Frontcountry Camping is one of the most popular ways to camp in the park. Most of the information on this page pertains to Frontcountry campsites.
Differences Between Frontcountry and Backcountry Sites
All Frontcountry and Backcountry campsites are water-based, require a permit, and can only be accessed by boat. Most campsites in the park are Frontcountry sites, and 15 are in the Backcountry.
Click the circular icon below and slide it back and forth to see the difference between the two types of campsite.
Example of a typical Frontcountry campsite, which only requires a boat to access.
Example of a Backcountry campsite, which visitors must use a boat, hike a trail, and then paddle a canoe to access.
Frontcountry campsites are directly accessible by boat.
3. Some backcountry sites also require campers to use a canoe (available for rent by the park and staged at the end of the trail) after hiking to reach their campsite.
The information below pertains to both Backcountry and Frontcountry permits.
Canceling Permits
Cancellations must be made by phone to Recreation.gov. Call (877) 444-6777 to cancel a reservation. Fees may apply; see below.
Action
Fee
Any change to your reservation more than 3 days prior to your trip
No charge
Any change to your reservation less than 3 days prior to your trip
$10 reservation service fee
Cancel reservation more than 3 days prior to arrival date
$10 reservation service fee; receive refund for remaining amenity fees
Cancel reservation less than 3 days prior to arrival date
$10 reservation service fee; forfeit current night's fee; receive refund for remaining nights
Once trip dates have started
No refund
Once permit has been printed (printing your permit confirms your reservation)
No refund
Changing dates, sites, etc.
If you need to change the dates and/or campsites of your permit, you can do so by calling the reservation hotline at (877) 444-6777.
Day use: Can I use a campsite for part of the day?
There are 33 designated Day Use Sites in the park that are designed for picnicking; please try to use them first.
If a campsite is unoccupied, visitors may use the site until 2 pm.
No day use is allowed at houseboat sites.
Group Size Limits
The campsite photos page describes the size of each site, plus the number of tent pads and amenities the campsites offer. In general, minimum/maximum group size limits are:
Site Type
Minimum Number
Maximum Number
Small Campsite
1
9
Large Campsite
1
18
Group Campsite
14
30
Backcountry Canoe
1
3 per canoe
Backcountry Rowboat
1
3 per boat
Houseboats: Can I use a houseboat permit to moor at a campsite?
Houseboats must be moored at least 200 yards (600 feet) away from any developed site; houseboats cannot pitch a tent at houseboat sites. If houseboaters want to pitch a tent, they must reserve a tent site on Recreation.gov for those in their party who want to tent camp.
The exception is group campsites; houseboats may moor at R-74 on Rainy Lake and K-54 on Kabetogama Lake. The group campsite limit is a minimum of 14 and a maximum of 30 people, and the group must have a permit for the group site plus a permit for each houseboat.
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.
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.
Non-Designated Sites: Can I stay at one?
Not overnight.
Permit-free camping: where can I camp without a permit?
The maximum stay at a Frontcountry campsite is 14 consecutive days, or no more than 30 in a calendar year.
The maximum stay at a Backcountry campsite is 7 days in a calendar year.
Transfers: can I transfer my permit to somebody else?
Check-in for your first day at a Frontcountry campsite begins at 3 pm. Visitors have 24 hours from their check-in time to set up at their reserved site. Checkout is at 12 noon on the day after your last night.
Between noon and 3 pm, unused campsites may be used temporarily for swimming, picknicing, etc. Only visitors who reserve a canoe in the Backcountry need to stop at a visitor center before checking in. All others may go straight to their campsites if they have a valid printed permit.
Example: Lee has reserved a Frontcountry campsite on Sphunge Island, and his start date is August 8. He will camp overnight there that evening, as well as August 9, and will leave on August 10.
All are welcome at Voyageurs' visitor centers. For check-in purposes, only those who have reserved a Backcountry canoe or rowboat are required to stop in before going to their campsite.
