On Saturday, June 11, Voyageurs National Park will celebrate the completion of the paved Rainy Lake Recreation Trail with a day of activities at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center. The event will run from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and kicks off with a formal ribbon cutting ceremony. Special guest, Burgess Eberhardt, of International Falls will lead the ribbon cutting due to his long time advocacy of recreational trails and healthy activities. Following the ribbon cutting, visitors are encouraged walk the trail and enjoy interpretive activities along the way. In addition, visitors are encouraged to join in a 26-foot North Canoe ride that will launch from the behind the visitor center. Join Heart of the Continent Partnership (HOCP) volunteers in improving the newly opened trail by learning what plants are invasive weeds and need to be removed. Out in the Ethno-botanical Garden, ongoing tours with knowledgeable guides will help you learn about the plants and trees in Voyageurs National Park. On the visitor center back patio, Voyageurs National Park Association will be showing off new artwork of the park by artist Mark Herman, as well as helping people make their own trail mix bars.
• 10:00 am: Ribbon Cutting and Community Walk • 10:00 am to 2:00 pm: Heart of the Continent Partnership trail improvement project • 10:00 am to 1:00 pm: Tours of Ethno-botanical Garden • 10:00 am to 1:00 pm: North Canoe rides • 10:00 am to 1:00 pm: Koochiching County Amateur Radio Club live broadcasts • 10:00 am to 2:00 pm: Voyageurs National Park Association “Picnic in the Park”
This day marks the opening of one of the best trails for biking, walking, running, snowshoeing, and skiing in the area. Motorized vehicles are not allowed on the trail. The trail runs from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center out to U.S. Highway 11 and is 1.7-miles in length. On the day of the Grand Opening, we ask no bicycles during the event due to the high number of expected walkers. Feel free to bike later in the day or any other day on the smooth pavement.
www.nps.gov/ VOYA
