Minnesota's Once-Thriving Lake Has Dried Up, Leaving State Park Visitors With Fewer Options

Due to a variety of factors, including climate change and mining, lakes are drying up around the world. But one body of water in Minnesota has dried up for a different and very specific reason. A mechanical failure led to devastation at the once-thriving Lake Alice, a highlight of William O'Brien State Park – and until the problem is fixed, visitors have fewer options for enjoying the recreational space in Marine on St Croix, which serves as a popular getaway from the Twin Cities. 

The incident occurred last summer inside a berm (a manmade mound or ridge used in construction and landscaping) that's long been in place to separate the lake from the St. Croix River. A faulty valve inside the water control structure caused the lake to drain almost entirely, casting a plethora of gasping fish — the lake was stocked with walleye, bluegill, crappie, white bass, northern pike, and yellow perch — onto dry land. 

Bystanders attempted to save some of the fish, The Minnesota Star Tribune reported in August 2025. But the event was a blow to wildlife and outdoor enthusiasts alike: Lake Alice, previously nine feet deep, has been closed for recreation ever since, its swimming beach unusable. "Lake Alice is more like Mud Pit Alice these days," wrote a journalist for the same newspaper in May 2026. "This looks like a weird dream," wrote another visitor on Google Reviews, who described her "utter disappointment" at the sight of the lake. 

So what's the plan for Lake Alice's recovery, and what's left at William O'Brien State Park for visitors to enjoy? After months of deliberation on how to proceed, repairs of the water control system are underway, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. But they're expected to last through fall 2027. While the project is being carried out, Lake Alice's beach, fishing pier, and canoe and kayak launch will remain closed, per the DNR.

Luckily, the park still has a good number of offerings for visitors. There's hiking on the nearby Riverside Trail, an accessible 1.5-mile loop that originates at the picnic area. You can bike, snowshoe, or cross-country ski on a larger network of trails that criss-cross the park. Nearby, you can fish, boat, or kayak on the St. Croix River, and one local outfitter, Taylors Falls Canoe & Kayak Rental, offers excursions departing from the park. Participants leave their cars at the state park, then ride a scheduled shuttle to a boat launch upstream in Taylors Falls, a charming town on the St. Croix River. The 17-mile trip takes five to seven hours to complete, and tickets ($69 per single kayak) include equipment rental.

The park is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the day-use fee is $7 per vehicle. On-site camping is available seasonally (sites from $25, plus tax and fee), as are camper cabins, a few of which stay open in winter (from $90 per night, plus tax and fee). Reservations can be made online. William O'Brien State Park is about an hour by car from Minneapolis and its famously friendly mega airport. Whether you're day-tripping or planning a camping trip, you can bring picnic supplies from the Twin Cities or stop at a grocery store like Hy-Vee in Oakdale, MN, along the route.