Guided Tours

The Voyageur tour boat makes her way into the vast expanse of island-studded Rainy Lake.

NPS Photo / John Cowman

Summer and Fall Programs

Voyageurs National Park offers a wide range of guided boat tours and ranger-led programs during the summer and fall, typically mid-June through the end of September. Programs take place throughout the park, with boat tours departing from the Rainy Lake, Kabetogama Lake, and Ash River Visitor Centers. Stop by a visitor center or check out our events calendar for a schedule of ranger programs. Program schedules for each summer season will be posted as soon as they become available, and on recreation.gov by April 15th annually.

Reservations

• Boat tour reservations can be made at recreation.gov's VNP Boat Tours page.

• Reservations for special programs like the North Canoe Voyage experience can be made on recreation.gov's VNP Special Interpretive Programs page.

Need-to-Know Information

• Reservations/tickets are available starting at 9am on April 15th, annually, online at the links above or by telephone at 1-877-444-6777.

• All tours are subject to change, please call ahead for schedule changes.

• Reservations are strongly encouraged as boat tours and programs do fill up. Walk-in tickets are sometimes available, but sales stop 30 minutes prior to tour departure.

• No pets are allowed on tour boats unless they are properly documented service animals that are marked accordingly.

• Food may not be eaten on the vessels, but drinking water is allowed. No smoking on the tour boats.

• Weather conditions can vary greatly; jackets, sunscreen, and bug spray are recommended.

 

The Voyageur tour boat on Rainy Lake

NPS Photo

Rainy Lake Boat Tours on the Voyageur

• Grand Tour (2.5 hrs) – Discover the wonders and beauty of Voyageurs. The captain will navigate Rainy Lake in search of abundant wildlife and breathtaking scenery while visitors hear stories about the rich cultural and historic significance of the park.

• Life on the Lake Tour (2.5 hrs) – Experience the Rainy Lake known by fishermen, loggers, gold miners, and trappers as you visit historic locations on the lake. You will be able to view gold mines and fish camps ashore, and learn about the diverse history of the area. Expect a short ranger-led hike, and plenty of scenic views.

• Stars Over Rainy (1.5 hrs) – Take a night-time cruise to learn about the dark skies over Voyageurs. The captain will navigate to a quiet spot to optimize dark sky viewing while a ranger helps visitors identify objects with the naked eye and talks about light pollution and what it means to be a dark sky certified park. The specific weekly theme of this cruise may vary depending on the moon phase and there’s always a chance that the Northern Lights may dance for visitors on this tour!

• Kettle Falls Cruise (6.5 hrs) – Voyage to the historic Kettle Falls Hotel. This tour takes you on a cultural and natural history tour of the park. Spend 2.5 hours aboard the Voyageur getting to the hotel, and then spend 2 hours touring the hotel grounds and nearby dam. Finally, enjoy a 2-hour cruise on your return. Visitors can bring their own lunch or purchase a boxed lunch at the hotel.

• Anderson Bay Overlook Tour (6.5 hrs) – This special tour will bring passengers to parts of Voyageurs National Park that few get to see. Take a hike with a ranger into the wilderness and experience the stunning and iconic lake views from the Anderson Bay Loop trail. This excursion involves 2.5 miles of moderate to strenuous terrain, so come prepared with sturdy shoes and dress for the weather.

 

The Ne-Zho-Dain tour boat underway

NPS/M. Miller

Boat Tours on the Ne-zho-dain (Kabetogama and Namakan Lakes)

• Kettle Falls Tour (5.5 hrs) – Voyage to the historic Kettle Falls Hotel. This tour takes you on a cultural and natural history tour of the park. Spend 2 hours aboard the Ne-Zho-Dain tour boat getting to the hotel. Upon arrival, spend 2 hours on land touring the site and nearby dam. Finally, enjoy a 1.5-hour cruise on your return route. Bring your own lunch or purchase a boxed lunch from the hotel restaurant.

• Life on the Lake Tour (2.5 hrs) – Travel into Namakan Lake to learn about the many inhabitants who called this beautiful, rugged, and sometimes harsh environment home year-round, and hear stories about the unique ways in which people have made their living in the wild of the Northwoods. Disembark at I.W. Stevens Island to walk among the old cabins and lodge from one of the earliest resorts, and visit Hoist Bay to explore this location's evolution from the logging days into the recreational era.

