through KRLT’s activities in conserving, protecting and connecting. Stay tuned for more 30th Year celebration events!

Thank you to our auction winners and donors that helped make this happen! Click the link below to see the full list of businesses and individuals that made this silent event possible!

https://kinniriver.org/news-events/press-releases/30th-anniversary-online-auction-kick-off/
We hope that everyone is enjoying the holiday week We hope that everyone is enjoying the holiday weekend! A reminder that the silent auction ends tonight at 11:00 p.m.! There are still items available such as artwork, items by local businesses, and experiences within the Kinnickinnic River watershed!

A huge thank you to all of the individuals and businesses that donated items for a wonderful cause!

https://www.32auctions.com/kinniriver
It has been almost one month since the prairie bur It has been almost one month since the prairie burn at Kelly Creek Preserve!! 

Prairie burns are an important process that encourage new growth, prevents brush and trees from taking over, and clears build up of dead vegetation. It's incredible to see how quickly nature can rebound! 🌿

#prairie #flowers #nature #conservation #landtrust #kinniriver #discoverwisconsin #riverfalls #driftless #earth #grow #green #mothernature #wisconsin #greenspaces
The silent auction goes live today at 5:00 p.m.!!! The silent auction goes live today at 5:00 p.m.!!! There are 60 items that include guided tours, beer, pet goodies, biking gear, artwork, and much more!!
A huge thank you to all individuals and businesses who donated items for a wonderful cause! 
Click the link in the bio for all the details and link to the auction site!
The 30th Anniversary Silent Auction goes live on M The 30th Anniversary Silent Auction goes live on Monday at 5:00 p.m. and ends on Sunday, June 19th at 11:00 p.m.! Our goal is to reach $10,000, with proceeds being used for continued conservation work on the Kinnickinnic River! Click the link in our bio for a sneak peek at some the items!

#river #conservation #community #wisconsin #landtrust #keepitwild #fly #flyfishing #trout #forest #riverfalls #driftless #discoverwisconsin #birds #bugs #nature #nurture
KRLT is excited to be celebrating 30 years of cons KRLT is excited to be celebrating 30 years of conserving, protecting, and connecting the Kinnickinnic River and its watershed! The work of protecting the Kinnickinnic River has been possible thanks to your support! 

We are kicking off the 30th fiscal year with a silent auction starting June 13th that features wonderful items such as artwork, items by local businesses, and experiences within the Kinnickinnic River watershed! Click the link in our bio for more details!
Have you visited our website recently? It's a grea Have you visited our website recently? It's a great resource for information about the Kinnickinnic River and watershed!

Check out our Visit the Preserves tab on our website for all the fun ways you can enjoy our nature preserves! 🥾🐦🦋🌿
www.kinniriver.org
Trout In The Classroom is an amazing program by Tr Trout In The Classroom is an amazing program by Trout Unlimited that teaches students about trout habitats, conservation, and ecosystems! KRLT joined in on the trout release with KiapTUWish Chapter of Trout Unlimited at Willow River State Park last week. Nothing better than connecting kids to the outdoors!
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