Dr. Carol Johnston, formerly at the Natural Resources Research Institute in Duluth but now at South Dakota State University, recently published a book titled "Beavers: Boreal Ecosystem Engineers" summarizing the research she and her colleagues did at Voyageurs National Park on the effects of beavers on ecosystems from the 1980s to present. "This 88-year record of beaver landscape occupation and alteration documented by Johnston and colleagues from aerial photography and field work provides a unique resource toward understanding the ecosystem effects and sustainability of beaver activity."
Voyageurs National Park Announces 2017 Fall Visitor Center Hours
The Kabetogama Lake and Ash River Visitor Centers will be closed for the season beginning Sunday, October 1, 2017. Both visitor centers will reopen in mid-May 2018. The Rainy Lake Visitor Center will be open Wednesdays through Sundays, 10:00am to 4:00pm from October 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017. Look for winter hours soon.
Voyageurs National Park staff encourages you to come out and explore the park this fall and enjoy the colors of the North Woods.
Paddling Into the Past on Rainy Lake
Eric Grunwald, National Park Service It was a calm and warm mid-September day when my friend Jeff and I put our canoe in the water at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center boat ramp. Jeff is a park ranger at Grand Canyon National Park and I was excited to show him the sites of some of the most interesting historic events that took place on Rainy Lake inside what is now Voyageurs National Park. As we paddled away from the boat ramp the North Woods were in all their splendor. A loon dove under the water no more than 50 yards away and an eagle soared overhead. The very first hint of fall color shone on a few of the scattered aspens on the lakeshore.
We made quick time on the calm waters of Black Bay, and before we knew it we were at the dock marking the site of Rainy Lake City. Today the city is no more than the grassy trace of an old city street. Though there are two buildings on the site, these buildings do not date from Rainy Lake City, but from a later time in northern Minnesota history. As we docked the canoe and headed into the forest, there seemed to be more going on in Rainy Lake City than met the eye. We walked the trace of what had been one of the town's streets and I told Jeff a little bit about the town's history.
In 1894 a small town, perhaps as large as 500 inhabitants, grew at the site where we walked. Rainy Lake City held many of the conveniences that one would expect in a town of the mid-1890s. Very early on in its existence Charles W. Moore wrote that the town has "eight drygoods stores, as many groceries, three hotels and restaurants, two newspapers, one livery barn, three laundries...one doctor and one lawyer." Perhaps L.D. Chadbourne described the scene at Rainy Lake City best when he wrote in 1894 "the population of Rainy Lake City is 214, eleven of whom are females... there are places where you can get whiskey at 15 cents per small glass; or play any kind of robbers game that you are looking for." Chadbourne concluded by writing "Every branch of business that is needed in a new town is well represented, especially the saloon business. There are only 16 saloons at present, but the people have faith there are more to follow." There must have been a wild and transient atmosphere to the town, and just like many of the towns that sprang up overnight in the American West, the reason why Rainy Lake City was developed was to support the mining industry, in this case the only gold mines in Minnesota.
We walked the grassy road trace to the point where it seemed to disappear. Then, we turned around and started to make our way back to the canoe. As we walked, I swear I could almost hear the muted laughter and conversation of men drinking and playing cards. "This must have been quite the place in the 1890s," Jeff said to me as the canoe came into sight. Before we left Rainy Lake City we decided to head into the old log building that's left unlocked for visitors to explore. I went on to explain to Jeff that the building that we were inside does not date from the Rainy Lake Gold Rush of the 1890s, but to a later date, the Prohibition Era of the 1920s. It is what was called a "blind pig" or speakeasy where patrons could get alcohol even though its sale was illegal. It seems even though Rainy Lake City was largely a ghost town by 1901, people were still drawn to the seclusion of the site well into the 20th century.
We got back into the canoe at the dock and started to make our way west on Rainy Lake. We had yet another destination in mind, the only Minnesota gold mine to ever turn a profit on Little American Island. While the winds had been calm on Black Bay, we were less sheltered now that we were on more open water. It is incredible how a wind as light as 5 miles per hour can make paddling more difficult. A few fishing boats passed us as we made our way to the north side of Little American Island and the dock for the trailhead.
Little American Island marks the site where, in 1893, prospector George W Davis gouged out a sample of quartz from a vein on the island. The quartz sample was sent to Duluth to be assayed, or tested for gold, and sure enough the test showed an average of about $98 worth of gold per ton of ore. Quickly, a party of men paid $10,000 for the island. Jeff and I docked the canoe and walked to easy gravel trail to an old horizontal mine shaft, called an adit, now partially filled with water. We continued on the trail to the site of a vertical mine shaft. Besides the mining shaft, a pair of adits, and a large metal wheel, not much evidence remains of the mining operation on Little American Island. Due to the high costs of mining and processing ore, and poor management, mining activity at Little American Island did not last long. In early 1898 all mining operations ceased there and the property was soon seized by the Itasca County Sheriff.
Our last stop on the island was an overlook of a portion of the Rainy Lake gold field. Not only does the site offer a wonderful view of Rainy Lake and islands dotted with boreal vegetation, it also includes an interpretive panel complete with a map of other mining sites that are now within the boundary of Voyageurs National Park. With names like Busyhead, Big American, and Hope-Still; each site seemed to beckon us to explore further. Alas, the wind was starting to pick up, and Jeff and I did not want to get stranded, unable to make headway in strong winds. We opted to paddle the canoe back to the boat ramp near the Rainy Lake Visitor Center.
