After exploring Voyageurs National Park by land yesterday, the 3 of us are starting out on a Rainy Lake boat tour. And afterwards, we’ll visit the Rainy Lake Visitor Center and have lunch. Also, we’ll go over boat tour options and why we chose this Rainy Lake boat tour. We are looking forward to experiencing more of Voyageurs National Park on a Rainy Lake boat tour and more!
You can read more about our adventures yesterday at: Ash River & Kabetogama Lake in Voyageurs.
Planning a Rainy Lake Boat Tour
I planned our stay in International Falls around a work conference in Minneapolis the 1st week of June. But I had to wait until April 15th to see the schedule of the national park boat tours. And I didn’t realize their boat tours don’t start until mid-June, after our trip. But you have to do a boat tour in Voyageurs to really experience this park, so I looked for other options. Luckily the national park website has a list of Commercial Services in Voyageurs National Park. Though we focused on Rainy Lake services because we are staying in International Falls.
We want to do a tour to Kettle Falls, a popular destination in the park. And of all the commercial services, we only found 1 that goes to Kettle Falls from Rainy Lake – Voyageurs Outfitters. Though the cost to book with them is over $500 more than the national park service tour. But it’s our best option, so we book it. But the night before, they cancel the tour due to expected high wind conditions. However, they offered a 2 hour Rainy Lake Grand Boat Tour instead, and will refund us the difference. So, we book the 10:00AM departure, getting back around lunch time.
For the boat, we pack layers, sunscreen, snacks and bug spray. The mosquitoes should not be bad on the boat, but we may stop somewhere. The tour includes drinks, and departs from the Thunderbird Lodge just down the road from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center. So, afterwards we plan to go to the visitor center and have lunch in the area. In addition, we were able to book another tour company out of Kabetogama Lake to Kettle Falls tonight. We’ll talk about that one in our next post…
Start of our Rainy Lake Boat Tour
There’s no chance of rain today, but it’s currently in the low 60s. And it’s supposed to be partly cloudy and get into the 70s, though hoping not too windy. But, we’re prepared with layers. After eating a nice breakfast at our hotel in International Falls, we drive about 20 minutes to the Thunderbird Lodge. We were told to arrive 10 minutes early, and as we park we get a call from Captain Tim. He will be our guide today and lets us know to meet him at the docks behind the lodge.
Our boat is a pontoon boat with plenty of space for us and another couple who is joining us. One major difference from the national park boat tours is this is on a much smaller boat with a lot less people. Captain Tim has a life vest for our daughter, and also gives her a dragonfly on a stick. It is supposed to help with the mosquitoes he explains. It’s been much wetter this season and the bugs are worse this year.
Once on board Tim explains the safety features on the boat. He also points out a cooler with water, sodas and beer and a box of assorted snacks. And he even has blankets in case we get cold. And right around 10:00AM, we depart Thunderbird Lodge on our Rainy Lake boat tour.
Our Rainy Lake Boat Tour
Once we leave the dock, we start to see how big Rainy Lake is. Captain Tim tells us it’s not considered Minnesota’s largest lake, because most of it is in Ontario. Rainy Lake serves as part of the boundary between Canada and the U.S. But we’re never out of the sight of land, because this lake is full of islands. And one of the 1st islands we pass is Little American Island, which contains an old gold mining camp. It’s part of the national park, though officially the park waters start after the visitor center.
Once in the national park waters, we can’t see any buildings. Though we spot our 1st campsite. There are over 100 camping spots throughout the national park on islands only accessible by boat. Being on a small island by yourself sounds great, but would need a lot more planning. Though if we ever come back, we’d look into it.
The first sight we stop at is Bushyhead Island named after Charles “Bushyhead” Johnson who lived here. He was a gold prospector and built a mine shaft that runs half-way through the island. And we can see the opening from the boat which we find fascinating. A little further we see an abandoned eagle’s nest hoping to spot one on the tour.
Captain Tim grew up on Rainy Lake, and knows all about the history here before and after the national park was established. So when we pass Peterson Island, we’re surprised there’s a green cabin on it. He tells us that the national park was established in 1975. And they bought out most of the residents and demolished many island cabins. But for some reason, they left this one.
