Voyageurs NP - Kabetogama and Ash River Visitor Centers

Since this is the last big week of our vacation to the Great Lakes, the first thing I set off to do was get oriented on this national park.  Voyageurs National Park is a very interesting park in that nearly all their campgrounds and destinations are only accessible via water and boat!  They rent houseboats and there are many campsites all over the many islands that makes up Voyageurs.  Types of campsites can be found on the website and MUST be reserved ahead of time at www.recreation.gov.

Photo by Wilderness Inquiry

At Voyageurs National Park, there are three main visitor centers with activities are each one making it a little bit hard to figure out all the things there are to do.  On the Voyageur website is a list of all the activities you can do and which visitor center or area those activities are.  Here is a list of boat guided tours.

Here's a list of things to do at Voyageurs and some of the camping sites on the islands.

Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center is only open during the warm, summer months is was walking distance from Pine Aire.  This visitor center is small but it has some cool things in it with an info desk, small exhibit and small store plus a gorgeous eagle and eaglets in a nest plus a beaver display.  The eagle and eaglets were high up on the wall with a mirror that you could see inside their nest.

At the Kabetogama Visitor Center, they also have a 26-foot long Voyageur canoe that you can sign up to participate on a canoe tour.  The cost is free and you have to be 5 years old and able to paddle to participate.  Reservations are recommended since they book quickly and only 12 people can be in a boat.  After we got settled in at Pine Aire, I really wanted to do this since it was my birthday this week but all the reservations were full and they were only canoeing the next two days (Aug 15 and 16th 0 they don't do this every day).  Wednesday was the only day I could do it so I asked to be put on a waiting list and I also said I would be there an hour early in case someone canceled.  They also have a tour boat that goes to Kettle Falls Hotel and Dam ($40) and that was full as well.  It wasn't doing well for me to reserve things.  Also, is the Ellsworth Rock Garden Tour ($25).

Photo taken by a friend

The Ash River Visitor Center is located in the historic Meadwood Lodge on the shores of Black Bay just a short drive from Kabetogama VC.  They are open year round with days varying due to the snow.  There is an exhibit area, displays, bookstore, info desk, kids activity area and theater to see the park film.  Also, the Blind Ash Bay Trail, Kabetogama Lake Overlook Trail, Beaver Pond Overlook and Ash River Trail are by this visitor center.  They sit up from the lake and have pretty views of the lake.

After our visit here, we decided to walk the Kabetogama Lake Overlook Trail.  It was a very short .2 mile hike that overlooked the lake.  The views were breathtaking!  Here is a link to all their hiking trails.

I LOVE this area so much because this is the type of place that is "my happy place" in life...living in the forest with water.  I felt so peaceful and happy at Voyageurs!