Established in 1975, it is Minnesota’s only national park.
The park protects a 56-mile stretch of the historic water route the canoe men used as they bartered European trade goods for furs supplied by local Ojibwe Indian trappers. The water route became so well established that it eventually served as the basis for the regional boundary between the United States and Canada. Today’s visitors can leave their cars behind to explore the lakes, islands, and forested shores of the park by motorboat, canoe, or kayak to experience it all much as the voyageurs did centuries ago. Voyageurs has three visitor centers: Kabetogama Lake, Ash River, and Rainy Lake—and all offer free public boat launches, boat tours, and ranger-led programs. The park is open year-round but Rainy Lake is the only center that remains open during the winter season to guests who come for ice fishing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing on more than 110 miles of groomed trails. Owing to its remoteness and northern location, Voyageurs is a great place for stargazing and especially for viewing the aurora borealis. It is, in fact, a certified International Dark Sky Park, offering multiple stargazing programs throughout the year. Winter, with its longer periods of darkness, is the best time for viewing the aurora borealis, or northern lights, as they twirl in colorful ribbons across the night sky.
Voyageurs National Park.
While the park is clearly water-oriented, there are several hiking trails originating from the Ash River Visitor Center. The 1.5-mile Sullivan Bay Trail follows an old road through dense boreal forest to a rocky outcrop above Sullivan Bay. Equipped with a picnic table and fire ring, the overlook serves as a good spot for a leisurely lunch. For a longer outing, the Blind Ash Bay Trail is a 3.1-mile loop offering a panoramic view of Kabetogama Lake and its many small islands. For our money, the park’s premier activity is the North Canoe Voyage—an hour-and-a-half long tour that lets you experience the park like its 18th-century namesakes. First, you’ll board a 26-foot canoe—an authentic replica of the old voyageur craft—at either Rainy Lake or Ash River Visitor Center. Then, following a paddling lesson from a costumed and spirited interpretive ranger, you’ll set out for an on-the-water living history experience. As for where to stay in the park, the only permanent lodging is the remote Kettle Falls Hotel, built from native timber in 1910. It’s reached by boat or float plane (from May-September) and requires a three- night minimum stay. Nearly all of the park’s 150 campsites are accessible only by watercraft, whether
Voyageurs National Park.
LONELIEST NATIONAL PARKS
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