62 Parks Travelerstarted with a simple goal: to visit every U.S. national park. Avid backpacker and public-lands nerdsaved up, built out a tiny van to travel and live in, and hit the road. The parks as we know them are rapidly changing, and shewanted to see them before it’s too late.
Penningtonis committed to following CDC guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the safety of herself and others. She’s visiting new parks while closely adhering to best safety practices.
My toes curled against the cool, white plasticof the waterslide as I edgedperilously closer to itsslick surfaceand a steep five-foot drop into northern Minnesota’s Kabetogama Lake. It was a hot and sticky July afternoon in, and I was frozen in place, hands clutching the guardrails, unable to let go. “I’m scared!” I yelled down to my partner, who was laughing and filming the entire endeavor for my future embarrassment. “Just do it!” he shouted back.
I decided not to let fear dictate my fun. I released my grip, slid down the slope, and flopped feetfirst into the surprisingly warm water of the lake. SomehowI felt right at home. Swimming naked later that afternoon in a secluded cove fenced in by boreal forest and lichen-encrusted boulders was the best possible medicine for my Scandinavian soul.
The patchwork quilt of lakes and forests that stretches for roughly 150 miles from Lake Superior to Voyageurs National Parkis referred to asthe Boundary Watersand is a popular retreat for canoe campers and anglers. Named after the French word for “traveler,” Voyageursonce served as an important waterway for both theOjibwa peopleand French-Canadian fur traders in the 1700s. Todayit’s bordered by a series of neighboring natural areas, forming a wilderness preserve that straddles both sides of the internationalborder and stretches for over one million acres, encompassing nearly 1,200 lakes.
Since Voyageurs is one of the few water-based national parks in the system, I wanted to explore it in a new way. My partner and I rented a houseboat, loaded up on groceries, and were soon cruising around a vast expanse of sapphire water fleckedwith small islands. For three nights, we had our very own portable cabin on floats, a comfortable vessel perfect for getting as far away from city stress as possible.
After my run-in with the waterslide, we hopped into the motorized skiff that came with our houseboat and set off in search of. We zoomed by islets not much bigger than suburban homes, clumsily navigatinga 13-mile stretch of open water andstopping frequently to read and reread our map.
Finally, we arrived and took our time strolling through the maze of simple rock sculptures and tiger lilies built and planted by self-taught artist Jack Ellsworth during his two decades of summers up northbeginning in the 1940s. Driven by the local community, the National Park Service has helped maintain this historic outdoor art garden since the 1990s, and it’s a magical place to spend an afternoon. We ate a picnic lunch on the grass near the entrance and sprawled out in the fabulous sunshine.
In the early evening, we motored back to our floating apartment and watched as the clouds lit up neon pink, like electric blossoms. I felt delicately stitched between the stars and land, full of earthen treasures that only time in the outdoors can provide. I felt alive.
62 Parks Traveler Voyageurs Info
Size: 218,200 acres
Location: Northern Minnesota
Created In: 1975 (national park)
Best For: Boating, fishing, bird-watching, stargazing, canoe camping
When to Go: Summer (49 to 79 degrees) is by far the best time to visit the park. Fall (16 to 65 degrees) brings cooler temperaturesand measurable snow in late October. In the spring (12 to 67 degrees), the average ice-out datefor lakesis May 3. Winter (minus 8 to 22 degrees) is best left tolocals with snowmobiles.
Where to Stay: When in Rome, do as the Romans. Houseboats will give you the bestthe lay of the land in Voyageurs and are a greatway for families to enjoythe park in comfort. offers fully stocked vessels, with bathrooms and beds for groups (from $345 a night).
Mini ϳԹ: Go on a. If you only have one day in the park, a guided boat trip is a fantastic way to learn about the area’s unique history, flora, and fauna. Though operations were suspended for the 2020 season, the park usually runs trips out of Rainy Lake, Kabetogama, and Ash River.
Mega ϳԹ: Canoe-camp around Boundary Waters. Experience the park the way explorers did 250 years ago by renting a canoe and reserving one of the park’s many. Drift through lush forests of spruce and paper birch before docking near your own private island.