News Release

Voyageurs National Park Prepares for 2026 Summer Season

A long, grey barge boat is on the blue waters of Rainy Lake and there are blue skies overhead. On the deck are dozens of white rock hazard buoy markers and two staff people stand at the end ready to place one of the markers in the water.
Rock hazard markers being placed on Rainy Lake

NPS / M.Goulet

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News Release Date: May 14, 2026

Contact: Kate Severson, 218-283-6670

VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK, Minn. — Voyageurs National Park is preparing for the 2026 summer season with completed buoy placement and upcoming visitor center openings.

Park staff have placed hazard markers and buoys throughout park waters. Boaters should always use caution, as hazards can develop at any time and may not always be marked. The U.S. Coast Guard has also installed navigational aids on Rainy, Kabetogama, Namakan, and Sand Point Lakes.All four visitor centers—Rainy Lake, Kabetogama Lake, Ash River, and Crane Lake—will open for the regular season over Memorial Day weekend (May 23) and operate daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through September.

The Crane Lake Visitor Center will have a one-day special opening on Saturday, May 16, to coincide with the community’s bass fishing tournament. An exhibit on loan from the University of Minnesota’s Voyageurs Wolf Project is currently on display and available for viewing for the full summer in the Crane Lake Visitor Center meeting space, offering visitors an opportunity to learn more about ongoing wolf research in the region.



Last updated: May 14, 2026

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

Voyageurs National Park Headquarters
360 Hwy 11 East
International Falls, MN 56649

Phone:

(218)-283-6600

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