Backcountry Camping and Canoe Rentals

Experience the Backcountry at Voyageurs

All Backcountry adventures start with a boat ride to a trail head on the Kabetogama Peninsula. A water vessel is needed to access the trail head as you can only arrive by water. Set-up camp at our backcountry campsites by hiking to and/or canoing on the smaller lakes within the Kabetogama Peninsula.

Backcountry Canoes are provided on certain lakes within the peninsula to the public—both for overnight camping and single-day use— and can be reserved on Recreation.gov.

Our photo gallery shows campsite pictures and amenities at each Backcountry site.

Looking for Frontcountry Experiences?

Frontcountry camping is accessible directly by boat and do not require the extra hiking or canoing invovled with Backcountry Camping.

If you do not have boat acess and want to drive your vehicle to a campsite on land, there are public and private campgrounds within the surrounding gateway communities.

If you want to rent a canoe from the mainland to explore Rainy, Kabetogama, Namakan, Sand Point, or Crane Lakes (instead of the Backcountry), Local Area Businesses offer rentals. To avoid competing with these local businesses, the National Park Service does not rent canoes for the large lakes from visitor centers.

The Basics for Traveling to your Backcountry Campsite

1. Parking: Camping Permit holders can park their vehicles overnight at any park visitor center for up to 14 days during their trip.
2. Travel by watercraft to a trailhead (visitors must either use their own boat, rent a vessel, or use a water taxi).
3. Follow your map and hike the trails into the Backcountry.
4. Some backcountry sites also require the use of a canoe after hiking to reach the site location. These are available for rent by the park and staged at the end of the trail. Remember to bring your Personal Flotation Device (PFD) hiking as the park only provides the canoe and paddles.

 

Permits and Prices

There are two ways to get a permit:

• Online at www.recreation.gov
• Call 1-877-444-6777

 

Campsites and trails in the Backcountry of Voyageurs National Park

Backcountry Campsite and Canoe Locations

Backcountry Site Name and Number	Distance from Closest Trailhead (approximate)	Canoe Needed to Reach Campsite?	Total Number of Watercraft Available for this Backcountry Location
Locator Lake (B9)	2.75 miles	Yes	4 campsite canoes (1 for each campsite), 3 additional canoes, and 2 rowboats. All staged at the end of Locator Lake trail.
War Club Lake (B17)	3.75 miles	Yes	4 campsite canoes (1 for each campsite), 3 additional canoes, and 2 rowboats. All staged at the end of Locator Lake trail.
Quill Lake (B15)	4.75 miles	Yes	4 campsite canoes (1 for each campsite), 3 additional canoes, and 2 rowboats. All staged at the end of Locator Lake trail.
Loiten Lake (B11)	5.75 miles	Yes	4 campsite canoes (1 for each campsite), 3 additional canoes, and 2 rowboats. All staged at the end of Locator Lake trail.
Ek Lake (B6)	0.1 mile	No	1 canoe
Jorgens Lake (B7)	1 mile	No	0
Little Shoepack Lake (B8)	2.4 miles	Yes	1 canoe
Shoepack Lake (B19)	3.9 miles	Yes	1 rowboat (staged on the south shore of Shoepack; it is automatically included with the canoe at Little Shoepack Lake)
Cruiser Lake (B5)	4 miles	No	1 canoe
Brown Lake (B3)	2.1 miles (hiking) or 1.5 (canoeing)	No	1 canoe on north shore (Rainy Lake side)
Quarter Line Lake (B14)	0.5 miles	No	0
Peary Lake (B13)	1.2 miles	No	0
Oslo Lake (B12)	0.5 miles	No	0
Agnes Lake (B1)	0.4 miles	No	0
Ryan Lake (B18)	0.4 miles	No	0

 

Plan ahead and Prepare

Have a basic understanding of camping rules and regulations before you start your trip. Make sure to secure a boat, watercraft, or water taxi to travel to the trail head and secure plans for pick-up at the end of your backcountry itinerary.

Items below are required; our safety page also shows camping supplies that can help make your trip safer and even more enjoyable.

• Backcountry Permit - Printed and placed in clear box at campsite
  • Permits are available to print using your recreation.gov account no earlier than 5 days before your trip
• One Personal Floation Device (PFD) for every individual using a boat or canoe
• Key for Backcountry Canoe Rental (if needed and reserved)
• Supplies for a bear hang (20+ feet of material to hang a bag)
• Non-live bait and Fishing Permits (if fishing is part of your plans)

 

Keys for Backcountry canoes can be checked out at any open visitor center up to 24 hours in advance of a trip.

