Top 10 Winter Experiences in Voyageurs National Park

For a truly authentic Minnesotan winter experience, embrace all this beautiful season has to offer and venture to Voyageurs National Park where the crisp air and fresh snow welcomes you. Accessible year-round with no entry fee, Voyageurs is the ideal place for a memorable winter adventure, as the landscape transforms from a water-based park to a winter wonderland. Here are a handful of the amazing experiences you can have at Voyageurs in the winter months.

#1: Cross Country Ski Echo Bay, Black Bay, or Tilson Creek Trails

Immerse yourself in the tranquility of Voyageurs National Park with a day of cross country skiing. The Echo Bay Trail is located three miles from the Kabetogama Visitor Center (closed in winter) off County Road 122. This trail offers a wide path that takes you from aspens to pines as you pass through lowlands and rocky outcrops. Sections of this trail are groomed for skiing in the winter months and are perfect for novice skiers, while other parts of the trail are of intermediate difficulty.

The Rainy Lake Visitor Center offers winter gear rentals for $10 a day for adults, and $5 a day for children 16 and under. Call the Rainy Lake Visitor Center at (218) 286-5258 for availability.

From the visitor center, you can access the Tilson Creek Ski Trails (just outside of Voyageurs) via a connector trail. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources manages this ten mile network of interconnected ski trails. Several routes are possible, ranging from short loops to longer excursions. Traveling one mile north from the visitor center, across frozen Rainy Lake, you can access the Black Bay Ski Trails.

You can also launch your cross country skiing exploration from other gateway communities around the park. Try the Kab-Ash Trail or follow these links for trail information near Crane Lake, Kabetogama, or Ash River.

#2: Explore the Blind Ash Bay and Oberholtzer Trails by Snowshoe

If skiing isn’t your thing, you can also explore the trails of Voyageurs National Park on snowshoes! The Blind Ash Bay Trail consists of a 2.5 mile loop of moderate difficulty accessible through the Ash River Visitor Center (closed in the winter) trailhead. The narrow winding trail will allow you to experience the wonders of the boreal forest and view spectacular scenery.

Rainy Lake Visitor Center has snowshoes in many sizes and shapes available for $10 a day for adults, and $5 a day for children 16 and under. From there you can access the 1.7-mile Oberholtzer Trail, which brings you through both forests and wetlands.

There are many other snowshoe trails throughout the park. Find all of your options here! All open trails are available for snowshoeing and cross country skiing during the winter months, but not all may be groomed or maintained depending on the conditions – click here to view the weekly trails report from the National Park Service. It is courteous to not trudge with snowshoes through cross country ski tracks.

Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for wildlife and animal tracks while exploring the park. If you’re really lucky, you may spy moose, wolves, foxes, white-tailed deer, eagles, owls, otters, who are all active during the winter.

#3: Explore Voyageurs by Ice Road

Discover a new way of getting around the park’s ice highways! The Rainy Lake Ice Road departs from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center boat launch. The Kabetogama Lake Ice Road travels between the boat launches of the Ash River and Kabetogama Lake Visitor Centers. The speed limit is a slow and steady 30 mph. Familiarize yourself with safety on the ice roads. Ice road routes change from year to year depending on ice conditions, but visitors can expect about 26 miles of ice roads to explore. Contact the Rainy Lake Visitor Center for the latest ice conditions or check the park’s website before planning a trip to see which ice roads are open for the season.

#4: Warm up at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center

The Rainy Lake Visitor Center is open year-round. Stop in before you head out to explore the park to chat with park rangers, learn more about the history of Voyageurs National Park, and pick up skis or snowshoes to play in for the day. Come back through after your day of winter activities to warm up and browse the park bookstore! During the winter season, RLVC is open Friday - Monday from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

#5: Explore Voyageurs’ famous dark skies

Voyageurs’ dark skies are truly something special in the winter, offering the clearest skies, best odds for northern lights, and the earliest sunsets. Every February, Voyageurs Conservancy and partners around the state host Boreal Stargazing Week, a celebration of Voyageurs National Park, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Quetico Provincial Park, which, together, make up one of the largest protected dark sky regions in the world.

With both virtual and in-person programs, there are countless ways to experience the Northwoods after dark and learn why Minnesota is a world class destination for dark skies. Can’t make it to Boreal Stargazing Week? Download our Dark Sky Guide for the best viewing tips, tricks, and locations.

#6: Go sledding or skating!

Did you know Voyageurs has an official sledding hill? The Sphunge Island Sledding Hill is open and accessible from the Kabetogama Lake Ice Road complete with picnic tables, a fire ring, and a skating rink! The sledding hill consists of a small hill for younger children and a larger hill for older children and adults. To access the sledding hill and skating rink, take the Kabetogama-Ash River Ice Road from the Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center (closed in the winter). The Sphunge Island sledding hill opens annually once there is sufficient snowfall and the ice road gets plowed on Kabetogama Lake. The skating rink is open and maintained as conditions allow.

#7: Embrace the Cold at Icebox Days and other Community Events

Embrace the cold with the communities that surround Voyageurs National Park. Icebox Days, held annually in January, is packed full of fun and zany games for all people, including frozen turkey bowling; the locally invented “smoosh” races; moonlight skiing in Voyageurs National Park; the infamous “Gizzard” runs and much more. Find the full schedule of wacky events here.

The Voyageurs National Park gateway communities of Kabetogama, Crane Lake, and Ash River also host a variety of events and activities throughout the winter months.

#8: Snowmobile the Chain of Lakes

For those who want to cover more ground when exploring Voyageurs in winter, the park allows snowmobiling on frozen lake surfaces and designated safety portages. There are 126 miles of staked and groomed trails for snowmobiling throughout the park during snowy winters. Be sure to obey all closure signs, speed limits, and familiarize yourself with the park snowmobile map. Areas are closed for your safety and to protect sensitive resources. For up-to-date local area trail conditions visit the following links: International Falls; Ash River/ Kabetogama; Crane Lake and surrounding area; Arrowhead State Trail; NPS reports

#9: Dare to Winter Camp

Feeling brave? Spend a night, or two, or even three, in the Voyageurs winter wonderland! Camping offers amazing opportunities for night sky and wildlife viewing. Winter is a great time to view the northern lights and offers the earliest nights for stargazing. Campsites are accessible via snowmobile, skiing, and snowshoeing. Keep in mind all overnight stays at campsites within the park require a reservation in advance. You can access the reservation page by following this link. If you need some convincing, check out this compelling argument from REI about why camping in the cold is the way to go!

#10: Go Ice Fishing in a National Park

Winter quiet, rugged piney shorelines, and outstanding angling make Voyageurs National Park an ice angler’s dream. Make sure to place ice houses at least 50-feet from the center of snowmobile trails and ice roads, and check ice conditions before going out. Fishing licenses are required. If you’re new to Voyageurs, ice houses are available to rent through private companies and local guides are available to hire.

Minnesotans are known to be kind and resilient folk, but be sure to be smart when enjoying the outdoors in cold winter conditions. Be sure to layer up, carry food and water, always check conditions before heading out, and bring a friend along for company and safety.

We hope to see you in Voyageurs National Park this winter!

Top 10 Winter Experiences in Voyageurs National Park

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