Lake Kabetogama Resort in Voyageurs National Park

                    Lake Kabetogama Resort in Voyageurs National Park

We drove from Isanti, MN to the Pines of Lake Kabetogama Resort on the Lake.  Lake Kabetogama is one of three lakes that are part of Voyageurs National Park. The other two are Rainy Lake and Namakan Lake.  They are also referred to as the Boundary lakes in this area.  They make up the boundary between the US and Canada.  Voyageurs was made a National Park in 1975.  Its name is derived from when fur traders used it as a path to move their beaver pelts from the west to Montreal to sell them.  In this area of the world, the lakes flow north to the Hudson Bay. We stopped in one of the Visitor Centers and had a pleasant discussion with the part time Ranger stationed there.  She and her husband are work camping at Voyageurs for the Summer.  They arrived in the area on May 1 and the lake was still frozen.  Apparently, it was a very harsh winter with a lot of precipitation.  We got there June 20th and the lakes were still 7 ½ feet above normal.   Many areas were closed because of flooding. 

 

This was our view from our front porch. We sure could not have asked for anything better.

After a light rain, one of our camping neighbors took a picture of the rainbow and captured Ethel in the picture.  She shared her picture with us.

 

We went to the Ash River Visitor Center to see the area and have a view of Lake Kabetogama from another perspective.  Many of the trails and overlooks are closed due to the flooding in the area. Thank goodness for good, waterproof hiking boots.

 

This is a Beaver Lodge we were able to see from the Overlook.

We went for a several mile hike in the area.  Much of the time we spent evading large water puddles on the paths.  The amount of water they received in the area must have been incredible.  There is standing water everywhere on the hiking trails that has nowhere to go. We did find Yellow Lady Slippers and wild roses blooming on the trail. We found a cool app on the phone to help us identify plants and flowers.

  

We took the opportunity to go to International Falls.  The National Park visitor center for Rainy Lake is there. We have met several really friendly and interesting park rangers who have been very helpful.

 

Lisa is standing by the Visitor center sign. We were told the blocks were under water just a few weeks ago.

 

The Voyageurs traveled through the area during the beaver trading days.  Most of the Voyageurs originated from Montreal. These men rowed canoes 3,000 miles a season. The first half of the trip was to carry supplies and goods to the Hudson Bay area to trade for beaver pelts.  They would return to Montreal with their canoes loaded with up to 1,000 pounds of beaver pelts.

 

International Falls is home to the largest Smokey the Bear we have ever seen.

 

Walleye is a regional fish of the area. Most of the commercial walleye comes out of nearby Canada. We had walleye at several restaurants since it is the local specialty. We bought fresh pike and walleye at a local shop to put in the freezer. Wild rice is also a local specialty.  They even sell bags of locally farmed wild rice at gas stations. Fishing and boating are huge sources of revenue in the summer. Snow sports keep them in business in the winter.  Biking and camping are also very popular. 

 

We were fortunate enough to capture a sunset over the lake. Life is pretty relaxed at the campgrounds. The people in the area are very active and love the outdoors.  Most of the locals we met were very proud of their state and its beauty.  We say good bye to Voyageurs National Park from the Campground.  It was a fantastic visit but we have to move on.  

Our next stop is Duluth Minnesota.