A Celebration 50 Years in the Making
50 Years in the Making
Through our 50th anniversary campaign this year, our team made incredible strides in our mission to connect diverse audiences to Voyageurs National Park. Marking 50 years of the park has resulted in robust and widespread media recognition, memorable milestone events, and strengthened partnerships across the state.
Voyageurs in the Spotlight
Ongoing coverage in gateway area publications like the Rainy Lake Gazette and The TimberJay kept local communities connected to the story of Voyageurs. Statewide outlets such as The Minnesota Star Tribune, Explore Minnesota, and WCCO brought the celebration to audiences across Minnesota, and features in National Geographic and Outside Magazine brought well-deserved national attention to our national park. Altogether, Voyageurs Conservancy and Voyageurs National Park have been in the spotlight with hundreds of media mentions throughout the 50th anniversary year.
We have also shared compelling stories through our 50 Years, 50 Legacies campaign. Designed to celebrate and highlight 50+ individuals whose lives are woven into the fabric of the park–whether through conservation work, cultural traditions, recreation, research, or personal connection–we will continue to add legacies throughout 2025 and into 2026.
A Statewide Birthday Celebration
The summer celebration of Voyageurs’ 50th anniversary kicked off in May at Utepils Brewing in the Twin Cities. Rain and hail didn’t deter more than 400 park supporters from gathering to raise a glass and set a lively tone for the season ahead.
The festivities continued in June at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center, where families and longtime supporters joined for outdoor activities, educational programs, and reflections on the park’s history and future. Partnering with the Rainy Lake Sportfishing Association and Koochiching Historical Society, Voyageurs Conservancy organized a beautiful gathering that honored both the local history and enduring legacy of the park. From local families with deep, generational ties to the park to newcomers discovering Voyageurs for the first time, the event was a joyful reminder of the park’s wide-reaching impact.
In August, Voyageurs Conservancy set up its first booth ever at the Minnesota State Fair, complete with a Wenonah canoe, camp chairs, the Mobile Classroom van, and a giant map of the park. Over the first three days of The Great Minnesota Get-Together, Voyageurs Conservancy staff and volunteers interacted with thousands of fairgoers, helping them learn how they could explore the park, offering trip planning advice, encouraging them to enter our 50th sweepstakes to stay connected to the Conservancy, swearing in junior rangers, and sharing our sought after floating loon keychains. It was our honor to bring Voyageurs National Park to the Minnesota State Fair.
Voyageurs Conservancy extends a heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers who made both of our birthday parties and State Fair presence such a success! Their enthusiasm brought the park to life, sparking connections to the park with visitors from across the country.
Celebrating Voyageurs: Love Your Park Programs
This year’s Love Your Park series brought fresh energy to Voyageurs’ 50th anniversary by engaging new audiences and supporters of all ages in creative, hands-on experiences in the park. A TENT talk and guided hike focused on the park’s geologic history and gave participants a deeper look at Voyageurs’ natural wonders, while partnerships like Women of the Water offered a way for local residents to get involved with in-park science and wildlife research. The series also shined a light on stewardship through a three-day Leave No Trace Spotlight, encouraging visitors to explore responsibly and protect the park for future generations.
And the fun didn’t stop once the sun went down! Weekly Park After Dark programs invited people to experience Voyageurs in new ways at dark, creating memorable evenings of exploration and connection under some of the darkest skies in North America.
The highlight of the series was Voyageurs’ fifth annual Star Party, which brought visitors and partners together for two nights beneath the park’s stunning skies. Alongside stargazing and telescope viewing, participants learned from Voyageurs Conservancy’s education staff, heard reflections from Grand Portage Anishinaabe Nation member and photographer Travis Novitsky, and joined activities led by partners including Wilderness Inquiry, Starry Skies North, the Bell Museum, and the Voyageurs Wolf Project. The event not only celebrated the wonder of the cosmos but also focused on the importance of protecting dark skies for future generations.
Crane Lake Visitor Center Grand Opening
In June, we celebrated a milestone moment for Voyageurs National Park with the grand opening of the new Crane Lake Visitor Center. The event brought together community members, partners, and park supporters to mark the significance of this long-awaited addition. The new center enhances accessibility to Voyageurs and serves as a welcoming gateway for visitors exploring the entire region.
More than just a building, the Crane Lake Visitor Center is a symbol of community partnership and shared vision. Its opening reflects decades of collaboration and commitment, spotlighting the Crane Lake area’s key role in the park.
We’re deeply grateful to the partners, supporters, and friends who made this anniversary season so special. As we look ahead to fall and winter, more celebrations are on the horizon – join us as we continue honoring Voyageurs’ legacy and shaping its future together.
