Voyageur National Park
Established: 1975 - Size: 341 square miles - Location: Nothern Minessota - ANCESTRAL LAND OF: The Cree, Monsoni, Assiniboine, and Ojibwe peoples. For more information: NPS.GOV/VOYA
My thanks to Sylvia and her family for tagging me along, thus giving me a chance to see this part of the mid-west for the first time and extending it all the way to Minessota and also passing through Superior Lake, the largest lake of the great lakes and also the largest lake in the world in terms of surface area.
How opportunities unfold when you least expect it! On my part, this is much appreciated. Anything new attracts me — landscapes, places, houses, and etc. It is refreshing to be in another place. In this case, we drove all the way and sceneries makes me silent and dream along the journey.
Arriving in the frontier of Minnesota changed the scene to tall trees along the road. Just imagine the scenery when it is snowing.
Here we got a chance to do a bit of hiking, boating, and fishing. We did catch some fish which we cleaned up and cooked during our stay and the most commonly fish in the park are:
Walleye – The most sought-after fish in the park, known for its delicious flavor.
Northern Pike – A fierce predator that puts up a strong fight.
Smallmouth Bass – Popular among anglers for their aggressive strikes.
Largemouth Bass – Found in weedy and shallow areas.
Muskellunge (Muskie) – A trophy fish that is rare but highly prized.
Crappie – A favorite for pan fishing.
Yellow Perch – Common and great for eating.
Lake Sturgeon – Occasionally caught, though protected due to conservation efforts.
Then, after a few days there, we wrapped up the night with a bonfire and marshmallows for Rylan and Addie, and of course, we got to share some of it.
"Voyageur" means "traveler" in French, and Voyageurs National Park is a destination for those seeking adventure beyond the shore. More than one-third of the park is made up of water, which makes it mostly accessible by boat in the warmer months and by snowmobile in the winter. The park contains 30 lakes that fill glacier-carved basins, many of which were once used for travel and the fur trade. Four large, interconnected lakes—Rainy, Kabetogama, Namakan, and Sand Point—along with smaller lakes, cover nearly 40% of the park. The park also preserves a unique cultural history shaped by its rugged waters and landscape. Visitors can experience this history firsthand through interactive programs led by rangers, who dress in period costumes and paddle the waters, bringing the past to life.
Kabetoma Lake
The sense of the Northwoods is everywhere — in the call of loons and the majesty of northern lights, in the footprint of a wolf or the sight of otters playing in the shallows of a still lake. Watch the moose, deer, and bald eagles here where the southern boreal forest intersects with the mixed hardwood forest. A landscape woven together by water.
Voyageurs National Park commemorates the main fur trade route that opened the North American continent to the northwest— a lakes and river route critical to the economic development of Canada and the United Stages.
Today, Voyageurs is part of the testament to the history and historic relationship we share with Canada — 55 miles of the park directly borders Canada. Voyageurs National Park was established to recognize the superlative contribution to our national heritage and to conserve its resources and values unrepaired for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.
“If we can somehow retain places where we can always sense the mystery of the unknown, our lives will be richer. ”
Personal Note:
To fully enjoy this National Park, I think it is best to stay here for two weeks to explore the places around the area and perhaps go to the Canadian border. There are so many places that we left unexplored that therefore, staying here for 4 nights wasn’t enough. That is always an issue in terms of visiting places, we don’t allow enough days to fully explore and get to know the place.