This is a water-based national park, so to fully experience this you need to be out on the water. I…read moretook two boat tours through the NPS, but many people fish or rent houseboats to experience the park. There are camp sites, but the vast majority are on islands which require watercraft to access. Kettle Falls Cruise - This takes you from Ash River Visitor Center to Kettle Falls and back. You can bring your own food for lunch on the boat (no eating or drinking other than water on the boat though) or order at the Visitor Center so you get a lunch box waiting for you at the Lodge. I opted to get a lunch box, which consisted of a dill pickle spear, a bag of potato chips, and a simple lunch meat sandwich. I normally don't like lunch meat sandwiches (especially since this was was reminiscent of primary school lunches), but eating at the historic lodge and the beautiful surroundings made this the best, most delicious sandwich in its class! If you have mobility issues, they have a golf cart you can ride to the hotel, otherwise it's a maybe 10 minute walk from the dock to hotel. Check out the dam and walk around, and then you're back on the boat for the cruise to the visitor center. Grand Tour Cruise - This departs from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center and does not have any stops. It's more for general enjoyment and wildlife viewing. I saw a lot of beautiful scenery, but not a lot of animals. It was still good though, as Joe, one the the NPS rangers, was absolutely hilarious! Both tours provided binoculars free to borrow for your enjoyment. Be sure to apply a lot of mosquito spray, as the mosquitos here are ferocious. Also consider some rain gear as it can get rainy.

Voyageurs is an under visited park with lots to offer. It excels at paddle packing. You must have a…read moreboat to really explore the park because no camping is available except on islands in the park's lakes. The park doesn't rent boats so plan to bring your own or rent from a local outfitter. If you do need somewhere cheap or free to sleep nearby, check the overnight parking area at Wooden Frog which also comes with water and vault toilet facilities. There are three different visitors centers each offering something different.

We didn't stay but we rented a boat from them. I just want to say that these are the nicest people!…read moreI wouldn't hesitate to rent from them again.

To visit Voyaguers National Park we decided to camp on one of the islands. We rent a boat from…read morethem to get ourselves out to the campsite. Sheyna was very helpful in selecting the right boat for us and her recommendation for campsites was amazing!! Everyone was super friendly and helpful. We got good fishing advice before heading out as well. We definitely want to go back and would highly recommend this place!!!

Bruce is the best. We didn't know what to do at voyageurs national park so we went to the visitor…read morecenter to ask them. We saw Bruce's name in the visitor center paper so we knew he was a credible person. Bruce took me and my girlfriend out on his brand new boat (he gets a new boat every year) and could not have been nicer. Bruce showed us a number of islands that contained old gold mines and cabins. We saw bald eagles and deer as well. Bruce knows voyageurs national park remarkably well. His grandfather owned a house on the park before it became a national park, so he showed/told us his family history. Bruce gave me his cell phone number and I plan on coming back to see him again.

This is a great place to grab a night after exploring voyageurs. Recommend the walleye nuggets but…read moreall their food looked good.

Great friendly service at the bar. All the taxidermy and carvings added to the up-north vibe that…read morewe liked. The walleye sandwiches we all had were delicious!

Great trip. Captain Tim very knowledgeable on history and nature of area and a lot of fun…read more The area is beautiful

We had an amazing trip today with Captain Tim of Voyageurs Outfitters. We went to Kettle Falls…read morefrom Thunderbird Lodge. It was a perfect day full of fun memories and lots of laughs. Thunderbird Lodge is also amazing. We had an absolute blast. Thank you SO much!! Jenn Ryan

We did three days of fishing with Dominic and had a great time! He is personable, works well with…read morepeople of all abilities and got us on fish all three days despite changing weather conditions. I have worked with a lot of fishing guides and it's clear that Dominic is passionate about his profession!

120% PREFECT amazing experience at Voyageurs National Park! We luckily found Scott to be our…read morefishing guide. He is also a TV host of a fishing show. He is so good at fishing and boating, must be the top one(at least top 1%) fishing guide in town. This is the largest fish I caught in my first freshwater fishing. 10+ got within half day. Scott was also a chef, the fried fish he cooked is the most delicious one I've ever tried. Afterwards, we also cooked the fish in two Chinese traditional ways, steam and grill fish with ginger, garlic, green onion and soy sauce, makes them different tastes.

We hired Bruce and Voyager's national Park Tours along wit rainy Lake guiding and tours to take us…read moreon a hiking tour to kettle Falls hotel. His knowledge of the area is unmatched and his brand new boat with fully enclosed canopy was perfect for the ride. Bruce and his family grew up in Voyagers national Park in the rainy Lake area and they know all the secret areas in which the wildlife are hiding. We strongly recommend a tour of Voyageurs National Park with Bruce and his team.

Rainy Lake/Voyageurs National Park did not disappoint. We spent two amazing days with Bruce on the…read morewater. The stargazing tour was magical as the fading light gave way to a sky full of stars and even the milky way. Spectacular. The morning tour was equally impressive. We were so fortunate to see a bald eagle fishing. If you are not someone who has a boat (or even if you do?) this is the way to see the park. Headache/hassle free. Bruce picks you up from the dock at thunderbird lodge and off you go. No maps, no crowds, no lines. Just Bruce and his lifetime of memories and knowledge of the area. He created two days of tours tailored to our families desires. Was patient and kind with our kids (12 & 14). Andersen Bay, Oveson Fish Camp, Lunch at Kettle falls and miles of Rainy Lake and its beauty. All with fun stories mixed with historical facts. The boat was comfortable and nobody was seasick. A smooth ride. Highly recommend this tour. I would give it more than 5 stars if I could.