GREAT OUTDOORS NATIONAL & STATE PARKS A Beginner’s Guide to Voyageurs National Park By Cody Nelson, photos by Mary Mathis This vast adventure wonderland along the Canadian border is home to 30 pristine lakes and over 500 islands. With Voyageurs celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025, there’s no better time to see Minnesota’s only national park. A serene International Dark Sky Park dominated by lakes, Voyageurs offers adventures on the water and lessons about Native American and Northwoods history. WHEN DID VOYAGEURS BECOME A NATIONAL PARK? Nearly a century ago, the land that's now Voyageurs National Park was on the brink of being fl ooded for the construction of hydroelectric dams. Thanks to conservation efforts led by author Ernest Oberholtzer, the dams were stopped, and Voyageurs wasn’t sentenced to a life underwater. On April 8, 1975, a major chunk of the region was granted National Park status. The parkland has a fascinating history with evidence of human life dating back 10,000 years. The indigenous Ojibwe people, who stewarded the land for centuries, play a major role in the Voyageurs story. WHAT OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES DOES VOYAGEURS OFFER? Experience the beauty of Voyageurs with boating, paddling, fi shing and more. Nightly, catch a violet-pink sun setting over glassy waters while all you hear are loons' calls. No trip is complete without world-class views of the cosmos and the Northern Lights. Voyageurs Outfi tters takes small groups out to a bog near International Falls for late-night stargazing. If you aren’t interested in a formal tour, apps like My Aurora Forecast and SkyView help light the way as you look up. Make sure to stop by the Rainy Lake Visitor Center in International Falls. The center has trails, interpretive exhibits, guided boat tours and an Ethno-botanical Garden that illustrates how the Ojibwe people use native plants like raspberries, milkweed and white pine. Voyageurs National Park houseboat 54 | EXPLORE MINNESOTA .COM
Explore Minnesota Travel Guide 2025 Explore Minnesota Travel Guide: Page 54
