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Major city · United States

AftonAfton, Minnesota

Go for one day from Saint Paul or Minneapolis: Afton State Park trails plus a ski or tubing session in winter. Skip it as an overnight base.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Afton is a small Saint Croix River town of about 2,900 people, 9 mi (14 km) east of Saint Paul on I-94 then south on Highway 95. It holds one real destination, Afton State Park, plus a ski hill and a 1913 ice-cream parlour. There is almost no public transit and few beds, so most visitors come for a day and sleep in the Twin Cities.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
May–Oct for trails; Dec–Mar for skiing and tubing
avoid Jan–Feb cold snaps (below −20 °C (−4 °F)); muddy March thaws
Airport
MSP
Nights
1
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Afton911 ▾

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Afton, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$3–6
  • Sit-down mealSit-down dinnerBefore tax and 18–22% tip.$20–40
  • BeerBeer or glass of wine$6–12
  • Budget bedAfton State Park campsite, a night, per roomUS$20
  • Mid-range bedAfton House Inn room, a night, per roomUS$190
  • High-end bedAfton House Inn room, a night, per roomUS$280

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$45 · Mid US$100 · High US$200

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Afton State ParkAfton Alps ski and tubing hillSelma's Ice Cream Parlour (since 1913)Saint Croix River valley
Airports
MSP Minneapolis–Saint Paul International (About 30–40 min by car to Afton via I-494 and I-94; no direct transit link)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Care

    −4°C (25°F)

  2. Feb

    Care

    −1°C (30°F)

  3. Mar

    Care

    6°C (43°F)

  4. Apr

    not flagged

    14°C (57°F)

  5. May

    Best

    21°C (70°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    26°C (79°F)

  7. Jul

    Best

    28°C (82°F)

  8. Aug

    Best

    27°C (81°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    22°C (72°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    14°C (57°F)

  11. Nov

    not flagged

    5°C (41°F)

  12. Dec

    Best

    −2°C (28°F)

Best: May–Oct, Dec. Mixed: Jan–Mar. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (28°C (82°F)), coolest Jan (−14°C (7°F) low), wettest May (11 rain days), driest Feb (6). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Afton: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−4°C (25°F)

−14°C (7°F)

7 rd

Feb

−1°C (30°F)

−11°C (12°F)

6 rd

Mar

6°C (43°F)

−4°C (25°F)

8 rd

Apr

14°C (57°F)

3°C (37°F)

10 rd

May

21°C (70°F)

9°C (48°F)

11 rd

Jun

26°C (79°F)

14°C (57°F)

11 rd

Jul

28°C (82°F)

17°C (63°F)

10 rd

Aug

27°C (81°F)

16°C (61°F)

9 rd

Sep

22°C (72°F)

11°C (52°F)

9 rd

Oct

14°C (57°F)

4°C (39°F)

8 rd

Nov

5°C (41°F)

−3°C (27°F)

7 rd

Dec

−2°C (28°F)

−11°C (12°F)

8 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is effectively required: no useful bus service reaches the park or the ski hill. Downtown Afton is walkable in 10 minutes. The state park entrance is about 3 mi (5 km) east of the village on County Road 20, and Afton Alps is on Peller Avenue South.

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Afton State Park

go

Door to door: About 20 min from the village

Car via Highway 95 south and County Road 20 east

About 1,700 acres of bluff and river trails; vehicle permit required.

Afton Alps

go

Door to door: About 10 min from the village

Car via Highway 95 and County Road 20 to Peller Avenue South

Ski and tubing hill; check snow conditions and hours before driving out.

Stillwater, Minnesota

go

Door to door: About 20 min

Car north on Highway 95

Riverfront main street, food and drink; pairs well with an Afton morning.

Saint Paul

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Car via County Road 20 and I-94 west

The nearest big-city museums, food and transit hub.

Minneapolisgo

Door to door: About 40 min

Car via I-94 west

Adds 10–15 min over Saint Paul; do it off-peak.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Afton village (St. Croix Trail S)

Afton House Inn and a handful of rooms; walk to the parlour and the river. Book far ahead.

Woodbury or Stillwater

15–25 min by car, far more beds and restaurants; the practical base for a park day.

Saint Paul or Minneapolis

30–45 min by car; best if Afton is one stop in a Twin Cities trip.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$40–70 excl. bed
Mid
$80–140 excl. bed
High
$160+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Chain hotel in Woodbury or Stillwater1 × 1 night × US$140US$140
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$100US$200
Afton State Park daily vehicle permit1 × US$7 · checkUS$7
Afton Alps lift ticket, one day2 × US$60 · check; tubing priced separatelyUS$120
Rideshare, Saint Paul to Afton, one way1 × US$40 · checkUS$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$51
Trip total≈ US$279 per person per day, bed includedUS$558

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$3–6
Ice-cream cone at Selma's$4–8
Casual lunch$12–20
Sit-down dinnerBefore tax and 18–22% tip.$20–40
Beer or glass of wine$6–12
Afton State Park daily vehicle permit$7 (check)
Rideshare, Saint Paul to Afton$30–50 (check)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Very low violent crime. The real risks are deer on dark roads, winter ice on the bluffs and river currents: stay on marked trails and never swim the Saint Croix without a life jacket.
  • Deer on the roads after dark: drive slowly on Highway 95 and County Road 20.
  • Afton State Park charges a daily vehicle permit; buy it at the entrance or online before you arrive.
  • Ski and tubing sessions sell out on winter weekends and holidays: reserve ahead.
  • Cell coverage is patchy in the river valley below the bluffs.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Afton State Park office
+1 651-436-5391
Poison control
1-800-222-1222

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

AftonAfton, Minnesota

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Afton State Park office+1 651-436-5391

Embassy

No embassies in Afton; consulates sit in Minneapolis and Chicago, embassies in Washington, DC.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Rideshare Saint Paul → Afton: $30–50, about 30 min (check)
  • Afton State Park vehicle permit: about $7 a day (check)
  • Afton Alps lift ticket: about $60 a day (check)

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Where is the trailhead? — Where is the trailhead?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?

Tipping: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Afton. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Oct for trails; Dec–Mar for skiing and tubing · avoid Jan–Feb cold snaps (below −20 °C); muddy March thaws · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for MSP: drive times field-checked, rideshare fallback, late-arrival rung.
  2. Walking cluster for the village: parlour, gardens, inn, river landing.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (state park, Afton Alps, Selma's) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Winter and hostile-weather fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources