Planning a Voyageurs National Park tenting journey is an exhilarating expertise that you’re positive to recollect for years to come back. The park affords a novel panorama with loads of fulfilling actions that may preserve you and your loved ones entertained all through the length of your keep.
Whether trying to guide a brief weekend journey or a weeklong tour, preserve studying for all you could find out about tenting in Voyageurs National Park!
5 Things to do at Voyageurs National Park
1. Hiking
Hiking at Voyageurs National Park is a rewarding endeavor that fits everybody from keen novices of all ages to even essentially the most skilled climbing lovers. With over 10 trails that vary in problem and size, take a look at these trails that you could be need to discover throughout your Voyageurs National Park tenting journey!
Accessible by Land
- Blind Ash Bay Trail – This path is a average 2.9-mile loop that twists and turns by the forest whereas concurrently providing gorgeous views of Kabetogama Lake. Birds and wildlife are generally noticed having fun with this space – when looking out, be sure to observe your step! This path has a slightly rocky terrain.
- Beaver Pond Overlook Trail – This average hike is a brief 0.4-mile path that takes you up a hill. At the highest are rewarding views of Beaver Pond, a spot aptly named for the probability of seeing beavers lounging round or going for a swim!
- Sullivan Bay Trail – An simple 1.5-mile hike, Sullivan Bay Trail is the right place for a picnic with a view. The path ends with a good looking overlook of the bay and has picnic tables and a hearth ring. Pack a lunch or one thing to grill and don’t miss this incredible hike!
Accessible by Water
- Locator Lake Trail – If you’re in search of a bit extra of a difficult hike, you received’t need to miss this path! This strenuous trek is 4 miles spherical journey and includes scaling varied ridges that provide pleasant views of each the forest and Locator Lake.
- Cruiser Lake Trail – For true peace and quiet with an adventurous twist, this secluded path is an eight-mile one-way journey full of serene scenes assured to be definitely worth the journey. If you’re fortunate, you might even catch a glimpse of a moose or hear wolves within the distance!
2. Fishing
If you’re trying to go fishing throughout your Voyageurs National Park tenting journey, there may be actually no scarcity of choices. Throughout the park, there are 4 massive lakes and 26 smaller inside lakes that provide an array of fish so that you can catch.
54 species of fish have been noticed inside the waters of Voyageurs National Park. From Walleye to Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, and even Longear Sunfish and Lake Trout—you by no means know what’ll be on the opposite facet of your fishing line!
3. Birdwatching
If you’d choose that your Voyageurs National Park tenting journey is spent retaining your eyes on the sky, you received’t need to miss the limitless alternatives to go birdwatching.
There are many birdwatching areas all through the park. Anderson Bay, Rainy Lake Visitor Center, Dryweed Island, and Echo Bay are all nice spots—simply to call a number of!
From the majestic nice horned owl to the cute little pine warbler, you’re assured to test off a formidable discover in your birdwatching listing. If you’re fortunate, you might even spot a bald eagle!
4. Boating
Almost 40% of Voyageurs National Park is water. The many lakes make up such a big a part of what this picturesque park has to supply! Canoes, kayaks, and motorboats are all out there to hire on the park.
Whether only a quick kayak trip or an thrilling motorboat journey, including time on the water to your Voyageurs National Park tenting journey is a rewarding exercise that you simply absolutely received’t overlook!
5. Guided Tours
If you’d prefer to take advantage of out of your keep on the park, varied guided excursions can be found all year long that may assist elevate your tenting journey to the subsequent degree.
Many ranger-led applications happen all through the summer time, comparable to climbing, canoeing, and even guided boat excursions. Although the summer time months are nice for having fun with the park with minimal gear, don’t let chilly temperatures cease you from having fun with the true fantastic thing about a Voyageurs National Park tenting journey!
Throughout January to March, guided excursions that spotlight stargazing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and night time climbing are all actions to be celebrated. If circumstances are proper, it’s even potential to get a glimpse of the northern lights!
Places to Stay
When planning a Voyageurs National Park tenting journey, it’s essential to notice that each one campsites other than primitive tenting are solely accessible by watercraft. Various corporations supply canoes for hire inside the park, though using a water taxi is one other handy possibility. Always put on a life jacket when on board a ship.