As we made our way back to the boat ramp, Jeff and I talked about all we had explored that day. We agreed that while in the 1890s men had seen value in the gold locked up in the rocks of what is now Voyageurs National Park, there is still great value in these lands and waters. Today the value lies not in material resources, but in the scenery of the North Woods, the animals that inhabit the area, the opportunity to canoe or motorboat on waters that were once plied by the voyageurs as park of a wold-wide trade network, and the idea that all of it will be preserved not just for us, but for future generations of visitors to northern Minnesota.
Learn more about Little American Island by listening to this podcast.
Voyageurs National Park Association Announces New Elections to Board of Directors
Voyageurs National Park Association announced the election of three new members to the 2017 VNPA Board of Directors: Sharon Oswald Jim Bizal Megan Bond, JD
VNPA couldn’t be more excited about their experience, ideas, wisdom, and passion for Voyageurs National Park.
Sharon Oswald has worked in Minnesota’s nonprofit sector and government relations for over 20 years, primarily dedicated to public health. She currently works with Delta Dental of Minnesota as a foundation program manager, and enjoys nature and helping protect Minnesota's outdoor heritage.
Jim Bizal has extensive experience serving on several boards within his community and has spent the past 25 years exploring Voyageurs’ Sand Point and Namakan Lakes with his family. When Jim isn’t spending time with his family or giving back, he runs a home remodeling business in Edina, Minnesota.
Megan Bond has been active with VNPA since 2012 in a variety of roles including committee member, volunteer, and policy coordinator. Megan earned her Juris Doctor degree and masters in public policy at the University of St. Thomas. She lives in International Falls enjoying all seasons on Rainy Lake and working as a judicial law clerk.
Sharon Oswald commented, “Voyageurs National Park Association has the mission, values, vision, and team of people that I would like to contribute my time and efforts towards. VNPA has served as the primary support to our only national park in Minnesota, and its importance is ever more apparent as we continue addressing the pressures, ideas, and varied interests for the parks usage.”
If you’re attending the fall member breakfast, be sure to introduce yourself to our new board members.
Full list of 2017 Board of Directors.
If you are interested in exploring committee or board service, please contact our board chair, Jeffrey Brown via vnpa@voyageurs.org.
About Voyageurs National Park Association
Voyageurs National Park Association’s mission is to connect people to Voyageurs National Park, enhance the visitor experience, and protect the park for present and future generations. VNPA is the park’s nonprofit partner, serving as the leading voice for protection and outreach, providing financial and volunteer support for recreation and conservation projects, and working together with the National Park Service to preserve the visitor experience and wild nature of Voyageurs for future generations.
First Comment Period on Mining Study Comes to Close
The first public comment period on the study of risks to the Boundary Waters region from sulfide-ore copper mining ended on August 17. Here’s a quick video explaining the process. Over 126,000 comments were submitted. That's a record high level of public engagement in any environmental review process in Minnesota and further shows the importance of protecting the BWCAW and Voyageurs from this threat.
Read the comments VNPA submitted to the Forest Service and thank you to those who submitted their own.
This recent comment period helps to launch a two-year science-based environmental review of the region’s unique water-based ecosystem and will help determine if the Rainy River watershed is the wrong place for sulfide-ore copper mining.
Voyageurs and the BWCAW are national treasures, of immeasurable value to people in Minnesota and across the United States. Clean water is the foundation of Minnesota’s natural heritage. Voyageurs National Park Association fully supports this two-year environmental review which is essential to allow federal agencies and the public to examine the science.
Related Links:
http://queticosuperior.org/blog/minnesota-lawmakers-attempt-stop-superior-national-forest-mining-study
Fall Ranger-led Boat Tours and Programs at Voyageurs National Park
Haven't made it up to Voyageurs yet this season? There is still time to reserve a spot to explore the waters and islands of Minnesota's national park.
Ticket sales for tour boats stop 30 minutes prior to departure. Reservations are highly recommended. Call (877) 444-6777 or go online at www.recreation.gov.
Rainy Lake Visitor Center
Grand Tour:
2:00pm - 4:30pm, September 6th, 13th, 16th, 20th, 23rd, 27th, and 30th, 2017 (4 passenger minimum)
Board the Voyageur tour boat and navigate Rainy Lake in search of eagles, view a commercial fish camp from the boat, and spot fall colors. A stop at Little American Island (1/4 mile accessible walk) explores the 1890s Rainy Lake gold rush.
Pricing: 17 & up $30, 3-16 $15, 2 & under $3
Kettle Falls Cruise:
9:30am - 4:00pm, September 2nd and 9th, 2017 (22 passenger minimum)
Voyage to the historic Kettle Falls area while viewing fall colors and wildlife. Spend 2 hours on land, dine at the hotel, enjoy a picnic lunch, or explore the hotel and nearby dam. Meal fee separate.
Pricing: 17 & up $50, 3-16 $25, 2 & under $3
Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center
Kettle Falls Cruise:
10:00am - 3:30pm, September 1st, 3rd, 4th, 8th, 10th, 11th, 15th, 17th, 18th, 22nd, 24th, and 25th, 2017 (6 passenger minimum)
Voyage to the historic Kettle Falls area while viewing fall colors and wildlife. Spend 2 hours on land, dine at the hotel, enjoy a picnic lunch, or explore the hotel and nearby dam. Meal fee separate.
Pricing: 17 & up $40, 3-16 $20, 2 & under $3
Please note that all programs are subject to change. Please call ahead for the most up-to-date program schedule.
