Blogs from International Falls, Minnesota, United States, North America

Rainy Lake Visitor Center, Voyageurs National Park, International Falls, Minnesota Ranger-led programs are some of the most important things to participate in when you go to a National Park. They operate on a schedule and, sometimes their schedule doesn’t dovetail with yours, but whenever possible, take advantage of their programs. Even in this day and age, Rangers maintain an infectious level of enthusiasm which helps animate their message. Plus they simply know so much, because they have the opportunity to read and study a particular park full time - something us casual visitors can only hope for on a four or five day visit. In some places, it can become your only way to see the park, as at Voyageurs. If you don’t have a boat of your own, and maybe aren’t interested in renting one ... read more

Arnold’s RV Campground, International Falls, Minnesota As I predicted, yesterday was very much a down day. We had a late pancake-bacon-and-egg breakfast and managed to grill up some T-bone steaks and corn-on-the-cob for dinner. And I we got the dishes done and the sewage tanks dumped. Otherwise, it was a do-nothing day. Partly, we are waiting for our last two boat rides in the park, but they aren’t until Thursday and Friday. So we have a couple of days that we’ve assigned to just resting up in preparation for the drive back home. Based on the weather reports, its going to be a hot one, and I think its at least 1500 miles driving, so it will take us a few days. We have a couple stops along the way to break it up, but still, ... read more

Voyageurs National Park, International Falls, Minnesota We took our first ‘cruise’ yesterday in Voyageurs National Park. The Grand Tour of Rainy Lake, I think it was called, aboard the Park Service boat Voyageur. It wasn’t a huge boat, compared to many we’ve been on up here, but it was still nearly full with around fifty people. The upper deck was where the best views were, but we didn’t scramble up there fast enough, so we spent most of our time on the outdoor portion of the lower deck, standing or leaning against the siding. (We could have sat in the enclosed lower deck, but that was too confining for the gorgeous day. The tour doesn’t pretend to see all of the park - that would take a couple of days, I’m sure, but it did cover ... read more

Rainy Lake Visitor Center, Voyageurs National Park, International Falls, Minnesota When we get near the end of a trip, I admit that we get really tired. It becomes increasingly difficult to sustain the same level of energy and excitement as we get further and further into the trip. As exciting as each of these parks might be, there is a certain amount of shell shock that sets in and there is a definite risk of shortchanging a park and not giving it as much attention as it deserves. We are definitely facing that problem here at Voyageurs partly because we are so tired. But also because this is a very difficult park to explore if you don’t have a boat. The park literature is very clear about that as they tell you that there are no ... read more

Deze ochtend konden we nog net op tijd voor de volgende opkomende regenbui ons gerief gepakt en gezakt in de auto steken. De camping waar we op verbleven, was goed uitgerust met allerlei faciliteiten, dus namen we onze tijd voor ons was te doen. Rond de middag was het dan eindelijk tijd om verder noordwaarts richting Canadese grens te trekken. Na een dikke 150 km verlieten we dan eindelijk de laatste interstate highway, om terug op een 2x1 baanvak de laatste 150 km af te leggen. Onderweg kregen we nog het gezelschap van twee onweders, maar bij aankomst aan het Voyageurs National Park was alles droog en zonnig. Het duurde even eer we een stekje gevonden hadden om te slapen. Kampeerplaatsen zijn hier in overvloed, maar morgenmiddag verwachten ze weer helse onweders, vandaar kozen we toch ... read more