My true destination was Voyagers National Park, because I will admit, I’m a “geek,” for the National Park, its Monuments, and Conservation areas. Each of these places are my playgrounds and my natural amusement parks.
Voyagers National Park is incredible and my first stop was the Kabetogama visitors center to stamp my National Park Passport and watched the parks promotional and historic video inside the visitors center theater. Rainy Lake and Ash are the names of the two others visitors centers. The park took the name Voyagers representing the French fur traders and trapped who hunted the region using dug out tree canoes as depicted in historical paintings. There is a night time astronomers evening programs as the park is part of the darks skies program making it perfect for viewing the stars and the Northern Lights.
The eleven federal funded indigenous tribes in the state of Minnesota, ancestors utilized dugout canoes to navigate the water ways before the arrival of European settlers. Voyagers park occupies 341 square miles with three visitors centers and is loved by canoeist, kayakers, house boaters, and fishermen. There is a burgeoning hiking trail system, for which I can see International Falls MN becoming one of the best outdoor actives destinations in the U. S.
The wildlife I photographed along the shore near the Kabetogama visitors center was incredible and I will return to photograph, their simplistic beauty.
I spent the night in nearby International Falls listing detailed hikes and other activities I want to do when I return to spend several weeks exploring the park.
I have not heard of Voyageurs National Park. Thanx so much for introducing me to this place. Looks wonderful! (and so far away!)
[…] Rapids Iowa, the Twin Cities of Minniapolis and St. Paul along with my final destination being Voyagers National Park in Northern […]
An amazing challenge this park seems to navigate around all those lakes. How is the access to Canada from here I might ask?