If you’re a cold-hardy adventurer, there’s no better way to experience the magnificence of snow-draped landscapes than with a winter visit to Voyageurs National Park. This stunning 218,000-acre park in northern Minnesota offers numerous ways to enjoy its natural splendor: from snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and hiking to ice-fishing, sledding, and snowshoeing. And for less athletically inclined visitors, there’s always driving your car on the park’s ice roads!
Snowmobilers flock to Voyageurs every winter for the park’s 110 miles of groomed trails. However, since many of the snowmobile trails cross frozen lakes, it’s imperative to pay attention to the ice thickness on many bodies of water. A mid-December report showed there is not enough solid ice to open the frozen lakes to vehicle traffic. The park lists current conditions on its website.
Cross-country skiers can enjoy a number of beginner- and intermediate-level loop trails through pine and birch forests, some with a view of an active beaver pond.
The park offers ski and snowshoe rentals at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center and also accepts advanced reservations by phone (218-286-5258) and online. Kids’ sizes are available.
In case you’re wondering if kids enjoy these winter sports, check out this park video of a recent showshoe class.
Just as with snowmobiling, these activities are also reliant on adequate snowfall and ice formation. Park crews have been clearing and grooming trails through the woods and open land but are waiting for adequate ice thickness on the lakes before tackling those areas. Visitors can pick up this fold-out National Geographic map at JNPA’s park stores, which lists most of the park’s trails.
More “mild” activities at the park include sledding and driving the park’s ice roads. The two main ice roads begin at the visitor centers, but the routes vary from year to year. Cars and trucks weighing less than 7,000 lbs. are allowed, but the speed limit is 30 mph.
Naturally, safety is the prime consideration for every outdoor activity at Voyageurs. The park offers a comprehensive list of important safety tips for all winter sports, and urges visitors to consult rangers before setting out and to be on the lookout for posted signs throughout the park.
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