Continuing on our Rainy Lake Boat Tour
Past the cabin on Peterson Island, we start to go into the protected waters of a shallow canoe trail. This is one of the waterways the French voyageurs would take to stay out of rougher open water. These fur traders became the namesake of Voyageurs National Park and have an interesting history here. The water becomes as shallow as just a few feet.
A little further we see a tree toppled over by a beaver. And past it we see a small island with an active beaver lodge. Though we don’t spot a beaver. However a little further we finally spot some wildlife, a loon. Larger than a duck and smaller than a goose, a loon is an aquatic bird known for its distinct call. We watch as it dives underwater and pops up again minutes later.
We travel into Cranberry Bay where Tim points out a large glacial erratic rock across the lake. He explains how glaciers melted to form Rainy Lake and the surrounding waterways. The park has an interesting geological history with the 1st evidence of people over 10,000 years ago. He then opens a box with some interesting things found in the lake. He shows us everything from volcanic glass, arrowheads, voyageurs’ pipe stems and European buttons. His box contains evidence of the interesting history of the Rainy Lake area through the years.
Only a few minutes after we get going again, Captain Tim stops to point out an adult bald eagle in a tree. And we slowly drift around the island where we see its nest and a juvenile eagle in it!
Harry Oveson Fish Camp
Our next stop is at the Harry Oveson Fish Camp. Captain Tim explains that Harry was a fishermen who lived on this island. And when the national park came in, they agreed to let him live out his life here. As long as his property was given to the park after he died. His 3 pale green buildings are still here. And this remote camp is now a day-use site complete with picnic tables, a fire ring and restroom.
After docking around 11:20AM, we are free to explore the fish camp. At the end of the dock is a sign that explains Harry’s “Life on the Lake” and has a map of the camp. In front of us is the Ice House used to store the fish. And next to it is the fish processing house. Interpretive signs explain how Harry used gill nets to catch whitefish and walleye and how he processed them. Harry was one of the last commercial fishermen on Rainy Lake. Today there are no more, but sport fishing is still hugely popular.
Past the fish house is a path to Harry’s cabin. Inside are 2 rooms with windows with great views of the lake. From the cabin, we head back toward the dock finding a path to the quiet side of the island. And here we find the picnic tables.
Just past it is the path to the restrooms with a vault toilet. Another boat has docked and we find out it’s another tour from Voyageurs Outfitters. After taking turns for the restroom we head back to the dock. We were only on the island about 15 minutes, the bugs weren’t bad and it was a nice break.
Way back on our Rainy Lake Boat Tour
On the way back, the winds have picked up and we are going faster. So, we grab the blankets and bundle up. Though that doesn’t stop our daughter from eating snacks. As we pass Cranberry Island, Tim explains the Big Vic statue we saw yesterday was originally erected here. Apparently there is another similar statue called Big Louie that used to be across from the visitor center. Both were erected as a protest to the park coming here in the 70s. And now both have been moved outside the park.
The rest of the tour is supposed to be just heading back. But Tim feels bad our longer tour was cancelled, and decides to extend our trip a little. He takes us to a secret cove in between Dryweed Island and Drywood Island called the Golden Triangle. It’s called that because it’s the border of Koochiching and St. Louis counties with Canada. And in this cove are some cabins a family he knows still owns. There are still some privately-owned cabins in the park, but not many.
On the other side of the cove we can see a large island in the distance. Tim says it’s Canada’s Sandpoint Island Provincial Park. We ask him about Fort Francis, the small town across the border. And he tells us they have a nice waterfront and some good restaurants which we may try tomorrow. Then we head back arriving just before 12:30PM. Captain Tim was awesome and we learned so much. We give him a good tip and head down the dock to the Thunderbird Lodge. After the snacks we had we’re not ready for lunch yet, so we head to the visitor center.
Rainy Lake Visitor Center
From the Thunderbird Lodge to the visitor center is just 2 miles or 5 minutes. And just like the other visitor centers, we have no problem finding a parking spot in front. This is the 3rd out of the 3 visitor centers in the national park and the only one open year round. It is also the largest with museum exhibits and more.
There is some pretty cool stuff in here including a voyageurs canoe and some stuffed animals. We’ve been doing the junior ranger activity book with our daughter since yesterday. And there is a lot of things in here to complete some pages. A park ranger sees us looking around and comes to greet us. He is very nice and asks us if we want a picture with the moose.
