Voyageurs National Park - Minnesota

Address:3131 Hwy. 53 South
International Falls, Minnesota
Tel: (218) 283-9821

Voyageurs, a diverse park named for the French-Canadian voyageurs who first explored the region, is your typical big, beautiful, American park. This multi-faceted giant playground is found in northern Minnesota near the town of International Falls. On your journey through Voyageurs you will soon find that the park is perfect for water lovers especially in the warmer months. Be prepared to take advantage of the park's beautiful waters. Kayaking and canoeing, and, of course, fishing, are very popular, as is overnight camping - just beware of thieves (hundreds of black bears, that is, who call the park their home may try to rob you of your tasty hot dogs and hamburgers). In the winter, visitors flock to the park to ski, go ice fishing, snowshoe, snowmobile, and even camp in the rugged terrain. Children and animal lovers will enjoy trying to spot some of the park's eclectic cast of characters including white-tailed deer, turtles, and over 240 different types of birds.

The park lies in the southern part of the Canadian Shield, representing some of the oldest exposed rock formations in the world. This bedrock has been shaped and carved by at least four periods of glaciation. The topography of the park is rugged and varied; rocky outcrops are interspersed between bogs, beaver ponds, swamps, islands, small lakes, and four large lakes. In the years since the last glaciation, a thin layer of soil has been created which supports the boreal forest ecosystem, the "North Woods" of Voyageurs National Park. This land is rich in human history. Named for the Voyageurs, French-Canadian canoe-men who traveled these waters in their birch-bark canoes from the Great Lakes to the interior of the western United States and Canada. Modern voyageurs continue to ply these waters. The water, accompanying scenery, geology, and rich cultural and natural resources that give Voyageurs its national significance, merits its protection for the enjoyment of present and future generations. Voyageurs is about 15 miles east of International Falls, MN and 300 miles north of Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN. Voyageurs is a water-based park. Access to the Kabetogama peninsula, the islands, and nearly all of the park's shoreline is by watercraft. Free public boat ramps and parking are available at the park's visitor centers and at the Kabetogama State Forest Campgrounds.