Kettle Falls Archeology, Part 2
By Drew LaBounty, National Park Service Read part 1 here.
The second year of archeological inventory has been completed at Kettle Falls, and with it, the physical exploration of soils and artifacts. Now it is up to written history (and often living memory) to fill in the gaps.
In 2015 visitors might have seen a team of archeologists operating geological survey equipment. This equipment measures the magnetism of buried objects and the compaction of soils. In the construction world, such a survey might locate buried utilities. For archeologists, it helps locate historical buildings and activity areas. At Kettle Falls, geophysical survey was used to search for the original Monson's Trading Post in the front lawn of the iconic 1940s Dam Tender's House (the red-roofed white building on the Namakan side).
In 2016, investigations ramped up to more physical exploration. National Park Service archeologists from a regional center in Lincoln, Nebraska traveled to Voyageurs to establish one meter by one meter Test Units that exposed the "anomalies" identified in the geophysics. Led by Voyageurs National Park staff, the NPS team completed two formal Test Units and an additional 22 smaller quick tests in the front lawn of the Dam Tender's House.
The results of these excavations were surprising. Very little evidence remains of Chris Monson's trading post, and the exact location of the building itself has been wiped away by years of use and re-use of the front lawn. Archeologists targeted two of the geophysical anomalies (see photos). When the sod layer was stripped away, there was no evidence of a formal foundation. Instead, buildings sat directly atop the soil, which caused it to compact and leave behind harder layers of soil. Surprisingly however, virtually no artifacts remain in the lawn to confirm the presence of the trading post. On top of that, historic photographs seem to depict Monson's trading post in an entirely different location closer to shore, where no physical evidence of a building was found.
What does it all mean? The compacted soils in the yard of the Dam Tender's House might not represent a structure at all. Changing water levels might also give the appearance of a different shoreline in historic photographs. The same changing water levels might also have flooded the former trading post location, making identification more difficult. All of these possibilities will be examined and teased out this year, mostly using written accounts, photographs, and local memory.
Our ongoing attempt to pinpoint the location of Chris Monson's original trading post, and to tell its story more completely through physical remains, highlights the importance of tracing several lines of evidence in archeological work. And this holds true throughout the rest of the Kettle Falls area. Other activity areas besides the lawn were investigated over the past two years, and multiple other structures were located, often through trash and debris from the same time period. For example: did you know there were up to six other buildings near the Kettle Falls dam overlook, inhabited by come of the most colorful residents of the Northwoods in the 1910s and 20s? It will take another year of careful research and assembling evidence in order to tell these stories accurately and completely.
The park looks forward to assembling this information, to sharing the stories of Kettle Falls in more color and clarity, and to learning even more about the area in years to come.
Lifespan of a Building
By Beau Readman and Catherine CrawfordNational Park Service
Imagine you are time traveling, your destination is a sandy beach on the northeast shore of Crane Lake, Minnesota, and the time is July 1880. You will encounter a beach that is edged with a forest of pine. You may see wildlife, but it is less likely you will encounter another human or signs of human habitation. Travel forward in time to the summer of 1934 and the same site on the northeast shore of Crane Lake. You are surprised to find a small one-bedroom log cabin with shorter than normal doorways and a screened-in front porch that was just built by Dr. Jake Casareto. Now you decide to speed forward to the summer of 2014, same place, and discover that the Casareto cabin has many whimsical log additions. You try to imagine the seasons, the harsh winters, and the use which the cabin has managed to survive through the past 80 years.
If you were to time travel to the south shore of Hoist Bay, Namakan Lake in July 1880 you would find a quiet, hidden shore forested with large pines. Maybe you would encounter members of the Bois Forte Ojibwe. Travel forward to a summer in the early 1900s in Hoist Bay and the change is drastic; railroad tracks extend far out into the bay, the trees have been cut, and tar paper buildings of Virginia & Rainy Lake Logging Camp 75 line the south shore. Skip to the late 1940s, same site, and a trim row of white guest cabins replaces the tar paper buildings. The property was purchased by Ted and Fern Monson and they have built a little tourist oasis in the quiet north woods. Today, many decades later, signs of the logging camp remain on the landscape and the cabins and other buildings from the resort still stand at Hoist Bay.
If structures are left to weather the seasons without care, they slowly molder back into the landscape. Keeping vegetation away from buildings; replacing roofs; and repairing and painting logs, siding, or trim helps to preserve them. This summer, the Casareto cabin will enjoy tender care. Logs will be repaired and painted and siding, windows, doors, and trim will be scraped and painted. At Hoist Bay, the seven historic buildings will receive new roofing, siding will be repaired, and all structures will get a fresh coat of paint
Voyageurs National Park is striving to preserve its historic structures for future time travelers.
Restoring Native Plants in Voyageurs
by Claire Kissane, National Park Service This summer, Voyageurs National Park will begin removing exotic cattails and restoring natural wetlands. The invasive cattails seen throughout the park are actually hybrids of non-native narrow-leaved cattails and native broad-leaved cattail, which has out-competed both parents species, resulting in the vast majority of cattails found in the park being hybridized. These have in turn begin to dominate the landscape because they are more aggressive and can occupy a wider range of water depths than their parent species. Over the past 20+ years, more and more Voyageurs wetlands have been affected by the growing hybrid cattail populations. The invasion has reduced native plant and animal diversity, impaired cultural resources like wild rice, reduced fish and wildlife habitat, and limited the use of waterways for recreation and navigation. Stands of invasive hybrid cattails are also replacing native vegetation such as sedges, wild rice, rushes, pondweeds, and native cattails, causing an overall decline in plant diversity within the park. As boaters are well-aware, these cattails can also form dense floating mats expanding outward from the land. At Voyageurs, most of these dense stands and mats are located on Kabetogama shorelines, with smaller stands on Namakan and Rainy Lakes.
