What a year to remember! Throughout 2025, we celebrated 50 years of Voyageurs National Park, connecting with many of you at special events and toasting this significant park milestone with joy and gusto. In a year overflowing with highlights (and peppered with notable challenges), we created a Top 10 list of achievements and memories we wanted to share with you, our steadfast community.

*Crane Lake Visitor Center Grand Opening*

*2025 Star Party*
*Credit: Gordy Lindgren*

The Crane Lake Visitor Center grand opening. In June, the local community and National Park Service opened a new visitor center, featuring educational installations and a park store, and serving as an exciting gateway to the park’s eastern waters. Championed by the Crane Lake Township, this grand opening was the culmination of decades of collaboration amongst people who love the area and want to make it more accessible.
The launch of the Tribal Co-Stewardship Program. The launch of this program is a significant step forward in our commitment to working with Tribal communities to honor the history, culture, and ongoing connection of Indigenous Peoples to the lands and waters of what is now known as Voyageurs National Park.
Voyageurs’ 50th Birthday Bashes at Utepils Brewing and the Rainy Lake Visitor Center. Hundreds of supporters came out in full glory to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Voyageurs National Park at these two special events. These meaningful and memorable gatherings filled our cup as we connected with our community over a shared love of Voyageurs and the desire to preserve its past, present, and future.
Voyageurs at the Minnesota State Fair. What a joy to share the magic of Voyageurs National Park with thousands of fairgoers at the Great Minnesota Get-Together! We’re not gonna lie – there were times we wondered what we had gotten ourselves into. But introducing eager explorers to Minnesota’s national park made our State Fair debut rewarding and worth every bead of sweat.
The fifth annual – and largest ever – Star Party. Our Star Party shone bigger and brighter than ever before in 2025, with hundreds of astrotourism enthusiasts attending the two-day festival at Rainy and Kab, including visitors who traveled long distances to explore the magnificent skies of our Certified Dark Sky Park.
Being a strong voice for Voyageurs during a challenging year. 2025 brought staffing cuts and overarching uncertainty for national parks, as well as the longest government shutdown in history (NOT highlights). Through it all, Voyageurs Conservancy is proud to have been a strong advocate for our park, traveling to Washington DC and working with media and Congressional offices to consistently communicate the need to preserve and fund this treasured wonder.
The Expansion of our Voyageurs Classroom. Our education livestreams now provide 50,000+ student experiences across the nation, which blows us away! And teachers and students can’t get enough of our Mobile Classroom, which now reaches thousands of kids throughout Minnesota. Voyageurs Classroom initiatives introduce young explorers to nature-based learning, sparking an interest in outdoor play, environmental science, stewardship, and the history and culture of what is now Voyageurs National Park.
Voyageurs National Park Day Proclamation. Governor Walz proclaimed April 8, 2025 as Voyageurs National Park Day, publicly recognizing Voyageurs as one of Minnesota’s top natural wonders and inviting Minnesotans to join in celebrating Voyageurs’ half-century of parkhood.
Voyageurs National Park chosen as a 2025 Leave No Trace spotlight site. This initiative highlights communities rising to meet the challenges that outdoor areas face through increased use. Voyageurs was nominated and chosen to participate in this program, which puts conservation into action and equips communities with tools to continue to protect and conserve their unique environments.
The development of environmental leaders through our Field Fellows program. We’re proud of the lasting impact our Field Fellows program has, which invests in a new generation of public land and environmental leaders by providing fellows with professional development opportunities in Voyageurs National Park and clear career pathways following their fellowships.

Highlights like these, combined with the countless priceless moments we've all experienced in our beloved park, fuel our work and vision. Thank you for standing alongside us as we look to the future to ensure a park that is protected and accessible for generations to come.

Help Protect Voyageurs National Park

Voyageurs Conservancy’s Top 10 Moments of 2025

50 Years, 50 Legacies: Jeff Hardwig