One of my favorite things about life in the Badger State is that we get to enjoy all four seasons. And as wonderful as summer is, there may be no better season than autumn, because there are so many things to do in Wisconsin in fall. Of course, one of my favorite things to do is to get out in nature, hop on a trail, and find the state's best fall colors. I think an awesome place to bathe in the beauty of our state's fall foliage is Interstate State Park, which is not only a beautiful spot in its own right, it shares part of its landscape with two incredible National Park Service units.

Interstate State Park - Wisconsin's oldest - is perched on the banks of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, between the small towns of Dresser and St. Croix Falls along the Minnesota border. A National Park Service unit, the riverway includes the length of the St. Croix River upstream of Stillwater, Minnesota, as well as much of the Namekagon River in Wisconsin. With the exception of a few small river towns, the St. Croix and Namekagon are mostly wild and undeveloped. In addition to NPS campsites and facilities, you'll find several parks along the banks of the rivers, including Interstate. In these stretches, the land along the rivers is jointly managed by NPS and the state or local land manager, like the Wisconsin DNR.

This makes Interstate a wonderful park for enjoying fall foliage, because you'll not only be able to immerse yourself in the trees, lakeshore, and forested trails in the park, you can take in all the splendor of autumn on both sides of the river valley.

The park's trees are mostly hardwoods, like maples and oaks, which means you'll be treated to bright, blazing colors in the autumn. I think the 1.5-mile Summit Rock, River Bluff, and Echo Canyon Loop is the best trail for enjoying the foliage. It's an easy, relatively level footpath that includes stretches of forested trail along the shore of Lake O' the Dalles, as well as the river bluffs.

You can also hike a stretch of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, which is also a NPS unit, in the park. Its western terminus is located on a bluff above the St. Croix River.

Whether you live in western Wisconsin or are looking for a fall foliage day trip in the the Badger State, you won't go wrong with Interstate State Park as a destination. If you want to stay in the park, its two campgrounds have 82 sites. Visit the park on the web for more information or to make reservations. If camping's not in the plans, the Dalles House Motel is nearby. AllTrails Plus is a great source for hiking maps and trail info.

Have you visited Interstate State Park in the autumn? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to share your favorite places to see fall foliage in Wisconsin.