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General Information
Voyageurs National Park is open year round. Park visitation is highest from May through August when boating, camping, fishing, wildlife-watching and hiking are the main visitor activities. In the fall, canoeists and kayakers can experience the beautiful colors of Voyageurs during a season with less visitors and few insects. From January through March, the park is a primary destination for winter snowmobile vacations.
Water dominates the landscape of Voyageurs National Park; within its boundaries, more than 30 lakes fill glacier-carved rock basins. Four large lakes - Rainy, Kabetogama, Namakan and Sand Point - cover almost 40 percent of the 218,054 acres of Voyageurs, making it one of the few water-dominated parks in the NPS system and the only park unit draining northward to Hudson Bay. Hundreds of rocky islands and a myriad of coves and bays are scattered throughout these large lakes. In the midst of all this water lies the Kabetogama Peninsula, a 75,000 acre roadless land mass. The topography of the peninsula and much of the rest of the park is rugged; rolling hills are interspersed between bogs, beaver ponds, swamps and smaller lakes.
Junior Ranger Programs
If you want to be a Junior Ranger, stop by any one of the Visitor Centers and pick up a Junior Ranger Booklet. Complete the activities and return the booklet to the Visitor Center to show that you have the "stuff" to get a Junior Ranger Badge.
Environmental Educational programs are given by park naturalists at area schools throughout the year. Or schools may choose an in-park educational experience, which includes a trip on the concession-operated tour boat "Sight-Sea-Er" and a hike into a beaver pond. Reservations are required and can be made by calling Park Headquarters.
Ranger Led Programs
During the summer season, naturalists offer interpretive walks, evening programs, children's activities, canoe trips, a junior ranger program and North Canoe Voyages. Schedules of these activities and their locations are available at each of the visitor centers.
| Activities | Area | Day | Time | Cost (Adult / Child) | Description |
| Campfire Program | Woodenfrog Campground Bldg | Sun Tue Thu Sat |
8:00 pm 9:00 pm |
Free | Unravel the mysteries of the northern lake country with a park naturalist. Enjoy Sunday's guest speaker series |
| Kettle Falls Cruise | Kabetogama Lake VC | Sun Tue Thu |
10:30 am 4:30 pm |
$30.00 / $20.00 | Voyage through a maze of rocky pine covered islands to the historic Kettle Falls Hotel. Enjoy the libations at the hotel or bring your own |
| Kids Explore Voyageurs | Woodenfrog Campground Bldg | Sun Sat |
2:00 pm 3:00 pm |
Free | Every afternoon a new activity for kids; learn animal tracks, explore the shallow bay, or discover a national park |
| Morning Canoe Trip | Woodenfrog Campground Bldg | Mon Sat |
9:00 am 11:00 am |
Free | Paddle around Bittersweet Island for a loon's-eye view of Kabetogama Lake. Learn basic canoeing skills. All equipment provided |
| Sunset Wildlife Cruise | Kabetogama Lake VC | Mon Wed Fri |
7:00 pm 9:00 pm |
$12.00 / $8.00 | (6:00 pm - 8:00 pm after 05 Aug) Travel around the islands of Kabetogama Lake. Watch for eagles, loons, and other wildlife. Stop at Ellsworth Rock Gardens to see sculptures |
| Activities | Day | Time | Cost (Adult / Child) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bald Eagle Watch | Tue Wed Fri Sat |
11:00 am 1:00 pm |
$12.75 / $7.00 | 29 Jun - 06 Aug - Explore the world of the bald eagle at an active nest |
| Beaver Pond Hike | Sun Tue |
10:00 am 1:00 pm |
Free | Short canoe trip and hike to explore a beaver pond. Equipment furnished |
| Discovery Cruise | Mon Thu |
1:00 pm 3:30 pm |
$15.75 / $9.00 | Travel among Rainy Lake's scenic islands; see loons and bald eagles in their nests |
| Grand Tour | Sun | 2:00 pm 5:30 pm |
$22.50 / $12.25 | 25 May - 05 Oct - A combination Discovery Cruise and Gold Mine Tour |
| Grand Tour | Wed | 2:00 pm 5:30 pm |
$22.50 / $12.25 | 29 Jun - 16 Aug - A combination Discovery Cruise and Gold Mine Tour |
| Gold Mine Tour | Mon Thu |
11:00 am 12:30 pm |
$10.75 / $6.25 | Explore Little American Island where gold was discovered in 1893 |
| Kettle Falls Trip | Sat | 1:30 pm 9:00 pm |
$35.00 / $21.50 | Follow the Voyageurs' route to the 80-year-old hotel, walk paths trod by commercial fishermen and lumberjacks. Ask about Fall overnights at hotel |
| Kids Explore Voyageurs | Mon Wed |
10:00 am 12:00 pm |
Free | Pokearound a beaver pond, search for critters, explore the woods. Kids 7-12; wear tennis shoes for wading and long pants for hiking |
| Natural Adventures | Tue | 7:00 pm 9:00 pm |
$10.75 / $7.75 | 01 Jul, 15 Jul, 28 Jul, 19 Aug - Enjoy an evening cruise, listen to a naturalist program |
| North Canoe Voyage | Tue Fri Sat |
9:00 am 11:00 am 11:00 am 1:00 pm |
Free | Paddle back into history aboard a 26-foot Voyageurs' North Canoe |
| Starwatch | Tue | 9:30 pm 11:30 pm |
$10.75 / $7.75 | 08 Jul, 22 Jul, 05 Aug, 12 Aug - Cruise to a quiet spot, stop, meet the stars and hear their stories |
| Event | Date |
| Ice Box Days | mid Jan |
| Spring Birders Rendezvous | early Jun |
| Orr Heritage Days | mid Jul |
| Artist in the Park | mid Aug |
| National Park Day | 25 Aug |
| Welcome Autum Rendezvous | end Aug - beg Sep |
Check at the Visitor Centers for exact days.
Winter activities from January through March are:
Regular showings of a short park film and interpretive exhibits at the visitor centers provide an excellent overview of the park's natural and cultural resources. Information on camping and other park recreational uses is also available. Lakes States Interpretive Association has maps, books, tapes, and other interpretive items for sale at each of the visitor centers.
| Visitor Center | Phone | Fax | Open | Close | Days | Time |
| Ash River | 218-374-3221 | mid May | end Sep | Daily | 9:00 am - 5:00 pm | |
| Crane Lake Information Station |
218-993-2481 | Jun | Sep | Weekends | 9:00 am - 5:00 pm | |
| Kabetogama Lake | 218-875-2111 | 218-875-2114 | mid May | end Sep | Daily | 9:00 am - 5:00 pm |
| Rainy Lake | 218-286-5258 | 218-286-5250 | Year round | 9:00 am - 5:00 pm |
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