Each campsite requires a reservation/allow, and this will simply be booked on-line by accessing the Voyageurs National Park Camping Permits web site. Reservations might also be made by calling Recreation.gov at 1-877-444-6777.
Frontcountry Camping
All 137 frontcountry campsites will be discovered on the shores and islands of the park’s 4 primary lakes. After touring by way of watercraft, your frontcountry campsite is only a quick distance away, providing gorgeous views of the water you’ve simply traversed.
When reserving your campsite, be sure to take have a look at the placement of the place you’ll be establishing camp. Some campsites are as much as 27 miles away from the closest boat launch. While selecting a far campsite could appear to be an exhilarating possibility, ensure that it’s a possible one.
Never underestimate the journey by way of boat, and always remember to present your self sufficient time to succeed in your campsite! Making positive you will have loads of time to arrange camp earlier than the solar goes down is a serious key to beginning your Voyageurs National Park tenting journey off proper.
Backcountry Camping
15 adventurous backcountry campsites are scattered all through the inside lakes of the Kabetogama Peninsula. These campsites are an awesome possibility for thrill seekers who need to actually immerse themselves within the stunning nature that tenting in Voyageurs National Park affords.
The campsites are situated in a really low-trafficked space of the park, which affords final serenity and seclusion. To attain these websites, you should first boat out to the trailhead closest to your web site. A hike ranging in size will lead you to your in a single day abode.
Depending on the positioning you select, you will have to hit the water once more for one more quick journey throughout the lake earlier than accessing your spot. If that is the case, a backcountry canoe is included together with your campsite reservation.
These canoes are already conveniently positioned the place you will want them and could also be accessed with a code that you’ll obtain by way of e mail previous to your keep. Private boats usually are not allowed within the backcountry with a view to assist forestall the unfold of aquatic invasive species.
Primitive Camping
Within the park are two primitive tenting websites that don’t require a ship to entry. Campers hike alongside the Kab-Ash path till reaching their campsite.
Unlike different campsites within the park, these primitive websites don’t include any kind of bear pole or meals locker. To guarantee security whereas tenting in these areas, be sure to carry a rope to tie up your meals or any odorous objects that would entice bears to your space!
Houseboating
Houseboating is an extremely distinctive means of tenting at Voyageurs National Park. Guests could hire a houseboat from a close-by firm simply exterior the park. Designated websites are marked with an indication and embrace a steel hearth ring and safe put up to safe your houseboat.
Undesignated websites are areas at the least 200 yards from developed zones. Both forms of houseboat campsites function on a first-come, first-served foundation, nonetheless, a tenting allow remains to be required. Tents usually are not permitted at these campsites.
Winter Camping
Winter tenting at Voyageurs National Park is a exceptional expertise that permits you to admire the great thing about the park throughout a time that many visitors forgo.
Each of the campsites remains to be out there in the course of the winter time, however frozen lakes change the best way that they’re accessed. Snowshoeing, snowboarding, or snowmobiling present a straightforward technique to attain all of your favourite summer time tenting spots!
During wintry months, you should definitely all the time test ice and path circumstances earlier than heading out into the park.
What to Expect From a Voyageurs National Park Camping Trip
Camping in Voyageurs National Park is a good way to disconnect and take a break from the push of on a regular basis life. Because campsites are so unfold out, it’s frequent to by no means even come throughout one other camper whereas within the park!
Cell telephone service is spotty, however the Ash River Visitor’s Center affords free wifi that can assist you keep related if wanted.
There isn’t any entrance price to enter Voyageurs National Park. Camping charges are a separate value. If you’d prefer to take your furry good friend with you, canine on a leash are welcome at frontcountry campsites!
Planning Your Voyageurs National Park Camping Trip
Now that you simply’ve found all you could find out about a Voyageurs National Park tenting journey, the one factor left to do is get enthusiastic about your upcoming travels!
Want to know extra about campgrounds at different nationwide parks? Check out our different guides on nationwide park tenting for all you could know!