NPS

Backcountry Canoes

Where to Find Backcountry Canoes

The National Park Service provides canoes, rowboats, oars, and paddles in the Backcountry for public use on:

• The Chain of Lakes (made up of Locator, War Club, Loiten, and Quill Lakes)

• Ek Lake

• Shoepack and Little Shoepack Lake

• Brown Lake

 

Backcountry canoe on the shores of Ek Lake

NPS

Backcountry canoes are locked on racks at the ends of the trails leading to each of these lakes. Visitors with valid permits may check out keys at any open visitor center up to 24 hours in advance of their trip (some visitor centers are seasonal—remember to check the open hours beforehand).

The Park Service only rents canoes for the Backcountry. If want to rent a canoe from the mainland for use on the larger lakes like Rainy or Kabetogama (instead of the Backcountry), check out our Local Area Businesses that provide rentals.

Backcountry canoes can be used in two ways: single-day use (also known as day rental) and associated with an overnight backcountry camping permit.

 

Invasive Spiny Water Fleas—which can harm fish habitats—inhabit Rainy, Kabetogama, Sand Point, Namakan, and Crane Lakes. However, they are not currently found in Voyageurs' Backcountry Lakes.

Minnesota DNR

Why the Park provides Backcountry Canoe Rentals

To prevent aquatic invasive species from spreading, visitors are not allowed to bring their own watercraft (e.g. boats, canoes, kayaks, tubes, floatplanes) into the park's Backcountry lakes.

Kabetogama, Sand Point, Namakan, Rainy, and Crane Lakes contain the invasive Spiny Water Flea. Using boats already staged in the Backcountry help prevent this detrimental species from spreading to fish habitats in the Backcountry.

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A quiet evening in the Backcountry

NPS

How to Get a Backcountry Canoe

Canoes for Backcountry Camping
When you purchase a Backcountry camping permit for the Chain of Lakes, Shoepack, and Little Shoepack, one backcountry canoe is automatically included in your permit so you can access the campsite.

Most sites only have one canoe. However, the Chain of Lakes has extra canoes and rowboats that can be added to your reservation. When you reserve a permit for a Backcountry campsite on the Chain of Lakes, the reservation website will ask if you wish to add boats before you finish your order. Simply select the number and types of additional watercraft you need for your group.

Backcountry Canoe Rentals (Single-Day Use)

Visitors can also rent canoes or rowboats in the Backcountry to use during the day without camping overnight. To rent a canoe online, click the "Reserve Day Use Rental" button on the Recreation.gov opening page for Voyageurs and select the date you want.

The key to unlock your canoe must be checked out from a visitor center during business hours and returned to any visitor center by the end of the day. If you need to drop your key off after visitor centers have closed, you can use the key drop box located near each of the three buildings.

 

Canoe Safety and Rules in the Backcountry

In addition to following rules for Frontcountry campsites, Backcountry visitors must:

Rule or Regulation	Backcountry Camping	Day Use Canoe Rental
Use only the number of boats shown on your permit (no additional canoes or rowboats). This ensures that other visitors can access their own reserved boats.	X	X
Pick up key for a reserved Backcountry canoe at a visitor center up to 24 hours in advance of your trip, and return keys to any park visitor center within 24 hours after your trip is done. A valid, printed permit is needed to check out a key.	X	X
Bring 1 life jacket for each person in your Backcountry boat and wear it.	X	X
Use non-live bait only, if fishing	X	X
No pets allowed on Backcountry trails	X	X
Return the canoe to the same location you found it	X	X
You may check into your backcountry campsite no earlier than 12pm noon on your arrival day, and must depart no later than 11am on your day of departure. Be mindfull that the next visitor may be waiting for your canoe to be returned to the launch area.	X
Maximum stay is 7 days per year in the Backcountry	X
Bring a rope to hang your food from bears (bear poles are provided at each Backcountry campsite)	X

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Backcountry Camping FAQs

Make a Reservation for the Backcountry

There are two ways to get a permit:

• Online at www.recreation.gov (Google Chrome web browser is strongly recommended)
• Call 1-877-444-6777

After you get your reservation:

1. You will get a confirmation email. Be aware, though: this email is not your permit.

• You can view your permit by logging onto Recreation.gov and clicking "My Permits" in the upper right corner.

