Mostly this is a flatwater destination, but there's plenty of rambunctious whitewater to be found. With much of the lower St. Croix officially designated a National Scenic Riverway, paddlers won't be disturbed by the encroachments of civilization as they float past sandstone banks and thriving hardwood forest. Many rustic campsites along the way make the latter option an enticing possibility. Class I to II whitewater can be had in the upriver from Gordon Dam to the CCC Bridge, or further down between Norway Point to Soderbeck Landing. One to three days Other rivers in the Missouri Ozarks offer better whitewater, but it's usually spring runoff or rain-fed.
Truth be told, summer's reduced flow makes for a lethargic river with many exposed gravel beds.
If you want water that's at all racy, do this river in the spring. The river is spring-fed, so it's cool and clear. The Presque Isle River runs through the isolated Upper Peninsula near and in Porcupine Mountains State Park. It is known as the toughest whitewater river in the Midwest. This is the river to sink into the north woods at their wildest and toughest.