French-Canadian Fur Traders Paddled These Same Waterways 250 Years Before It Became a National Park

Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Up in Minnesota’s northern edge sits a national park unlike any other.

Voyageurs is a maze of lakes where boats are the only way to get around. Summer brings endless days of fishing and island camping, while winter turns lakes into snowy roads.

Here are the top things to do at this Minnesota National Park.

This Outdoor Gem is All About the Water

This Minnesota gem requires you to ditch your car and hit the water, just like the French-Canadian fur traders who gave the park its name.

They paddled these same routes so regularly that after the American Revolution, their water highways literally became the US-Canada border.

Launch from one of three main spots – Namakan, Kabetogama, or Rainy lakes – and navigate 650+ miles of shoreline dotted with over 500 islands.

Take Your Chance at the Elusive Shoepack Muskie

The big four lakes (Rainy, Namakan, Kabetogama, and Sand Point) teem with walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, and crappie, while the smaller interior lakes hide largemouth, lake trout, and panfish.

But the holy grail? The Shoepack strain of muskellunge, a distinct genetic variant that exists only in Shoepack and Root lakes.

Just remember to grab your Minnesota fishing license first.

Witness Meteor Showers And Northern Lights

With minimal light pollution, the night skies here deliver jaw-dropping views of the Milky Way that city dwellers can only dream about.

Head to the Upper Parking Lot by Rainy Lake Visitor Center or the Rainy Lake Fishing Pier for front-row seats to nature’s light show.

Visit between fall and spring for your best shot at catching the Northern Lights dancing across the horizon in electric greens, purples, and reds.

The park’s commitment to dark skies isn’t just talk – they measure a stellar 21.45 on the Sky Quality Meter (22.0 is perfect darkness) and have converted 87% of their lighting to dark-sky friendly fixtures to protect both the views and nocturnal wildlife.

Walk On Some Of Earth’s Oldest Bedrock

These pre-dinosaur bedrocks were later carved by glaciers into the lakes and streams you see today. Most of the park’s 50+ miles of trails require a boat to reach, especially those crisscrossing the Kabetogama Peninsula.

The extra effort pays off at spots like Anderson Bay Trail, where 80-foot bluffs deliver stunning views over Rainy Lake that few visitors ever experience.

Wildlife enthusiasts should prioritize Gold Portage Trail, your best bet for spotting moose, black bears, beavers, and maybe even wolves.

For a longer adventure, the Cruiser Lake Trail system connects multiple small lakes through diverse forest habitats in the roadless backcountry.

Spend Time at The Historic Kettle Falls Hotel

Built in 1910 by timber baron Ed Rose, this National Register landmark has hosted fishermen, lumberjacks, dam workers, and yes, Prohibition-era bootleggers for over a century.

It’s also one of those quirky geography spots where you can stand in the continental US and look south into Canada.

Today, you can rent boats right from the hotel dock – 25 hp motorboats, canoes, and kayaks are available for guests wanting to explore the surrounding lakes.

Try to Spot Minnesota Wolves

This remote northern forest created a perfect refuge that’s made it the only national park in the lower 48 states with an unbroken wolf lineage.

In winter, fresh snow reveals wolf tracks crossing frozen lakes between islands as packs hunt for prey. Though actually seeing one remains a rare treat, hearing their haunting howls near the Kabetogama Peninsula happens more frequently.

Frozen Lakes Transform Into an Icy Playground

When winter locks Voyageurs under ice, the fun doesn’t stop. It just changes gears.

The lakes freeze into natural highways for snowmobiles, opening up areas you simply can’t reach in summer through a network of 110 miles of groomed trails.

The Rainy Lake Trail stretches 28 miles from the visitor center to Kettle Falls, hugging the northern shore of the Kabetogama Peninsula. Adventure seekers can tackle the 11-mile Chain of Lakes Trail through the interior peninsula’s wilderness for a more rugged experience.

Just bundle up, because this region posts the coldest temperatures in the continental US, routinely plunging far below zero with a record low of -55°F.

Check Out the Stone Sculpture Garden On Kabetogama Lake

In the 1940s, Chicago carpenter Jack Ellsworth started arranging stones on the shores of Lake Kabetogama.

By the time he finished two decades later, he’d created one of the park’s most unexpected treasures – the elaborate Ellsworth Rock Gardens.

Tie up your boat and wander through stone sculptures and arrangements that once mingled with vibrant flowers as part of his summer home.

If you don’t have your own vessel, catch a guided tour from the Kabetogama Visitor Center during summer months.

Paddle The Same Routes That the Voyageurs Did

Canoeing Voyageurs puts you directly in the wake of the French-Canadian fur traders who navigated these waters centuries ago.

These hardy voyageurs steered massive 26-foot ‘North Canoes’ crafted from birch bark, cedar, and split spruce roots between trading posts, hauling loads that would make modern paddlers wince.

Experience a taste of voyageur life by joining guided North Canoe trips at Rainy Lake, Kabetogama Lake, or Ash River visitor centers during summer.

While the calm waters welcome paddlers of all abilities, you can seek more adventure by exploring the smaller interior lakes via portage trails.