Permits & Reservations

A Voyageurs National Park sign sits on a rock point on Kabetogama Lake

NPS Photo/C. Braton

Current Campsite Closures

All 17 campsites, houseboat (HB) sites, and day use sites on Dryweed Island and surrounding islands remain closed through the end of September 2026 due to increased bear activity:

R6 - Breakwater Cove campsite
R11 - Dryweed Island campsite
R44 - Harrison Bay HB site
R53 - Makinen Point campsite
R61 - Harrison Bay campsite
R64 - Mio Beach campsite
R67 - Stones Point campsite
R71 - Loon Cove campsite
R72 - Rock Shelf campsite
R73 - Dryweed Island North campsite
R75 - Harrison Bay SW HB site
R76 - Harrison Bay SE HB site
R82 - Dryweed Island S HB site
R93 - Lyle Mine Island campsite
R101 - Tango Channel campsite
R100 - Channel View campsite
R107 - Harrison Bay E day use

• Backcountry campsites are open through the end of March for winter camping. They will be unavailable for reservation beginning April 1 and will reopen on the Friday before the MN fishing opener.
• Please be aware that in the early spring and late fall seasons ice conditions on the lakes may make it difficult or impossible to reach your campsite.

Voyageurs Entrance Fee: Free!

• Visitor center hours of operation vary by season. View the typical operating hours for all four visitor centers .
• There is no fee to enter Voyageurs National Park; enjoy your visit!
• The park is open year-round; have fun exploring in all seasons!

 

A tent nestled under pine trees on a shoreline in VNP

Kelsey Lynch

Camping Permit Fees

All tent campsites within Voyageurs National Park require a reservation fee and nightly amenity fees.

• Peak Season: Friday before MN Fishing Opener through October 15
  • Fees vary by site type; view fee table
  • Reservations available the previous November 15 at 9am CST
• Non-Peak Season: October 16 through the Thursday before MN Fishing Opener
  • All sites are $10/night
  • Reservations available the previous April 15 at 9am CST
• Wondering what date the Minnesota Fishing Opener will fall on? Minnesota state statute requires the opener to occur two weeks before the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend on any given year.
• Learn more about camping at Voyageurs.
• Make a camping reservation on Recreation.gov.

 

Visitors enjoy a houseboat moored to a forested shoreline in VNP

Erik Bjorum

Houseboat Permit Fees

All houseboats, sailboats, and cabin cruisers require permit fees for overnight stays in Voyageurs National Park. A houseboat is defined as a registered vessel that contains sleeping facilities, cooking and food storage facilities, and a no-discharge toilet.

• Houseboat Season: May 1 through October 31, annually ($15/night)
  • Permits for overnight stays in the park are required within these dates
  • Reservations/permits become available the previous November 15th at 9am CST
• Learn more about Houseboating at Voyageurs
• Obtain a houseboat permit on Recreation.gov

 

Voyageur tour boat on Rainy Lake before sunset

NPS photo

Tour Boat Ticket Fees

Ranger-led boat tours require a fee at Voyageurs National Park.

• Boat tours are offered in both of the park's districts:
  • Rainy Lake District:
• Reservations for Ranger-led boat tours typically become available on April 15th for the following summer season
• Fees vary depending on length of time and distance traveled per tour. View a listing of typically-offered tours and associated fees.
• Learn more about Boat Tours available at Voyageurs.
• Make a reservation for a boat tour on Recreation.gov

 

Winter Equipment Rental Fees

The use of snowshoes and cross-country skis from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center now requires a fee to help maintain recreation equipment inventory at Voyageurs National Park.

• Tickets for Voyageurs National Park Winter Equipment Rentals will become available as winter conditions allow, typically in the first week of January each year.
• Learn more about the Winter Equipment Rental program
• Reserve the use of cross-country skis or snowshoes (link coming Dec 19 for January reservations)

 

Your Fees Benefit the Park!

Any fees you pay when exploring or camping in Voyageurs National Park make a difference! We participate in the congressionally-authorized Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA). In Voyageurs, 96 percent of the fee revenue collected in the park stays here to help fund park projects related to the fee program.

• Tour ticket fees allow a self-sustaining boat tour program to continue bringing visitors beyond where the roads end, to explore the vast expanses of natural beauty and places of historical and cultural significance within Voyageurs National Park. This service is crucial for helping all visitors have access to remote locations within the park.
• Camping fee revenue stays right here at Voyageurs to help improve the visitor experience by funding site cleaning and maintenance, camping infrastructure improvements, backcountry access and trails upkeep, day use and visitor destination site enhancement, and the operation of the reservation system.
• Winter Equipment Rentals fees help to replenish our inventory of cross-country skis and snowshoes as aging equipment becomes damaged and unusable.
• Your fees are appreciated! They are critical in providing outstanding visitor services and for maintaining exceptional recreation opportunities well into the future!

 

A core pad installed at Lost Bay Island campsite on Kabetogama Lake protects tree roots that were getting trampled after years of soil erosion and compaction.

NPS photo

 

Take a tour on the VOYAGEUR or charter our boats for a special event!

Other Park Services, Permits & Fees

Tour Boat Charters

Would one of our park tour boats be the perfect setting for a special event? They are available for charter through a Special Use Permit!

• Learn more about Tour Boat Charters at Voyageurs

Special Use Permits (SUP)

All activities considered to either be a special event or special park use activities are required to obtain a Special Use Permit (SUP). These include, but not limited to:

• Public gatherings
• Sporting events
• Weddings and other special events
• Learn more about Special Use Permits available at Voyageurs.

Commercial Use Authorizations (Buisness Permits)

To conduct business in the park (e.g., private tour boat charters, fishing guide services, water taxis, boat rental), you must obtain an active Commercial Use Authorization (CUA).

• Learn more about Commercial Use Authorizations available at Voyageurs.