Here is a helpful guide on who to tell cattail species apart.
Here is a great FAQ on native vs. non-native species.
There are an estimated 500 acres of hybrid invasive cattails in Voyageurs National Park. The goal of this project is to control at least half of them in the next 2-3 years, with a long-term plan of controlling the rest of the invasive cattails within the next 5-10 years. This will allow native species to repopulate the bays, restoring natural diversity and habitat to the park area. The project is supported by multiple partners including VNPA and is funded by a variety of sources including the National Park Service and matching donors, VNPA, settlement funds, and the Minnesota Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment administered through the Initiative Foundation.
Several methods will be used to eradicate the cattails:
- They will be removed mostly using harvesting barges and smaller equipment.
- Any cattails not accessible by heaver equipment will be removed by hand.
- Burning may also be used as a tool to thin cattail areas before harvesting.
- Additionally, native muskrats will be reintroduced to help control the cattails.
Muskrats have the ability to reduce the density of wetland vegetation by eating the plants and making channels through the water, and may be the best long-term method to naturally limit cattail populations before they expand. Since native muskrat populations have decreased in recent years however, animals from outside the park will be introduced to the densest cattail areas within Voyageurs. With an improved habitat, a healthy population of muskrats may help to keep the cattails in check once they are removed.
After the thick mats of hybrid cattails are eliminated, wild rice and other native aquatic plants can take hold without any further effort. Many native seeds can remain in the soil under cattails for years and natural vegetation will return when given the chance. To help the process along, staff will collect and distribute seeds from healthy wetlands in the park, and will go even further by purchasing seed mixtures from local nurseries. The VNPA Volunteer Rendezvous weekend in September will be an important part of the native seed collection, with a goal of collecting 300 pounds of wild rice seed and up to 50 pounds of sedge and rush seed during the volunteer weekend, all from within the park. Within a few days of collection, the seed will be distributed at sites recently cleared of cattails.
Wildlife and plant species living around the cattail mats will be monitored before, during, and after the cattail removal, restoration, and muskrat reintroduction. This will help determine the effectiveness of the restoration methods, and it will help identify any impacts the project might have on wetland ecosystems. Through the efforts of this project, the wetland habitats throughout Voyageurs will once again be healthy and thriving.
Park officials will be primarily working in Black Bay on Rainy Lake outside of the main boating channel this summer. Visitors should inform park staff is they come across a floating mat blocking a campsite or in or near a boating channel.
Voyageurs National Park Announces Resurfacing of Entrance Roads and Boat Launch Areas
Voyageurs National Park would like to inform the public about the resurfacing of the Rainy Lake and Ash River Visitor Center's entrance roads and boat launch parking lot on Rainy Lake. Starting mid-June through July, visitors will experience one-lane closures with a pilot car escort provided during business hours.
Park staff would like to remind visitors, the Rainy Lake Visitor Center boat launch ramp will be restricted to one-lane use during the construction period.
Effective Tuesday, June 20, over-night parking will not be allowed in the lower lot of the Rainy Lake Visitor Center boat launch. This no-parking notice will be in affect through the end of the project. Violators will be towed at the owner's expense.
National Park Service
Seeking Experts to Help Reconstruct the Kettle Falls Overlook
Voyageurs National Park Association is seeking pro bono landscape architecture services as Voyageurs National Park begins planning the reconstruction of the Kettle Falls overlook in Minnesota's National Park.
Voyageurs National Park's Kettle Falls has been a crossroads of travel and history for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. Kettle Falls was a main artery of the travel route along the wilderness border region. Native peoples gathered, hunted, and speared sturgeon at the falls, voyageurs paddled and portaged through the area carrying their goods and furs, and prospectors traveled to the picturesque resting place on their way to the Rainy Lake gold mines.
The park's Kettle Falls Historic District is a large area with multiple historic, natural, and recreational features, access points, and types of visitors. The Historic District retains several significant historic features, including the Kettle Falls Hotel and associated buildings, the Kettle Falls Dam, a log damkeeper's cabin built in 1910, and numerous other historic and archeological features. Kettle Falls is a unique place offering visitors the opportunity to learn about the rich stories of the people and time periods that passed through these waterways.
Over 40,000 visitors come to Kettle Falls annually. Boat launch ramps and visitor docking are located on both Namakan and Rainy Lakes. Food, lodging, gas, and portage services are available.
This project involves rehabilitating the 30-year-old visitor overlook and surrounding area at Kettle Falls. The wood observation deck and walkways have shifted and settled over the years and now pose numerous tripping, splintering, and falling hazards for park visitors. The overlook offers rich opportunities for scenic views as well as historic and environmental education to visitors.
Can you help?
Professional landscape architecture or architecture services are needed to develop construction drawings for the new Kettle Falls overlook.
