Overview:
Voyageurs National Park is a water-based park where you must park your car and take to the water to fully experience the lakes, islands, and shorelines of the park. Today, motorboats, houseboats, canoes and kayaks are all used here.
Voyageurs National Park is located in northern Minnesota. The park is a mosaic of land and water, an environment of great beauty, exceptional natural and cultural resources and abundant recreational opportunities.
The park’s complex system of waterways includes an important segment of the transcontinental highway traversed by French-Canadian voyageurs during the late 1700s and early 1800s. Visitors must park their car and take to the water to fully experience the lakes, islands, and shorelines of the park. Today, motorboats, houseboats, canoes, and kayaks are all used here.
Voyageurs is a place where the southern tip of the Boreal forest meets and mixes with the northern edge of the hardwood forest. The area is comprised of fire-dependent forests, hardwood forests, peat lands, fens, marshes, rocky outcrops and lakeshore environments. Pine, spruce, fir, aspen, and birch trees are the most common types of trees in the park. Throughout the forests, visitors can see Eastern timber wolves, bald eagles, moose and black bears.
Many scenic and naturalist-led tours are offered at Voyageurs. Visitors enjoy learning about the cultural and natural history of the area on tours ranging from a short, 1.5 hours to a full-day, 6.5-hour cruise.
Keep Voyageurs National Park beautiful for future generations
Voyageurs National Park Association (VNPA) is the park’s nonprofit partner representing a community of people who care about the ongoing stewardship of Voyageurs National Park. VNPA’s mission is to connect people to Voyageurs, enhance the visitor experience, and protect the park for present and future generations. Become a member today, visit their website or Facebook to learn more about projects and upcoming events, or sign up for their e-newsletter.
Gallery
Directions
To Rainy Lake Visitor Center: From International Falls, MN, take Highway 11 East for 11 miles to the Rainy Lake Visitor Center entrance road. Turn right onto the entrance road and travel another 1.5 miles to the visitor center and parking lot. Walk 1/4 mile to the visitor center and tour boat.
To Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center: From Duluth, MN, take Highway 53 north from about 2.5 hours to County Road 122. Take a right on County road 122 and travel 2.5 miles to the visitor center and tour boat.
To Ash River Visitor Center: From Duluth, MN, take Highway 53 North for about 2.5 hours to the Ash Trail Road. Take the Ash Trail Road 10 miles to the Ash River Visitor Center entrance road. Follow the entrance road 3 mile to the visitor center. Walk 1/4 mile to the visitor center and tour boat.
Ash River Visitor Center: 218-374-3221
Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center: 218-875-2111
Rainy Lake Visitor Center: 218-286-5258
GPS Coordinates
Latitude 48° 35′ 3.9998″ N
Longitude 93° 9′ 42.0001″ W