2. You can print your permit up to 5 days in advance of your trip.

• Refunds are not available once your permit is printed, so be certain that your plans are finalized and your group is prepared before printing.
• To print:
  1. Log into your recreation.gov account
  2. Click on the "down" arrow next to your name in the upper right corner
  3. Select "My Reservations"
  4. Click the "Print Permit" button next to the correct permit
• Google Chrome is the supported browser for accessing permits; if you have trouble printing a permit, try this browser.
• When you begin your trip, keep your printed permit with you at all times.

Canceling Permits

Cancellations must be made by phone to Recreation.gov. Call [phone] to cancel a reservation. Fees may apply; see below.

Action	Fee
Any change to your reservation	$10 reservation service fee
Cancel reservation more than 1 day prior to scheduled arrival date	$10 reservation service fee; receive full refund of nightly amenity fees
Cancel reservation less than 1 day prior to arrival	$10 reservation service fee; forfeit current night's fee; receive refund for remaining nights
Early departure from site	$10 reservation service fee; forfeit current night's fee; receive refund for remaining nights
Once permit is printed	Refunds not available

Changing Reservations (dates, site locations, etc.)

If you need to change the dates and/or campsites of your permit, you can do so by calling the reservation hotline at [phone].

Can I use a campsite for part of the day?

Both within frontcountry and backcountry sites at Voyageurs, if a campsite is unoccupied, visitors may use the site until 2pm.

• There are 33 designated Day Use Sites in the frontcountry of the park that are designed for picnicking; please try to use them first.
• No day use is allowed at houseboat sites.

Maps: Where can I find a map of the campsites?

Campsite maps published by National Geographic may be purchased at any of the park's three visitor centers or by going to the online shop of Jefferson National Parks Association, our bookstore partner.

Other maps for trails, day use sites, etc. are available for free on our maps page, but National Geographic and Mackenzie charts are both strongly recommended for safe navigation to campsites.

Where do I pitch my tent in the Backcountry?

Camping is only permissible in designated camping sites. Non-designated camping sites are not permissible for overnight use.

Permit-free camping: where can I camp without a permit?

There are several private campgrounds and state campgrounds near the park that do not require a reservation.

Walk-up Permits & Last Minute Camping Reservations

There are several options available if you arrive at Voyageurs without a permit:

• Call the reservation hotline at [phone] and print permit at any open visitor center.
• Make a reservation online using a mobile smart device at www.recreation.gov and print permit at any open visitor center.
• If you need to print your permit, visit any open visitor center for assistance. Remember permits are not available to be printed more than 5 days from the start of your camping reservation.
• Consider using camping and lodging opportunities on the mainland, near the boundary of the park for last minute and dispersed camping options.

Printing your Backpacking Permit

Permits can be printed up to 5 days in advance of a trip. Recreation.gov does not email permits to those who have reserved them; you will need to:

1. Log into your recreation.gov account
2. Click the "down" arrow next to your name in the upper right corner
3. Go to "My Reservations"
4. Select the "Print Permit' button next to the correct permit

If it is five days or less before your trip and you still cannot print your permit, try the following:

• Ensure you're using Google Chrome as your browser

• If your email address has changed since you made your permit, be sure to change it in your Recreation.gov profile

• Call [phone] and request assistance.

Backcountry Check-In and Check-Out

Check-in for your first day at a Backcountry campsite begins on the morning of the first day printed on your reservation. Visitors have 24 hours from their check-in time to set up at a site. Checkout is at day's end on the day after your last night.

Example: Donna has the Backcountry campsite on Locator Lake reserved, and her start day is July 3. She will camp overnight that evening, as well as July 4, and she will leave on July 5.

• She can obtain her key at any open visitor center as early as July 2
• Check-in for her campsite is on the morning of July 3. If she cannot get to her campsite that day, she has 24 hours to do so.
• Checkout is at noon on July 5th.

Backcountry check-in and checkout times are different than Frontcountry rules. Check our Frontcountry camping page for check-in times at Frontcountry sites.

Late Arrivals

• Permit holders have 24 hours from the time of check-in (on the date of entry) to get to their site.
• If a permit holder fails to arrive within 24 hours of check-in, the permit is void. The site will become available for others to reserve.

Permit Transfers: Can I transfer my permit to somebody else?

Permits are non-transferrable.

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