Project Timeline
● August/September 2017 - Landscape architect site visit to Voyageurs National Park ● August 2018 - Draft construction drawings prepared for NPS review ● January 2019 - Final construction drawings to NPS ● September 2019 - Site demolition; construction begins
Contact If you are interested in learning more about ways you can support this project through donated services, please contact: Christina Hausman chausman@voyageurs.org
Voyageurs National Park Announces Summer Hours of Operation
The Rainy Lake Visitor Center hours of operation are:
- May 5 - May 27, 2017: Wednesday through Sunday, 10am - 4:30pm
- May 28 - September 30, 2017: Open seven days a week, 9am - 5pm
The Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center hours of operation are:
- May 27 - May 28, 2017: 9am - 5pm
- June 3 - June 4, 2017: 9am - 5pm
- June 10 - September 30, 2017: Open seven days a week, 9am - 5pm
The Ash River Visitor Center hours of operation are:
- June 10 - September 30, 2017: Open seven days a week, 9am - 5pm
This reduction in days and hours of operation is due to delays with hiring our summer workforce that are beyond our control. Visitors can expect boat tours to start June 25, 2017 and should call ahead for scheduled ranger-led programs.
For a complete list of up-to-date programs visit www.nps.gov/voya. To make a reservation for boat tours visit www.recreation.gov. For all other ranger-led programs visitors should inquire at the visitor center they wish to explore.
- Rainy Lake Visitor Center: 218-286-5258
- Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center: 218-875-2111
- Ash River Visitor Center: 218-374-3221
Voyageurs National Park staff encourages you to come out and explore the opportunities available this summer and enjoy the North Woods.
Voyageurs National Park Begins Buoy Placement
Voyageurs began placing hazard markers and other buoys within park boundaries on April 20, 2017. Park staff will make every effort to place buoys in a timely manner for the upcoming 2017 summer season.
Voyageurs National Park encourages boaters to use extreme caution when traveling waterways due to low water levels. Low water levels may expose hazards that are not typically visible or marked during the summer or higher water-level months. Boaters should remember throughout the summer that various hazards may develop without warning and may not be properly marked.
As a reminder, Lamplighters from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) will soon be repairing and placing navigational aids in the park's four main lakes - Rainy, Kabetogama, Namakan, and Sand Point Lakes.
National Park Service
Tourism to Voyageurs National Park creates $24,601,600 in Economic Benefits
A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 241,911 visitors to Voyageurs National Park in 2016 spent $19,780,200 in communities near the park. That spending supported 310 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefits to the local economy of $24,601,600. "Voyageurs National Park welcomes visitors from across the country and around the world," said Superintendent Bob DeGross. "We are delighted to share the story of this place and the experiences it provides. We also feature the park as a way to introduce our visitors to this part of the country and all that it offers. National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy, returning more than $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service, and it's a big factor in our local economy as well. We appreciate the partnership and support of our neighbors and are glad to be able to give back by helping sustain local communities."
The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas of the U.S. Geological Survey and Lynne Koontz of the National Park Service. The report shows $18.4 billion of direct spending by 331 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 318,000 jobs nationally; 271,544 of those jobs are found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $34.9 billion.
According to the 2016 report, most park visitor spending was for lodging (31.2 percent) followed by food and beverages (27.2 percent), gas and oil (11.7 percent), admissions and fees (10.2 percent) souvenirs and other expenses (9.7 percent), local transportation (7.4 percent), and camping fees (2.5 percent).
Report authors this year produced an interactive tool where users can explore current year visitor spending, jobs, labor income, value added, and output effects by sector for national, state, and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data.
To learn more about National Parks in Minnesota and how the National Park Service works with Minnesota communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/Minnesota.
National Park Service
National Park Week at Voyageurs National Park
National Park Week begins on Saturday, April 15 and runs through Sunday, April 23. Voyageurs is celebrating by offering a series of events for park visitors! All events take place at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center. It is open 10am - 4:30pm Wednesday - Sunday.
All Week
Voyageurs National Park Kids Art Show: View art and writing samples created by local elementary students centered on this years theme: "Plants and Trees are Important Because..."
Saturday April 15
Junior Ranger Day: Junior Ranger activities are a great way to connect kids to our National Parks. Bring your child to Voyageurs and complete one of three different activity booklets to earn a badge!
Friday April 21
2:00 pm - Native Foods Cooking Demonstration: Enjoy the tastes and smells of North Woods cooking in the great outdoors. Come learn about locally available food sources the Ojibwe Indians relied on in the past and people still enjoy today. High School students from the Indus ProStart Foods Class will be preparing a delectable meal using locally available native foods. Samples provided!
Saturday April 22
1:00 pm - Ojibwe Ethno-botanical Garden Tour: Join Park Ranger Lisa Maass for a spring plant walk in the Ojibwe Ethno-botanical Garden and discover the importance of native plants to the Ojibwe culture.
2:00 pm - The Cattail Invasion-Why Did This Happen and What Can We Do?: Park Biologist Bryce Olson will discuss the reasons behind this cattail invasion and a multi-year project aiming to reduce cattail abundance and restore delicate wetlands in Voyageurs.
Sunday April 23
National Park Prescription Day: National Parks are a great place to be active and support a healthy lifestyle! Pick up a Hike to Health passport, hit the trails, and start logging the miles to keep your mind, body, and spirit in good health.
Why Voyageurs Should be Next on Your National Park Bucket List
Voyageurs National Park, located in northern Minnesota, might not be the most recognized public land in the NPS, but that's just one of the many reasons it's so great and deserves a spot on your travel bucket list.
Camping
Every National Park has a campground, so what makes Voyageurs' camping experience unique?
