08/30/2026
Voyageurs National Park is a bit of a tricky one to visit. With the majority of the park being water-based, plus limited hiking trails, multiple tour options, and unique camping opportunities, figuring out how to visit this park can be a bit daunting.
We spent one week in the park and experienced many of its highlights, both on land and on the water. If you’re planning to visit Voyageurs National Park someday, here’s a quick guide to visiting the park!
✈️ Closest Airport: Duluth (DLH), which is 2.5 hours away but has limited flights. Or Minneapolis (MSP), which is 4.5-5 hours away. International Falls, MN also has an airport we somehow didn’t know about 🙈
⛴️ Things to do in the park
▪️ Explore the park by houseboat with Ebel's Voyageur Houseboats! We LOVED being able to check out the park’s sights with our own home on the water.
▪️ Rent a canoe and go canoe camping, just like the voyageurs did! Make sure to reserve your campsites in advance.
▪️ Go on a park boat tour! They offer a variety of tours on Rainy Lake, Kabetogama Lake, and Namakan Lake. This is the BEST way to explore the park if you’re not renting a houseboat or canoe. We personally went on the Grand Tour on Rainy Lake and learned a ton!
▪️ Hike one of the park’s trails. We hiked the Oberholtzer Trail and the Beaver Pond Overlook Trail. While nice, they don’t compare to seeing the park on the water, in our opinion.
▪️ Visit Kettle Falls, Ellsworth Rock Gardens, I.W. Stevens Resort, and Hoist Bay. These are all accessible by park boat tours.
▪️ Cruise through the Namakan Narrows and see Grassy Bay Cliffs, which is not accessible by park tour.
▪️ Go fishing! We went with Travis Carlson, a local guide, and had a fantastic time catching lots of fish!
🏨 Where to stay: We stayed in International Falls before renting our houseboat to explore the park. Hotels were affordable and there’s a super nice grocery store. Plus, it was right by Rainy Lake and an easy drive to Kabetogama Lake. Coffee Landing Cafe is a great stop for breakfast while in town! And make sure to snap a photo with the giant Smokey Bear!