10/01/2026
Voyageurs National Park: Highlights, Activities and Fall Color
Oct 1, 2026 · Swanson
About the Park
Voyageurs National Park sits on the Canadian border just east of International Falls. Most of its 218,000 acres are water. Four large lakes (Rainy, Kabetogama, Namakan and Sand Point) wind around hundreds of rocky islands and a thick northern forest of pine, spruce, aspen and birch.
The park is named for the French-Canadian voyageurs who paddled birchbark canoes through these lakes during the fur trade. Their route along the border lakes is still the backbone of the park today. Congress established Voyageurs in 1975, and it celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025.
There is no entrance fee, and the park is open all year.
Top Highlights
Kettle Falls Hotel. This historic hotel dates to the early 1910s and can only be reached by boat. A ranger-led boat tour out to the hotel makes for a full and memorable day on the water.
Ellsworth Rock Gardens. On the north shore of Kabetogama Lake, a Chicago contractor named Jack Ellsworth spent about twenty summers building terraced flower beds and stone sculptures on a granite hillside. The gardens are one of the most unusual sights in the park.
Rainy Lake Visitor Center. About 12 miles east of International Falls at the end of Highway 11, this is the easiest place to start a visit. It has wide views of Rainy Lake, exhibits and a short trail.
Kabetogama Lake and Ash River. These areas sit southeast of International Falls off Highway 53. They are quieter than Rainy Lake and have scenic overlooks and lakeside trails.
Dark skies. Voyageurs is a certified International Dark Sky Park. On clear nights the stars are thick overhead, and the northern lights show up more often here than in most of the lower 48 states.
Things to Do
Boat tours. The best way to see Voyageurs is from the water. In summer, ranger-led tours leave from the Rainy Lake, Kabetogama Lake and Ash River visitor centers. Tickets are sold on Recreation.gov, and midsummer tours often sell out.
Paddling and boating. Local outfitters rent canoes, kayaks and motorboats. Many visitors also rent a houseboat and spend a few nights on the lakes.
Fishing. The lakes hold walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass and muskie. A Minnesota fishing license is required.
Hiking. The park has close to twenty trails. A few good ones you can drive to:
• Oberholtzer Trail at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center, a short and easy walk
• Echo Bay Trail near Kabetogama, popular with birders
• Blind Ash Bay Trail at Ash River, with rocky overlooks of the lake
• Kab-Ash Trail, a longer route for a bigger day
The Cruiser Lake Trail system crosses the Kabetogama Peninsula, but you need a boat to reach it.
Wildlife. Look for bald eagles, loons, river otters, beavers, white-tailed deer and black bears. Wolves live here too, though they are rarely seen.
Winter. When the lakes freeze, snowmobilers ride marked routes across the ice, and the trails are open for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The park rents snowshoes and skis for $10 a pair for adults and $5 for youth. When ice conditions allow, the park also plows an ice road on Rainy Lake.
Fall Color
Fall is one of the best times to visit. Aspen and birch turn bright gold against dark spruce and pine, and the blue lakes set off the color. Red maples add touches of red, and tamaracks turn gold late in the season.
When to go. According to the Minnesota DNR, color in the state usually peaks between late September and mid-October. The far north tends to turn first, and tamaracks peak last, often in late October.
This year. A dry summer may make the 2026 season uneven. Drought can dull some colors or cause trees to drop leaves early. The DNR posts updated color maps every Thursday through the end of October on its Fall Color Finder page.
Where to see it.
• From the water, on a boat ride or paddle along the island shorelines
• From the overlooks on the Blind Ash Bay and Echo Bay trails
• On the drive east from International Falls to Rainy Lake on Highway 11
• At Franz Jevne State Park, about 40 miles west of International Falls, where you can paddle the Rainy River
Where to Stay
Northern Skys RV Resort. Located at 1300 Riverside Drive, Northern Skys RV Resort offers seasonal sites that are perfect for park models, fifth-wheels and Class A motorhomes. It makes a comfortable home base for spending the summer and fall near Voyageurs National Park.
Good to Know
The four visitor centers (Rainy Lake, Kabetogama Lake, Ash River and Crane Lake) are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Memorial Day weekend through September. The Rainy Lake Visitor Center usually opens a few days a week in winter. Trails, overlooks and boat launches stay open all year.
Weather this far north changes quickly, so pack layers in every season. Mosquitoes and black flies are heaviest in June and July.
For current conditions, call park headquarters at (218) 283-6600 or visit the Voyageurs National Park website.