All designated sites are Voyageurs are only accessible by water and were hand-picked to provide seclusion from other visitors, allowing you to truly immerse yourself in the magic on northern Minnesota. You might even be lucky enough to have an entire island to yourself! Every site includes a tent pad, bear box, pit toilet, and picnic table. Many, but not all, also have a dock, so tying up your watercraft, from kayak to houseboat, is a breeze.
For an extra-secluded experience, consider floating out to the Kabetogama Peninsula and exploring some of the park's interior lakes (you'll get a whole lake to yourself for the night!) Remember: All campsites must be reserved in advance through the recreation.gov portal or by calling park headquarters.
The gateway communities are full of friendly faces
You'll feel right at home driving into any number of the towns that are sprinkled around Voyageurs' outer limits. From cozy coffee shops and home-cooked food to rustic cabins and lifelong residents of the area, you'll enjoy the true Minnesotan feel of the area, and hopefully bring a little bit of it back home with you.
Boating
Voyageurs National Park offers you the unique opportunity to experience the sparkling waters of Rainy, Kabetogama, Namakan, and Sand Point lakes much the same way that french fur traders and Ojibwe indians did centuries ago. In fact, you will have a hard time exploring the park any other way. With over 40% of the park being water and only five miles of roads in the park, a boat is absolutely necessary to discover Minnesota's only National Park.
While motorboats are allowed on Voyageurs' lakes, you're sure to enjoy a quiet day on the water. Kayaking and canoeing are excellent ways to view park wildlife like loons and eagles, and even to fish from! Non-motorized options are becoming evermore popular and are definitely something to check out. However, motorboats are great too, providing more space and a little power if you have less time and want to cover more ground (or water haha) at the park. There are many resorts and outfitting services in gateway communities with rentals available for you to try something new.
You'll Get Hooked on Fishing
Didn't see that one coming did you? Lots of water means lots of fish which means lots of happy fisher(wo)man. People visit from all corners of the country to experience Minnesota's abundant aquatic life. And not just in the summer! If sitting in a hut bundled up and listening to the radio sounds like a good time, ice fishing might be the activity for you.
The History Might Surprise You
Voyageurs National Park is probably most well known for its role in the fur trade and the French-Canadian voyageurs for whom the park is named, but there's so much more to this place than beaver pelts and baguettes.
The Ojibwe were here long before the fur traders, paddling birchbark canoes, traveling in hand-made snowshoes, and planting gardens for summer sustenance.
If you're interested in happenings a little less ancient, the relatively recent designation of Voyageurs as a National Park means many areas in the park are full of family histories, personal dreams, and capitalist ventures left to add to its unique narrative.
The Sky
From firey sunrises and pastel sunsets to sparkling stars and dancing northern lights, the skies of Voyageurs are quite simply breathtaking. Let this awesome video by More Than Just Parks blow your mind.
https://vimeo.com/189932180
So now I challenge you to #GetOutside and #FindYourPark in serene Minnesota.
by Ella Rausch
Former Teen Ambassador Interview
Every year, VNPA sends 30 Minnesota high school students to Voyageurs National Park and out on the Mississippi River as part of the National Park Teen Ambassador Program. While participants spend time paddling, camping, fishing, hiking, doing service projects, and learning about conservation-related careers from National Park Service staff, they become environmental stewards for our public lands. We had a chance to sit down with one of our past ambassadors to catch up and find out what this program means to her.
Faizah, it is great to see you - what are you up to these days?
I'm actually fasting for Ramadan right now. I just graduated from high school and am looking for a summer job, I think I'll line something up soon. I actually have registration for St. Kate's later so I'll be heading there to sign up for classes. More generally, I've been trying to make camping more of a traditional thing since my experience with Teen Ambassadors.
What kind of job are you looking for?
Initially I wanted to do something outside, but I'm looking for more of a traditional summer job I think.
St. Kate's is a great school. Do you know what you want to study?
I'm not totally sure. I've spent a lot of time over the past few years trying to figure that out because I don't want to get there and spend a lot of extra effort and money figuring it out. I've had so many people in my life telling me, "You don't need to know right now," but there is still a part of me telling me "you need to know now." So we'll see. I think I want to do people things. It's a nursing school so that is an option.
Would you have considered yourself an "outdoorsy" person before your trip to Voyageurs?
Not really - I was in 3rd grade the first time I went camping so I had some experience on what it was, but through my middle school and even into my first few years of high school it wasn't something I thought about. But I think this trip sort of highlighted a part of me I had put in a box and forgotten about. Now it is something I'm grateful for and I wouldn't trade it for anything. When I think about all of the experiences I've been fortunate enough to have with people, this one sticks out because we have stayed in touch. I would say I still talk to about half of the people from that trip. Some people obviously disappear or are hard to track down but I think this experience has been great for a lot of us.
I remember the highlight, well not THE highlight but one really cool part happened at Voyageurs when they asked us what we wanted to do and I said I wanted to see the sunset from a sort of elevated spot. And you know how there are a bunch of little islands out in Voyageurs? Well, I named one after myself and one evening we went out late in the afternoon and I asked where we were going and they said we were going to my island to watch the sunset and when we got there we were like a little village of people and we watched the sunset. It was amazing.
Has your time in the Teen Ambassador Program changed you?
I think so. I love taking walks out in nature and around the parks here. It's not exactly like camping where you're surrounded by nature and everything is green but I would say I don't look at things the same way. I feel more in touch with nature here at home and if I see someone messing with a tree or littering I'm more prone to tell them to knock it off.
