Visiting Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota

Voyageurs National Park is a United States National Park that is located in the beautiful state of Minnesota. The park was established in 1975 and is known for its water resources that are popular with fishermen, boaters, campers and hikers. The Kabetogama Peninsula, which lies entirely within the park and makes up most of its land area, is accessible only by boat.

The park is open year-round and offers something different depending on the season. During the warmer months visitors can enjoy boating, swimming, camping, fishing and hiking. During the colder months visitors can enjoy snowmobiling, ice fishing, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, sledding and ice skating in certain areas.

Around the park you'll find 3 visitor centers and we recommend that you start your visit there if you're new to the area. We visited the Kabetogama Lake Visitor's Center during our trip where we obtained a map and information on the area.

* Ash River - open seasonally, May through September
* Kabetogama Lake - open seasonally, May through September
* Rainy Lake - open year round

International Falls in Minnesota is the largest city near the park. Unlike other parks, Voyageurs National Park is mainly accessible via boat. You'll need to bring along your own boat, rent one while there or sign-up for a guided boat tour by park rangers.

You'll find campsites that are managed by the National Park Service throughout the park and in designated areas. If you're staying along the periphery of the park you'll find privately owned campsites and cabins that can be rented by visitors. What we found to be really cool is that there are houseboat campsites within the park...so bring along your houseboat or rent one while there. That would make for really cool overnight accommodations.

Visitors can explore the park by kayak, canoe, houseboat, rowboat and by motorboat. The park has rental boats available to visitors or if you prefer...you can try out one of the ranger-led boat tours or a boat shuttle service that will take you to the interior portion of the park.

Activities that you can enjoy while visiting include hiking, walking trails, swimming, boating and fishing. If you enjoy fishing you'll find northern pike, crappies, walleye, bass, trout, lake whitefish and other species. If you enjoy hiking you'll find 50+ miles of walking trails throughout the area. Some of the trails are located on the mainland while others transverse the peninsula. Anytime you go out hiking, fishing or boating, let someone know where you're going and when you're expected to return...for safety reasons. If you don't return in a reasonable amount of time...they can alert authorities and send help.

Our family spent 3 nights and 4 days exploring Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota and had a really nice time. It's a great park to get out within nature, get fresh air and frankly...just enjoy being together as a family. It's the perfect vacation destination for those who enjoy being out in the wilderness and being near a beautiful water source. You can learn more by visiting the Voyageurs National Park website.