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National Park Sites

Voyageurs National Park starry night
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Voyageurs National Park, International Falls / Erik Fremstad

CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET?

Believe it or not, Voyageurs — the subject of many otherworldly video shoots and surreal magazine spreads — is one of the country's least visited national parks. We're talking 243,042 recreational visits in 2021, a sliver of what was seen in such deeply saturated destinations as Yosemite (3.3 million) and the Great Smoky Mountains (14.1 million). Never mind the fact that Voyageurs is one of the only Lower 48 locations where you can spot the Northern Lights and set up camp on your own private island without going full Cast Away. 

Check out more of Minnesota's national park sites below, along with travel guides that'll help you make the most of the state's monuments, scenic trails and riverways, and recreation areas. 

Children swimming by a houseboat in Voyageurs National Park

Children swimming by a houseboat in Voyageurs National Park  / Daniel Foster

Voyageurs National Park

Water makes up more than one-third of Voyageurs' 218,000 acres, and for most of the year, the park's interior is accessible only by boat (or in winter, by snowmobile). Rent a houseboat, take a boat tour with a park ranger, or hike on more than 27 miles of scenic trails, and keep an eye out for hidden waterfalls and ancient petroglyphs.

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Pipestone National Monument

Pipestone National Monument  / Paul Vincent

Pipestone National Monument

The American Indian tradition of quarrying pipestone to make into sacred pipes and other items is still practiced today at Pipestone National Monument, making it the only site in the National Park System where resources can be removed from the grounds.

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Paddle boat on the Mississippi River in St. Paul

All aboard for a paddle boat ride on the Mississippi River in St. Paul / Paul Vincent

Mississippi National River & Recreation Area

Running for 72 miles and 54,000 acres — through the metro area, Dayton, Ramsey and Hastings — is a relatively sedate respite for fishing, boating, canoeing, birdwatching, bicycling and hiking. 

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A family camping at William O'Brien State Park along the St. Croix River

A family camping at William O'Brien State Park along the St. Croix River  / Paul Vincent

St. Croix National Scenic Riverway

The St. Croix and Namekagon rivers offer over 200 miles of clean water that glides and rushes through a forested landscape. Paddle, boat, fish, and camp among this wild and scenic beauty. Hiking and historic towns also beckon, if you can bear to leave the cool water.

Hikers on an elevated, wood platform on the North Country National Scenic Trail

Hiking an elevated portion of the North Country National Scenic Trail / Marcus Schaffer

North Country National Scenic Trail

Once complete, the North Country National Scenic Trail will be the longest continuous hiking trail in the United States. Currently, Minnesota’s portion includes the Superior Hiking Trail along the North Shore of Lake Superior, open for backcountry camping as well as day hikes between access points with parking.

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Great Hall Rendezvous Days Grand Portage

Rendezvous Days at Grand Portage National Monument

Grand Portage National Monument

On the northeast tip of Minnesota overlooking Lake Superior, Grand Portage National Monument is a living history site. Volunteers and park staff in period attire reenact and describe the site’s importance to the French-Canadian fur trade of the early 1800s, and to the Indians who initially guided those voyageurs based on their centuries of experience.

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Learning vacations Red Rock Point near Grand Portage Explore the Shore workshop

Red Rock Point near Grand Portage

Minnesota's National Monuments

Located in opposite corners of the state, Pipestone and Grand Portage provide unparalleled insights to our country's American Indian heritage and national history. 

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A family kayaking on the Mississippi River

A family kayaking on the Mississippi River  / Chelsea and Eric Eul, Courtesy of Clear Waters Outfitting

Paddle the Mississippi and More

Six diverse and unique national park sites in Minnesota preserve and highlight some of our most distinctive natural, historical and cultural resources

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Northern lights over a houseboat in Voyageurs National Park

Northern lights over a houseboat in Voyageurs National Park

All Aboard For a Houseboat Vacation

Love being out on the water? Want some special time with family or friends? How about a different kind of adventure this summer? 

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