I also don't think a lot of people know Fort Snelling State Park is here and when I show them pictures they're in disbelief because when you're there, it feels so far out of the city. I think with the Voyageurs trip, I had no idea about the place and of course I looked up some photos and sort of said, well there's no way it will look like that, but then we went and what I experienced with my own eyes was even more incredible than those images.
What has the Teen Ambassador Program meant to you?
In a way I'm a different person than people expect me to be because I'm a girl and I'm Somali. It can be a little frustrating because I know that a lot of my friends were interested in going on this trip but just couldn't get past those barriers. I mean, I didn't know Voyageurs and I probably wouldn't have ever hear about it if I hadn't been in College Possible. I think more now about how to introduce more people to what I have experienced in an inclusive way and how to breach those barriers.
VNPA is currently working with partners like College Possible, AVID, and Wilderness Inquiry to recruit 30 Teen Ambassadors for summer 2017 programming. Read what other students have to say about the program, learn about program goals, and apply!
Voyageurs Welcome New Superintendent, Honors VNPA with Special Reception
In collaboration with Voyageurs National Park, Voyageurs National Park Association formally welcomed new superintendent Bob DeGross to the Voyageurs community on January 27.
Community leaders including International Falls Mayor Bob Anderson and Representative Rob Ecklund, park staff, and local residents gathered at the Ranier Community Hall to meet Bob over hot chocolate and coffee. More than 50 people were in attendance.
A brief program began with More Than Just Parks' "Voyageurs 8k" short film, followed by welcoming remarks from Rep. Ecklund and VNPA Executive Director Christina Hausman. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, unable to attend the reception, sent her regards:
Bob, although I can't be there to welcome you in person, I want to take this opportunity to say congratulations on your new position as Superintendent of this beautiful park that is a treasure.
I also want to take this time to congratulate Voyageurs National Park Association for being recognized by the National Park Service and receiving a Partnership Champion Award. The work you do with youth, introducing them to the beauty of our national parks, is so important. You are helping preserve our national park system and you all deserve many thanks for that.
I believe our national park system is such an integral park of who we are in the United States of America and I will continue my efforts to protect our national parks. Again, I wish to welcome Bob to northern Minnesota. I am honored to represent you all in the U.S. Senate.
Following, Bob DeGross spoke of his desire to continue working closely with the local gateway communities, finding ways to encourage new visitations to the area while ensuring the on-going protection of the cultural and natural resources of the park. Most recently the Chief of Interpretation and Public Affairs at Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida, Bob has more than 25 years of experience in the National Park Service, serving in a range of management and filed positions. A native of Wisconsin, Bob stated, "This is like coming home."
DeGross has already explored the park by snowmobile and looks forward to spending time hiking, fishing, and watching the Northern Lights.
Chief of Interpretation Tawnya Schoewe then presented Voyageurs National Park Association with three awards recognizing their strong commitment to partnerships and improving the park, the Director's Partnership Award and two Midwest Region Champion Awards. National Park Service Regional Director Cameron Sholly noted in a letter accompanying the awards -
You exemplify the best in partnerships and your dedicated work has had a positive impact on the park and its surrounding communities.
VNPA board chair Jeff Brown and board members Lindsey Remakel, Doug Franchot, Burgess Eberhardt, and Eric Johnson accepted the awards with VNPA's Executive Director.
Mike Ward, the previous superintendent, went to the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial for a temporary position over a year ago, but was then hired full time. Since then, Maintenance Supervisor Bill Carlson has been acting superintendent at Voyageurs. We would like to take a moment to thank him for all of the work he and other park staff have done during this period of transition.
Thank you to everyone who was able to attend! View more photos here.
Comment period opens for environmental review of sulfide-ore copper mining
Environmental review will determine whether sensitive lands should be removed from the federal mining program Recently, the U.S. Forest Service announced a two-year pause on mining activities in approximately 234,000 acres of the Superior National Forest, a vital portion of the Rainy River Watershed, which flows into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park. The announcement starts a 90-day public comment period on the Forest Service’s application for withdrawal of these lands and minerals from the federal leasing program. This period will help determine the scope for the two-year science-based environmental study of the region's unique water-based ecosystem. The environmental review will guide the decision by the Secretary of the Department of Interior on whether to approve the U.S. Forest Service's application for a 20-year withdrawal. A public meeting for citizen input will be held during the 90-day comment period on March 16, 2017, in Duluth, MN, at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center.
The review period will ultimately help determine whether our watershed is the wrong place for sulfide-ore copper mining.
Submit your comment during this critical watershed environmental review by April 15, 2017. Comments may be addressed to Connie Cummins, Forest Supervisor, Superior National Forest, 8901 Grand Avenue Place, Duluth, MN 55808-1122, via e-mail to comments-eastern-superior@fs.fed.us, or via fax to 218-626-4398.
A 2015 hydrology study commissioned by National Parks Conservation Association and Voyageurs National Park Association found that pollution from sulfide mines in the Rainy River Watershed as far away as 100 miles will flow into Voyageurs impacting its waters and wildlife. A two-year environmental review of the proposed withdrawal is essential to allow federal agencies and the public to examine science to determine whether copper-nickel mining should be allowed in this watershed.
Don't Be a Sissy, #OptOutside! Activities at Voyageurs National Park this Winter
The lack of consistency in weather can only mean one thing in Minnesota: Winter is here. Some people have a certain distaste for the winter months. We get it - it's cold, it's dark, and everyone from out of town is making Fargo references. It can be grueling to say the least. And now that the holidays are over, all we really have to look forward to is Spring. Or so you thought.
