A few weeks ago, I booked a tour through the National Park Service for Voyageurs on the Sunday I would be around. It was an easy process through Recreation.gov, the National Park Service website for reservations. The Grand Tour left from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center and lasted about 2.5 hours.
The boat had two levels. The main level was fully enclosed and it is where we were required to start the trip. We participated in the safety briefing with the ranger in the main area. Large windows lined three sides of the space, allowing for great views and coverage in the vent of poor or cold weather. The upper deck was open. It wrapped around the control center where the captain navigated from.
Pro tip: if you sit by the side window near the captain on the upper deck, he will point out extra tidbits and facts.
Our first stop was Little American Island, where we disembarked. There was a short hike to see two different gold mines that were once operational. The remainder of the tour was on the boat while we toured the lake. The history of mining in the area was a surprise to me. I mostly thought of lumber and trapping enterprises, but mining brought many people to the area.
The quarter mile hike to see both gold mines was easy and well traveled. The mines have been closed by the park so adventurous folks don’t get ideas about mining for themselves. You can still see the entrances. While you are not required to get off the boat and explore, I highly recommend it!
Throughout the trip, the ranger and captain both pointed out interesting views, notable sights, and my favorite, the bald eagles and their nests. As we traveled along the rest of the tour, we traveled along the fault line that formed the islands where mining took place.
Towards the end of the tour, we went passed a fishing outpost and icehouse that was donated to the park in the 1980s, by a man who had one of the last commercial fishing licenses for the Rainy Lake. He was a one man operation and lived while working his fishing business. When he retired, he donated the property and buildings to the park.
It was truly a one of a kind experience.
One response to “Voyageurs National Park: Grand Tour”
Awesome! Wish I had been there with you ! Next time !!