St. Cloud, Mississippi River

As I reach Sartell, I have to give up my current motorboat once again, just as I had in Little Falls, this time to get around Sartell Dam. I let out a small sigh, half frustration, half amusement. This river sure keeps me on my toes. Luckily, a second boat waits below the dam, and soon I’m back on the water, the current nudging me toward St. Cloud. The river narrows, and I feel as if I’m gliding through an open green tunnel. Trees lean over the water in gentle arches, their branches brushing the surface, while the current pushes me steadily forward. Every now and then, a kingfisher flashes past, sharp and bright against the calm green.

Soon, I pass beneath the Bridge of Hope. From above, it looks like any ordinary concrete girder bridge, but from below, it takes on a surprising character. The piers feature pointed arches lined with faux cut stone, giving the structure a hint of Gothic elegance. For a moment, I can almost imagine it as the nave of a cathedral rather than a modern crossing, sunlight filtering through its arches and scattering patterns across the river.

St. Cloud is renowned as a garden city, and approaching it from the Mississippi, I can see why. I glide past Munsinger Gardens first, which began life in 1890 as a sawmill along the river. Joseph Munsinger, the city’s first Park Superintendent, was a visionary who served for 16 years starting in 1930. He oversaw the construction of the Lily Pond and the ‘Chain Link’ Pool, designed flower beds and paths, and established the first greenhouse to nurture the blooms that would bring the gardens to life. As I follow its winding paths beneath tall trees, I catch the sunlight reflecting off the ponds, while clusters of flowers peek out from shaded corners.

Adjacent to Munsinger, Clemens Gardens offers a newer, more formal counterpart. Developed in the 1990s, it features structured pathways, themed sections, and elaborate fountains. Among its highlights is a rose garden with over 1,000 roses, including hybrid teas, floribundas, and shrub and tree roses. The White Garden was inspired by classic European designs, featuring a long trellis-arbour stretching beneath dappled light. More recently, a modern greenhouse opened, providing a space where tropical and non-hardy plants could thrive. By 2017, over 75,000 plants were cultivated for the two gardens, and at their peak, nearly 100,000 flowers bloom, creating a riot of colour from spring through summer.

I pull the boat a little closer to the riverbank and watch visitors wander in and out, some with cameras, others just walking slowly, hands clasped behind their backs. I feel a pull to do the same, but for now, I’m content on the water, letting the gardens pass by as I eagerly await my arrival in Minneapolis.