5 min · 3.8 mi
Center City
Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation's Center City campus. The county lists the foundation among its largest employers, with 799 employees.
Source: Chisago County, Transportation and Employers (undated county PDF). All sources
Field guide · Chisago County
How far isShafer, really?
About 7 minutes to Lindstrom and Taylors Falls, 21 to Forest Lake and I-35, and about an hour to downtown St. Paul or Minneapolis. Shafer sits on U.S. Highway 8, between the Chisago lakes and the St. Croix River gorge, and the Chisago Lakes Visitors Bureau counts it among the area's towns.
Sources: Drive times: OSRM routing from the Shafer Terrace entrance, free-flow (no traffic); Chisago Lakes Visitors Bureau, home page (the towns of the Chisago Lakes area). All sources
Drive minutes from the entrance
Where Shafer sits in the county.
Every town people ask about, placed at its drive time from the Shafer Terrace entrance. Redfield Court is next door, so the drives are the same from there.
- Here Shafer Terrace + Redfield Court
- 5 min Center City
- 7 min LindstromTaylors Falls
- 10 min St. Croix Falls, WIChisago City
- 21 min Forest Lake + I-35
- 23 min Wyoming
- 25 min North Branch
- 38 min Stillwater
- ~1 hr Downtown St. Paul + Minneapolis
Town by town
What's at each stop
7 min · 5.4 mi
Lindstrom
Kichisaga Park, one of two access points for the Chisago Lakes Water Trail. The mobile home parks in Lindstrom.
7 min · 5.7 mi
Taylors Falls
The end of the paved Swedish Immigrant Trail stretch from Shafer, and the way to Interstate State Park.
Sources: TrailLink, Swedish Immigrant Regional Trail (6.7-mile segment); MNopedia, Interstate State Park. All sources
10 min · 6.8 mi
St. Croix Falls, WI
Headquarters of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, run by the National Park Service.
Source: National Park Service, St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. All sources
10 min · 8.0 mi
Chisago City
Ojiketa Park, the water trail's other access point.
21 min · 16.3 mi
Forest Lake and I-35
The interstate south to the metro. RentCafe's average for a 2-bedroom apartment in Forest Lake is $1,602 a month. Every mobile home park near Forest Lake, compared.
Source: RentCafe, Forest Lake, MN average rent (updated June 2, 2026). All sources
23 min · 14.7 mi
Wyoming
M Health Fairview Lakes, the largest employer on the county list, with 1,117 employees.
Source: Chisago County, Transportation and Employers (undated county PDF). All sources
25 min · 17.2 mi
North Branch
RentCafe's average for a 3-bedroom apartment in North Branch is $1,277 a month.
Source: RentCafe, North Branch, MN average rent (updated June 2, 2026). All sources
38 min · 26.5 mi
Stillwater
South down the St. Croix valley.
about 60 min · 43.5 mi
Downtown St. Paul or Minneapolis
About an hour either way. If you commute downtown, plan on rush hour running longer.
The ten-minute map
Trail, gorge and river.
Mileage log
From the Shafer Terrace entrance. Free-flow estimates; rush hour runs longer.
| To | Miles | Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| Center City | 3.8 | 5 |
| Interstate State Park | 4.7 | 6 |
| Taylors Falls | 5.7 | 7 |
| Lindstrom | 5.4 | 7 |
| Franconia Sculpture Park | 3.8 | 8 |
| St. Croix Falls, WI | 6.8 | 10 |
| Chisago City | 8.0 | 10 |
| Forest Lake and I-35 | 16.3 | 21 |
| Wyoming (Fairview Lakes hospital) | 14.7 | 23 |
| Wild Mountain | 12.8 | 25 |
| North Branch | 17.2 | 25 |
| Stillwater | 26.5 | 38 |
| Downtown St. Paul | 43.5 | about 60 |
| Downtown Minneapolis | 46.4 | about 60 |
Source: Drive times: OSRM routing from the Shafer Terrace entrance, free-flow (no traffic). All sources
The honest commute
Downtown St. Paul or Minneapolis is about an hour. If you work in the north metro, Forest Lake and I-35 are about 20 minutes, and some of the county's biggest employers are closer than that. Comparing places to live? Compare every mobile home park near Forest Lake. The mobile home parks in Lindstrom, 7 minutes west, have their own page.
What's out there
Two trailheads in Shafer
Swedish Immigrant Regional Trail
A 20-mile planned multi-use trail. The Shafer trailheads are at 30320 Redwing Ave and 30269 Tern Ave, and the open paved stretch, about 6.7 miles, runs from Shafer to Taylors Falls.
Sources: Chisago County, Swedish Immigrant Regional Trail; TrailLink, Swedish Immigrant Regional Trail (6.7-mile segment). All sources
About 6 minutes
Interstate State Park
Created in 1895, the second-oldest state park in Minnesota and the first U.S. park located in two states. More than 200 glacial potholes, including the 60-foot "Bottomless Pit."
About 8 minutes
Franconia Sculpture Park
Free and open 365 days a year, 8am to 8pm, with a monthly art and farmers market.
Source: Franconia Sculpture Park. All sources
About 10 minutes to headquarters
St. Croix National Scenic Riverway
The St. Croix and Namekagon rivers together give more than 200 miles of protected water. Riverway headquarters is in St. Croix Falls.
Source: National Park Service, St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. All sources
West of town
Chisago Lakes Water Trail
A canoe and kayak loop across the Chisago lakes, with portages and campsites. Access at Ojiketa Park in Chisago City and Kichisaga Park in Lindstrom.
About 25 minutes
Wild Mountain
Ski and snowboard area north of Taylors Falls.
Source: Wild Mountain. All sources
Walking distance
Dinner and gas
The listing agent for one home in Shafer Terrace counted two restaurant/bar establishments and a gas station within walking distance. Ask George which are open now.
Source: Coldwell Banker listing, a home in Shafer Terrace (sold 2026-02-20). All sources
Public schools
Chisago Lakes School District
Shafer Terrace and Redfield Court are both inside Chisago Lakes School District, ISD 2144. Its elementary schools are in Chisago City and Taylors Falls, and its middle and high schools are in Lindstrom.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Geocoder, unified school district at each community's entrance (Chisago Lakes School District); Chisago Lakes School District (ISD 2144), About us. All sources
Work nearby
Largest employers in Chisago County
- M Health Fairview Lakes1,117
- Polaris861
- Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation799
- Chisago Lakes schools (ISD 2144)779
- Rosenbauer MN510
- Chisago County503
Employee counts from the county's list. The list is undated.
Source: Chisago County, Transportation and Employers (undated county PDF). All sources
Like thelook of it?
Both communities stay close to full. Join the list and George reaches out when a home or home site opens. Joining isn't an application. Want the money side first? How lot rent works in Minnesota.