Imagine canoeing with your family Minnesota's Voyageurs National Park in 24-foot Voyageur canoes. You will explore waterfalls and hidden coves, just as the Voyageurs did long ago. Learn new paddling skills and view spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife along the way. Listen for the call of the loon and maybe howling wolves. Take a break from paddling to swim in clear waters or enjoy games and activities. In the evenings, share tales around the campfire with new friends. Voyageurs is a wonderful place for kid-friendly camping and also a great spot for a vacation with teenagers. Family members of all ages love it!
Sample Itinerary
Please note: While the itinerary presented is an accurate depiction of what your trip will be like, it is only an example. Our trips are real adventures in the outdoors--not pre-packaged tours that happen on a schedule.
DAY 1: Your trip starts in the afternoon at Ash River Visitor Center. Unload canoes and gear, put canoes in the water, and paddle east towards your first campsite near Peterson's Point. Talk about expectations for the trip around the campfire after dinner.
DAY 2: Get up early to make breakfast, review canoeing skills and other details necessary for a safe and fun trip. Break camp and get underway about 11:00 am. Paddle east through Old Dutch Bay and Blind Indian Narrows. Camp on Namakan Island or push on to sites located in the Wolf Pack Islands.
DAY 3: It takes another day to explore all the possibilities of your campsite! Sit back and soak in the wilderness, take a day trip to Junction Bay and fish at a small waterfall, or paddle near Kubel island with a breathtaking view of Canada.
DAY 4: Paddle to Williams Island and set up camp. Explore the hidden coves of Moose or Hoist Bay. Spend your last night in the wilderness telling tales and reliving your adventures around the fire.
DAY 5: Rise early and paddle to the take-out point near the visitor center. The trip officially ends after lunch in the early afternoon. Those who use WI's van transportation can expect to return to Minneapolis in the evening.
Travel, Terrain, Etc...
TERRAIN/ROUTE CHOICES: The area lies on the Canadian Shield, with terrain characterized by exposed granite carved by the water and ice action of the big lake. Many islands provide protection from the wind. Voyageurs National Park offers a wide range of route options from very easy to very difficult--great for family trips.
TYPE OF TRAVEL/DISTANCE: You will travel in 24-foot cedar strip canoes, which hold 6-8 paddlers, plus all necessary gear. They are fast and stable boats, designed specifically for trips on big water. The average day's travel consists of 3-6 hours of paddling, depending on weather conditions. Travel distances vary from 4-10 miles per day with the exception of scheduled layover days. To protect the environment, WI uses Leave No Trace camping techniques.
WEATHER: Temperatures in the summer months range from 40 F to 95 F. Rainfall can vary and you should expect at least one day of rain.
LODGING/BATHROOM FACILITIES: This is a family camping trip. At night you will sleep in a comfortable Eureka Timberline tent. Typically, there are 3 people per 4 person tent (although other arrangements can be made). We recommend that you bring your own personal sleeping bag and "camprest" foam core inflatable mattress (a limited number of sleeping bags and mattresses are available as loaners for individuals who need them). Bathroom facilities consist of an outhouse or a foldable commode chair set up in a privacy tent. We make every effort to ensure privacy and cleanliness.
GROUP SIZE: The group size ranges from 12 to 15 participants, plus 2 or more Wilderness Inquiry staff. Each group consists of people of various ages, backgrounds and abilities, including people with disabilities. All sorts of families participate on these kid-friendly vacations.
CAMP CHORES: Our trips are cooperative in nature. WI staff will assist you in whatever areas you need, however most people pitch in where they can. Part of the adventure involves learning about daily camp activities. If you are looking for kid-friendly camping and one of those vacations with teenagers that brighten your life, Voyageurs is a good choice.
EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING: If you are new to outdoor activities, you need not spend a lot of money on gear. Wilderness Inquiry will provide all necessary canoeing and camping equipment. All you need to provide is your personal gear, such as clothing and a sleeping bag. A detailed equipment list will be sent to you upon confirmation of your participation. If you need to borrow personal gear, that can usually be arranged.
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: No previous experience is needed to complete this trip. This trip is recommended for families with children age 5 and older. It is also a great place for disability summer camps or a place to camp for disabled children. It is wild, but also one of our more accessible adventures.
 |
Wilderness Inquiry is proud to serve Caribou Coffee on all our trips. Great food, great coffee, and great company are just some of the ingredients that make Wilderness Inquiry trips special.
|
[ Dates & Fees ]
Named after the French-Canadian fur traders of the late 17th to early 19th century, Voyageurs National Park beckons to present day explorers. Its numerous lakes compose 218,054 acres and hundreds of miles of shoreline. The Voyageurs traveled extensively throughout the region trading with natives and establishing water routes which are traced by adventurous people today.
Located at the southern part of the Canadian shield, Voyageurs National Park contains some of the oldest exposed rock formations in the World. Dated at nearly 3 billion years old, this rock forms the foundation for the regions topography. Glaciers also had a significant impact on the region as they carved depressions which filled with water, creating the lakes, ponds and streams that the voyageurs navigated.
American Indians inhabited this region for hundreds of years prior to the arrival of the Voyageurs. Evidence of both Dakotas and Sioux, who had established campsites near wild-rice beds, has been discovered within the boundaries of the Park. These nations were eventually driven off by the Ojibwa who, in time, established a partnership with the fur traders. The Voyagers traded alcohol and firearms for valuable beaver pelts and native knowledge of canoe building and navigation routes. This partnership finally ended in the mid 19th century when the beaver population was hunted to near extinction and fur hats were no longer as fashionable.
As the fur trade era was on the decline, the lumber industry was taking hold. From the 1880's to the 1920's the area was subject to extensive deforestation. In 1913, the Kettle Falls Hotel was built to house the region's lumberjacks and was vacated in the early 1920's as the logging industry moved west. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Kettle Falls Hotel is the only remaining evidence of this earlier era and one of a few developed sites within this vast wilderness.
Visitors to the North Country will leave with fond memories. The serenity and beauty of the landscape is enough to satisfy most, but add the brilliance of the aurora borealis and satisfaction becomes admiration. Early risers will not forget the loon's call penetrating the morning silence. The howl from a distant wolf will thrill a late 20th century explorer just as it did the Voyageurs of the 18th century.
For more information, visit these links:
National Park Service - Official Voyageurs National Park Website
Voyageurs National Park - Private site
Voyageurs National Park Association
Check out the Explore Minnesota website for Wilderness Inquiry
[ Dates & Fees ]