Minnesotans are a hardy folk, and even if the weather does bother us from time to time, we really don't like being questioned for living in the arctic tundra. So if you're having trouble coming up with fun outdoor activities you can enjoy in freezing temps, you've come to the right place.
Here are some of the best ways to experience Minnesota's Voyageurs National Park this winter.
Voyageurs National Park's Winter Event Series
Voyageurs National Park Association is sponsoring Voyageurs National Park's Winter Event Series to help you embrace the cold, play, and learn.
Sledding
Did you know Voyageurs National Park has an official sledding hill? To get there, take the Kab-Ash Ice Road from the Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center and take a left onto the Sphunge Island Loop. NPS staff place picnic tables and a fire ring by the parking lot, so come out and stay a while. Always check the park's website for current ice and trails conditions to see if the sledding hill is open.
BONUS:The sledding hill consists of a small hill for younger children and a larger hill for older children and adults (kids at heart).
Snowshoeing & Cross-Country Skiing
Snowshoeing and skiing offer many possibilities for solitude and enjoying majestic winter landscapes. And falling down is an excellent opportunity to say "Uff da." Win-win. Click here to see what trails at the park are open to snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter.
BONUS: The Rainy Lake Visitor Center has snowshoes and skis you can use for free! This is the only visitor center open through the winter. Hours: 10 am - 4:30 pm Wednesday through Sunday until mid-May.
EXTRA BONUS: Join Voyageurs National Park on January 20 for a family friendly moon-lit snowshoe hike at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center as part of International Falls' Icebox Days festivities. Snowshoes will be provided, but you should bring your own headlamp.
EXTRA EXTRA BONUS: Are you ready to craft your own? Jim DeVries, Senior Naturalist from the Laurentian Environmental Center, is leading a workshop where you will lace your very own set of snowshoes! We are accepting registration on a first-come, first-served basis until January 13.
Look for Animal Tracks
Snow is a really awesome way to observe and learn about animal behaviors because tracks are so much easier to see! Go out with a bingo card, or just make a "want to find" list, and start searching!
BONUS: The park has some pretty fun winter programs that you might want to check out if you're interested in learning about winter wildlife at Voyageurs. Head to the Rainy Lake Visitor Center for one of the Winter Event Series talks on wildlife in and around Voyageurs National Park, including a children's fun day and discussions about wolves and moose decline in northeastern Minnesota.
Keep a Daily Record of the Temperature and Snow Depth
Yes, it might be old-fashioned, but it gets you interacting with the landscape at a time when you probably kind of resent that is happening outside of your blanket cocoon.
BONUS: Add a few sentences of personal reflection or notable moments once in awhile, you'll enjoy looking back at it.
Investigate Snowflakes
Here's what you need: 1. A snowy day, 2. something black to use as a backdrop, 3. a magnifying glass, and 4. a sense of wonder.
We've been told that every snowflake is unique, but have you ever looked for yourself? I got the opportunity to do this in kindergarten - we each got a piece of black paper and a magnifying glass and went about our merry ways catching snowflakes and looking at them. That's literally all we did, was look. It was awesome.
BONUS: When you go back inside, try to replicate what you saw by making paper cutouts to decorate your home!
Ditch the Car
The park maintains oodles of snowmobile trails for just this - over 110 miles! But be safe, and please remember that ice roads aren't intended for snowmobiles. You can also enjoy cross country skiing, snowshoeing (as mentioned above), or plain old hiking!
BONUS: If you're looking for some hiking tips, join Park Ranger Eric Grunwald at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center on March 26 where he will lead a discussion about some of the best places of hike in Voyageurs and throughout Minnesota. He will also talk about the proper gear to carry with you, whether you're planning a short afternoon hike or a multi-night backpacking trip.
Or don't!
One of the most unique features of Voyageurs are the ice roads that are maintained by park employees Rainy and Kabetogama during the winter, allowing you to see more of the park than you can from your car in the summer.
Always check the winter ice and trails conditions report to see if the ice roads are open. You can access the Rainy Lake Ice Road from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center boat launch, and the Kabetogama Lake Ice Road from the boat launches of the Ash River and Kabetogama Lake Visitor Centers. Routes depend on conditions so be prepared for changes or closures (especially when heavy snow, slush, or thin ice exists) and remember that traveling beyond plowed areas is unsafe. The speed limit on these roads is 30 mph, and only vehicles of less than 7,000 lbs gross vehicle weight are permitted on the roads.
Explore the Park's Gateway Communities
International Falls has some awesome family-friendly events that you should definitely attend if you live in the area, including Ice Box Days and the Freeze Yer Gizzard Blizzard Run 5K and 10K. You can also join us on January 27 to welcome Voyageurs National Park's new Superintendent Bob DeGross. Please RSVP for this informal event at the Ranier Comunity Hall.
Ice Fishing
Ghostly winter quiet, rugged piney shorelines, and outstanding angling make Voyageurs National Park an ice angler’s dream. Place icehouses at least 50-feet from the center of snowmobile trails and the ice road. Check ice conditions before going out. Fishing license and ice house registration is required.
Winter Camping
Read more about this in our next post (coming soon)!
No matter what you choose to do on these winter days, take some advice from our good friend Garrison Keillor, and "Don't Be a Sissy." It could always be colder.
