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Basaic Says: There are a number of different types of flowers located in the park. When the Lady Slipper flowers reach their peak blooming, there is even a festival for them.
Basaic Says: There is a picnic table near the trailhead for the Beaver Pond Trail, should you decide to bring your own food and wish to eat and enjoy the scenery.
Basaic Says: There are several hiking trails in the Ash River Area. I took three of them: The Blind Ash Bay Trail (my favorite in the whole park); Beaver Pond Trail; and I hiked a part of the Kab Ash Trail. I will go into more detail of each of these trails on Sports Tips.
Basaic Says: There a couple of interesting displays about the area, its history and the wildlife inside the visitors center.
Food is also available at the resorts by the main areas of the park and at Kettle Falls on the Kabetogama Peninsula. I ate at a very nice restaurant in International Falls called the Chocolate Moose.
Written Nov 12, 2011
Basaic Says: At Rainy Lake, the NPS boat is called "The Voyaguer). It will take you on a variety of ranger-led tours. For me, that will have to be next trip.
Basaic Says: At the Kabetogama Lake area of the park, they have an NPS boat called "The Otter" that takes you on the ranger sponsored tours. I took it to the Ellsworth Rock Garden. It was comfortable enough and ably captained by CPT Al.
Basaic Says: Many people bring their own boats (I don't own one) to explore the park and its islands and waterways. All four parts of the park have parking for the boat trailers, boat ramps and lots of dock space.
One of the more interesting things I heard here was the naming of many of the islands. At least part of the time there was a joint US/Canadian team designating what islands belonged to which country and naming the islands. For instance there were two islands close together and the representative for Canada pointed to one island and said Your" and the other and said "My". That became the official names for the islands. There is also an island called "Blind Pig" because it was the location for a number of stills for making moonshine during prohibition and a blind pig was a nickname for a still. Another official, while surveying the islands, came across a group of underfed animals (maybe a pack of wolves?) and annotated "Feed em" on the map. That became the name of that island.
Written Nov 18, 2011
Phone: (218) 286-6600
Website: www.nps.gov/voya
As always, you should obey all warning signs. They are there to for your safety and to protect the park, its wildlife, and its plants.
Written Nov 18, 2011
Phone: (218) 286-6600
Website: www.nps.gov/voya
Basaic Says: The vast majority of Voyageurs National Park is only accessible by water so boating is a very popular way of getting around the park. All four parts of the park have parking for the boat trailers, boat ramps and lots of dock space.
Basaic Says: The last trail I will cover is the Tilson Creek Ski Trail. This is a 2 mile loop trail that is moderate in difficulty. The trail is set up for snowshoeing and cross country skiing in the winter. The trailhead is near the Tilson Bay Boat Launch. Good walking shoes, water,...
Basaic Says: Here are some of the spectacular views along the Oberholtzer Trail. Good walking shoes, water, sunscreen, a hat, insect repellant, a snack, weather appropriate clothing, don't forget your camera!
Basaic Says: The Oberholtzer Trail is a 1.7 mile, easy trail that leads to two different overlooks and showcases the different types of forest and wetlands in the park. The first 1/4 mile of the trail is wheelchair accessible. The trailhead is just outside the Rainy Lake Visitors...
Basaic Says: A fine choice for a hiking trail in the Kabetogama Lake Area is the Echo Bay Trail. This is an easy 2.5 mile loop trail (although be advised it is quite wet and muddy after a rain). The trail winds through aspen and pine groves and is great for bird watching. If you are here...
Basaic Says: The last trail I hiked in the Ash River area was the Beaver Pond Overlook Trail. This moderate difficulty, .4 mile trail leads to a rocky ledge that juts high above an old abandoned beaver pond. The first short section of this trail is accessible; but then you have a short...
Basaic Says: The Kab Ash Trail is a 27.87 long trail that leads through backcountry forests and wetlands, and links the Kabetogama and Ash River parts of the park. There are four trailheads at different parts off the trail so you can hike all of it or just parts of it (as I did). Good...
Views Along Blind Ash Bay Trail
Basaic Says: Here are some of the spectacular views along the Blind Ash Bay Trail. Good walking shoes, water, sunscreen, a hat, insect repellant, a snack, weather appropriate clothing, don't forget your camera!
Basaic Says: This is not only my favorite hiking trail at Voyageurs National Park, it is one of my favorites anywhere. The hike is moderate in difficulty and takes you through a very pretty wooded area with a variety of plant and animal life; but also gives beautiful views of Lost Lake,...
Favorite thing: The most important element in Voyageurs National Park is water. The park exists because of it. The early settlers (both the Indian Tribes and the white settlers that followed) used the waters for transportation and food. They used the numerous islands for hunting, for shelter, and in many cases for illegal activities. Much of the park is still a wilderness area that looks much like it did when these settlers first arrived. Voyageurs has a grand total of over 218,000 acres of which about 84,000 is water. There are over 500 islands and a total of 655 miles of shoreline.
There are four main parts of the park: Rainy Lake; Kabetogama Lake; Ash River; and Crane Lake along with lots of water and islands. Although you really need a boat and time to explore the waterways and islands to fully enjoy this park, there are a variety of historical sites and museums to visit to learn about the areas history.
In addition to boating, fishing and other waterborne sports there are some nice hiking trails and abundant wildlife to enjoy.
Fondest memory: The View From the Blind Ash Bay Trail.
Updated Nov 16, 2011
The most important element in Voyageurs National Park is water. The park exists because of it. The early settlers (both the Indian Tribes and the white settlers that followed) used the waters for...
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