Ready to meet winter head-on with a fun outdoor experience?  The National Park Service has you covered with a number of great options.  And our partner site Voyageurs National Park just made a nationwide list of 11 national parks with incredible winter activities. 

Want snow and ice? Look no further than Voyageurs, a 218,000-acre frozen wonderland in northern Minnesota.  Hardy winter visitors have their choice of snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice-fishing.  Maybe that’s why Roadtrippers Magazine named Voyageurs one of the country’s best national parks for winter fun.

Start your visit at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center, currently open Friday through Sunday.  Rangers will supply you with trail maps, and even lend you cross-country skis and snowshoes.

Or if experiencing winter from your car is more your speed, test your driving skills on one of the park’s two ice roads, when conditions permit.   Park staff maintains two of these groomed roads from November to April.  The Roadtrippers reviewer calls it a “one-of-a-kind experience.”  (Not to worry – the park takes visitor security very seriously and constantly monitors the ice thickness to ensure a safe ride.)

Ice-fishing is another popular activity at Voyageurs.  The area is popular for anglers, who enjoy the quiet of the pine-studded shorelines and frozen lakes.  Visitors must bring their own ice house, and have a fishing license. 

There’s something for kids of all ages at Voyageurs. Put it on your winter travel list!