Voyageurs National Park

Voyageurs National Park Leave a comment

Where Is It: The Park shares its border with Canada for 55 miles. It is 15 miles east of International Falls, MN and 300 miles north of Minneapolis-St Paul.

The Birth: The Minnesota Legislature passed a resolution in 1891 requesting that the President create a national park. It was nearly 80 years later that President Richard Nixon signed the resolution creating the Voyageurs National Park on January 8, 1971.

It Happened Here: From NationalGeographic.com:

The park is named for French Canadian voyageurs who paddled birchbark canoes for fur trading companies in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The voyageurs were famous for stamina—paddling up to 16 hours a day—and roisterous songs. Their canoe route between Canada’s northwest and Montreal is cited as part of the U.S.-Canada border in the treaty that ended the American Revolution.

In a boat in the labyrinth of waterways and islands, you can unwittingly cross this border. Be sure to take along a high-quality map that includes navigational markers to tell you where you are.

Size: 218,054 acres; more than 1/3 are water

# Visitors: 214,841 in 2012. July had peak attendance; November was the least-attended month.

Plants & Animals: Here is a comprehensive checklist of all species known to be in the Park.

Choices: From Wikipedia:

Unlike many other National Parks, where the main access to the park is by automobile or by foot, the primary access to the park is via water. Many visitors travel by canoe and kayak. Others rent house boats. The park has three centers where visitors can obtain information about the park, view films, and see exhibits about the park’s geology, wildlife, plants, and history.

Rainy Lake Visitor Center – is open all year and is located 12 miles (19 km) east of International Falls at the end of Koochiching County Road 96, which is located off of State Highway 11, leaving International Falls.

Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center – is located in the Kabetogama community on the southwestern edge of the park. This center is open seasonally. It can be reached, just 3 miles (5 km) off of US Highway 53 on Saint Louis County Road 122 and Saint Louis County Road 123.

Ash River Visitor Center – is on the parks southern boundary just north of the community of Ash River. It can be reached, just 11 miles (18 km) from US Highway 53 on the Ash River Trail, Saint Louis County Road 129, taking the park road 1 mile (2 km) before reaching Ash River.