Open-water season is right around the corner! One of the many ways to experience Voyageurs is booking a ranger-led boat tour. From leisurely lake cruises to immersive experiences in historic sites, there's a tour for every interest and age group.
Plus, experience NEW tours this year including the Anderson Bay Overlook Tour and Life on the Lake Tour. Reservations for ranger-led boat tours and North Canoe Voyage programs open at 9:00 am CST on April 15 for the 2024 season.
Tours departing from Rainy Lake Visitor Center
Grand Tour (2.5 hrs) – Discover the wonders and beauty of Voyageurs. The captain will navigate Rainy Lake in search of abundant wildlife and breathtaking scenery while visitors hear stories about the rich cultural and historic significance of the park.
NEW! Life on the Lake Tour (2.5 hrs) – Experience the Rainy Lake known by fishermen, loggers, gold miners, and trappers as you visit historic locations on the lake. You will be able to view gold mines and fish camps ashore, and learn about the diverse history of the area. Expect a short ranger-led hike, and plenty of scenic views.
Stars Over Rainy (1.5 hrs) – Take a night-time cruise to learn about the dark skies over Voyageurs. The captain will navigate to a quiet spot to optimize dark sky viewing while a ranger helps visitors identify objects with the naked eye and talks about light pollution and what it means to be a dark sky certified park. There’s always a chance that the Northern Lights may dance for visitors on this tour!
Kettle Falls Cruise (6.5 hrs) – Voyage to the historic Kettle Falls Hotel. This tour takes you on a cultural and natural history tour of the park. Spend 2.5 hours aboard the Voyageur getting to the hotel, and then spend 2 hours touring the hotel grounds and nearby dam. Finally, enjoy a 2-hour cruise on your return. Visitors can bring their own lunch or purchase a boxed lunch at the hotel.
New! Anderson Bay Overlook Tour (6.5 hrs, a special event on September 3 only) – This special tour will bring passengers to parts of Voyageurs National Park that few get to see. Take a hike with a ranger into the wilderness and experience the stunning and iconic lake views from the Anderson Bay Loop trail. This excursion involves 2.5 miles of moderate to strenuous terrain, so come prepared with sturdy shoes and dress for the weather.
Tours departing from Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center
Ellsworth Rock Gardens (2.5 hrs) – Cruise through the west end of Kabetogama Lake and past Gold Portage hearing stories of the past while enroute to the Ellsworth Rock Gardens. At the gardens, join a park ranger for a ¼-mile tour of the unique rock sculptures, dry-stacked flower bed terraces, building remnants, and winding paths. The lower portion of the tour is accessible, and the upper portion requires sturdy shoes to traverse an expansive 60-foot granite outcropping.
Tours departing from Ash River Visitor Center
Kettle Falls Tour (5.5 hrs) – Voyage to the historic Kettle Falls Hotel. This tour takes you on a cultural and natural history tour of the park. Spend 2 hours aboard the Ne-Zho-Dain tour boat getting to the hotel. Upon arrival, spend 2 hours on land touring the site and nearby dam. Finally, enjoy a 1.5-hour cruise on your return route. Bring your own lunch or purchase a boxed lunch from the hotel restaurant.
Life on the Lake Tour (2.5 hrs) – Travel into Namakan Lake to learn about the many inhabitants who called this beautiful, rugged, and sometimes harsh environment home year-round, and hear stories about the unique ways in which people have made their living in the wild of the Northwoods. Disembark at I.W. Stevens Island to walk among the old cabins and lodge from one of the earliest resorts, and visit Hoist Bay to explore this location's evolution from the logging days into the recreational era.
Stars Over Namakan (1.5 hrs) – Take a night-time cruise to learn about the dark skies over Voyageurs. The captain will navigate to a quiet spot on Namakan Lake to optimize dark sky viewing as a ranger helps visitors identify objects with the naked eye, learn about light pollution, and discover what it means to be a dark sky certified park. There’s always a chance that the Northern Lights may dance for visitors on this tour!
Special Interpretive Programs
The North Canoe Voyage is one of Voyageurs National Park’s longest standing and most unique educational experiences, which immerses visitors in an on-the-water living history lesson with costumed and spirited interpretive rangers. Paddle back in history aboard a 26-ft replica of a north canoe to learn the voyageur paddle salute, sing songs, and explore the adventurous life of a voyageur.
Rainy Lake North Canoe Voyage departing from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center
Ash River North Canoe Voyage departing from the Ash River Visitor Center
Park staff encourage visitors to make reservations as soon as they know their plans, as tours do tend to fill up. Visitors can view boat tour descriptions and schedules, and reserve their tickets, by going to recreation.gov’s Voyageurs National Park Tours page, while North Canoe Voyage program tickets can be reserved on the Special Interpretive Programs page. Tickets can also be purchased by contacting the National Call Center at (877) 444-6777. Walk-ins are allowed only if non-reserved space is available.
Voyageurs National Park’s alternative transportation program is crucial for providing meaningful visitor experiences in a unique water-based park where much of the rich natural and cultural resources can only be viewed beyond where roads end. For visitors without a vessel, boat tours offer a way to experience the scenic and expansive waterways, abundant wildlife, ancient geologic formations, and remote visitor destination sites that are dedicated to sharing the park’s history and significance.
Fee revenue brought in from the transportation program allows these tours to be self-sustaining, covering costs for fuel, maintenance, and approximately 85% of the seasonal staff that conducts tours. This includes boat captains and deckhands to safely transport visitors, and knowledgeable interpretive rangers to provide engaging programs. Similarly, revenue from the Special Interpretive Programs helps cover costs involved with offering these unique visitor services.
View this and other Voyageurs National Park press releases here.