There is a full stuffed moose in the lobby that he takes our picture with. He then tells us he can setup the park movie in the theater. So, we head in as he sets up the 12 minute video. But afterwards he starts another video about the lives of the voyageurs. They were very interesting and I only nodded off a couple of times. After over 30 minutes though, I’m ready to head outside.
Out back of the Rainy Lake Visitor Center
Outside you can walk down toward the lake. And docked here is the tour boat we would have taken if available. But we really did enjoy our private tour. Out here is also a sign about the night sky which we want to explore while here. At times you can even see the Aurora Borealis.
Back here is also their Ethnobotanical Garden, but we decide to walk down to the dock instead. We see some park employees scrubbing the boat, getting it ready for the upcoming tours. And past it we see the boat ramp. At the end of the dock there are some binocular viewers to see even farther out in Rainy Lake. After spending over an hour here, we are hungry for lunch.
Sha Sha Resort Bar & Grill
Captain Tim said the lunch at Thunderbird Lodge was good, but also recommended Sha Sha Resort as being more casual. And our hotel clerk told us we could feed chipmunks at Sha Sha, so that sounds fun. And it’s only 3.6 miles or 8 minutes from the visitor center. By the time we arrive it’s just after 2:00PM and worried they may not be still serving lunch. When we walk in it’s deserted, but we find a server that says we can sit anywhere inside or out. It’s turned into a beautiful day, so we head outside.
We find a table on the patio under an umbrella. And a server finds us a few minutes later. We all order water while we look at the menu. Outside on the deck is a large birdcage with steps leading up to it. I tell our daughter to go in so I can take a picture. She is reluctant, but once in she realizes she can have fun swinging inside it.
Tim said the hamburgers are good and that’s what I want. So, when our server returns I order a bacon cheeseburger and upgrade to sweet potato fries. Becky orders the half order of Sha Sha’s Famous Nachos with beef. And our daughter gets the kids mac and cheese with fruit, Oreos and apple juice. After I order, I ask if they have food to feed the chipmunks. The server acts a little surprised, but then says she’ll find some. And a few minutes later, she comes back with a full sandwich bag of peanuts.
Feeding chipmunks and lunch at Sha Sha Resort
While our food is being prepared, I take our daughter to find some chipmunks. And very quickly one finds us. It runs right up to her, and she hands it a peanut. It takes it and the runs off to eat it. And soon thereafter another comes, and she does the same thing. She is having a blast, and I am too. I don’t know why chipmunks are so cute. Maybe it’s because we don’t have them where we live.
Out front we find a statue of a chipmunk while another one comes to us. After walking around the front and not seeing any more, we head back to our table. But our food is not here yet, so we head out back. There are a few more chipmunks, but also some great views of the lake. After a little while, we’ve fed all the chipmunks and are our food has arrived. But we still have half a bag of peanuts, so I give them to another family with kids.
The food’s great, and we’re hungry. Becky’s nachos are huge and she’s glad she got the half order. After lunch, we head back inside to use the restrooms before we leave. By now it’s 3:00PM and we’ve had a nice day around Rainy Lake. But, we still have another boat tour at 5:00PM in Kabetogama Lake almost an hour away.
Summary of our Rainy Lake Boat Tour and more
If you really want to experience Voyageurs National Park, you need to get out on the water. And though the national park boat tours weren’t operating yet, we booked a private tour. The 2-hour Grand Rainy Lake Boat Tour with Voyageurs Outfitters was great. Captain Tim was very knowledgeable about Rainy Lake and the area. And he genuinely seems to love what he does. He pointed out wildlife and interesting spots providing context and history the whole trip. And we really enjoyed our short stop at the Harry Oveson Fish Camp that you can only get to by boat. We also spent some time at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center before we went to lunch. If you have kids, take them to Sha Sha Resort to feed the chipmunks. You’ll all will have a great time and the food is good too.
Though we really enjoyed our Rainy Lake boat tour, we are super excited for our Sunset Kettle Falls boat tour this evening. Make sure to check out our next post: Sunset Cruise to Kettle Falls in Voyageurs NP!
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