• Ellsworth Rock Gardens (2.5 hrs) – Cruise through the west end of Kabetogama Lake and past Gold Portage hearing stories of the past while enroute to the Ellsworth Rock Gardens. At the gardens, join a park ranger for a ¼-mile tour of the unique rock sculptures, dry-stacked flower bed terraces, building remnants, and winding paths. The lower portion of the tour is accessible, and the upper portion requires sturdy shoes to traverse an expansive 60-foot granite outcropping.

• Stars Over Namakan (1.5 hrs) – Take a night-time cruise to learn about the dark skies over Voyageurs. The captain will navigate to a quiet spot on Namakan Lake to optimize dark sky viewing as a ranger helps visitors identify objects with the naked eye, learn about light pollution, and discover what it means to be a dark sky certified park. The specific weekly theme of this cruise may vary depending on the moon phase and there’s always a chance that the Northern Lights may dance for visitors on this tour!

 

NPS Photo

Land-Based Special Interpretive Programs

The North Canoe Voyage is one of Voyageurs National Park’s longest standing and most unique educational experiences, which immerses visitors in an on-the-water living history lesson with costumed and spirited interpretive rangers. Paddle back in history aboard a 26-ft replica of a north canoe to learn the voyageur paddle salute, sing songs, and explore the adventurous life of a voyageur. The program consists of 1 hour on land and 1/2 hour on the water, but is weather dependent. Minimum age is 8 as paddling is required and can become strenuous in certain conditions. While PDFs are provided, it is recommended that participants know how to swim. There are two location options for this program:

• Rainy Lake North Canoe Voyage (1.5 hrs) departing from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center
• Ash River North Canoe Voyage (1.5 hrs) departing from the Ash River Visitor Center

 

Tour & Program FAQs

Must I check in at a visitor center before boarding the boat?

Yes. All visitors MUST check in at the respective visitor center before boarding the tour boat. This allows park staff to make sure all boarded passengers have been entered onto the manifest and to inform you of any necessary information.

Can I walk into a visitor center and make a reservation?

Yes. If space is availble, walk-ons may purchase tour tickets, paying with credit card only. Visitors may do this between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., but ticket sales will stop 30 minutes prior to departure of a tour. If all seats have been paid for with advanced reservations through www.recreation.gov, then no walk-on passengers will be accepted. Note that tickets are best purchased well in advance on recreation.gov as they usually fill up as the tour date nears.

What payment methods can I use?

Credit cards are required to make all reservations. No cash, checks, or travelers checks are accepted.

How do I know what an adult, child, or toddler fee is?

• For boat tours, adult fees cover ages 17 and up, child fees cover ages 4-16, and toddler fees are for ages 3 and under.
• For the North Canoe Voyage programs, adult fees cover ages 17 and up and child fees are for ages 8-16. Children must be a minimum of 8 years old to participate in the North Canoe programs as paddling can become strenuous in certain conditions.
• Go to www.recreation.gov for specific fee information and to purchase tickets.

What is the cancellation policy?

Visitors must cancel a reservation by logging in and doing so from their recreation.gov account or by calling the National Call Center at [phone]. Please note that a $3.00 service fee applies for all cancellations made by the visitor. Refunds will be issued (minus the cancellation fee) only if reservations are cancelled by midnight of the day prior to their scheduled tour.

What if the park cancels a tour or program?

The park reserves the right to cancel a tour or program for any reason. If a tour or program is cancelled by the park, a full refund will be given to the visitor by recreation.gov. Some reasons for cancellations are U.S.C.G. weather restrictions or not enough paying passengers, as all must meet a minumum number to depart. Call the respective visitor center of the tour or program you are attending to find out about potential cancellations, but keep the following in mind: tour boat captains do not make a determination on the weather until 1 hour prior to departure, and the park may not know if a tour meets the minimum number of passengers until 1/2 hour prior to departure.

• Kabetogama Lake Visitor Center [phone]
• Ash River Visitor Center [phone]
• Rainy Lake Visitor Center [phone]

Are the park's tour boats available for rent?

Yes! Both of the park's tour boats, the Voyageur and the Ne-Zho-Dain, can be chartered by private groups for special occassions like weddings, reunions, company outings, etc. Check out our Tour Boat Charters page for application information.