NPS
Check-in for his campsite is at 3 pm on August 8. If he arrives earlier, he may find people at his site. If the site is unoccupied, he can arrive as early as noon; check-in is still at 3 pm.
Because this is a Frontcountry site, he does not need to check in at a visitor center beforehand (although he is welcome to do so anyway if he wants to learn about the park, purchase maps, etc.)
Checkout is at noon on August 10.
Check-in and checkout times for Frontcountry sites are different than Backcountry rules. Check the Backcountry camping page for check-in times at Backcountry sites.
Parking
Tent campers in Voyageurs can park their vehicles for free overnight at any park visitor center for up to 14 days during their trip. If you prefer to park somewhere else, consider asking about parking arrangements at the local resorts and businesses near the park.
If you plan to paddle on Rainy, Kabetogama, Sand Point, Namakan, or Crane Lakes to your campsite, the tips below can make your trip safer and more enjoyable.
Life jackets are also very strongly recommended—and they're also the law for kids under 10 years of age.
NPS/Grunwald
If it looks too rough to leave, don't. Even if you are already at one campsite and have a permit for another one, your safety is the top priority. If you're stuck at a site, either of these options are possible:
Stay at the site. If it is vacant, you may be able to get a permit. If others arrive at the same site, it is not uncommon for multiple groups to stay at a single site during bad weather. Safety for both groups is the highest priority.
If campsite disputes occur, consider calling Park Headquarters (see contact information at bottom of page) or any other visitor center for assistance.
Have a Plan B. Windy conditions—especially winds over 10 miles per hour and winds from the northwest—can make headway very challenging for paddlers of any ability due to the size of the lakes. If you have doubts on the day you expect to depart, consider staying on the mainland at one of the nearby public campsites or private lodges until conditions calm down.
Make a float plan and leave it with somebody you trust on the mainland with instructions to call the park if you do not check in by the time you're supposed to have left. A basic float plan includes:
Full names and contact information of everybody in your group
Your full itinerary, including campsites and routes
Dates you will enter and depart
Emergency contact information
The forecast you expect to encounter during your trip
Travel by snowmobile, ice road, skis, or snowshoes to your campsite!
NPS/Challeen
The park's campsites are open all year, and winter camping is an exhilarating, memorable opportunity in Voyageurs for those who are prepared. Driving the park's ice roads, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing are all unique ways to travel to your campsite.
Recommended Winter Camping Gear Checklist
Snowshoes (regardless of how you get to your campsite)
Poles
Ice picks
Tools to maintain gear (e.g. extra straps, duct tape, rope, patch kit)
Backpack or tow sled
Tent or bivy
Map
Compass
Insulated, water resistant outer coat and snow pants
Long undergarments (upper and lower)
Gloves or mittens with removable shells
Scarf or balaclava
Hat
Sleeping bag (rated to at least -50 Fahrenheit)
Sleeping pad and additional padding to insulate bottom of tent
Enough food for at least one extra day
Cooking pot to melt snow
Camp stove
Camp stove fuel (plus at least one day's worth of extra fuel)
At least 2 extra layers of clothing, gloves, and hats
1. Check the park's winter ice and trail conditions report and/or social media page, which are updated regularly with safety information. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has excellent information about ice safety as well.
2. Make sure you have a way to communicate beyond a cell phone. Cell phones are often unreliable in cold temperatures. Radios and emergency signaling devices are more reliable in an emergency.
3. Write down an itinerary with your start/end dates and route, and leave it with somebody you trust to call the park in the event of an emergency.
8. See which resorts and businesses are open year-round if you plan to purchase gear, hire a winter guide, or stay overnight at a resort either before or after your trip.
9. Plan to cover less ground and to spend more time setting up/breaking down camp. Everything takes longer during winter.
10. Test your equipment in cold temperatures. Stoves, fuel, and water filters don't work as well in the cold, so test them in cold conditions before you have to rely on them. Also test your shelter to ensure it has enough ventilation to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning (especially if you are using an ice fishing house).
12. Triple-check your clothing. Having enough layers and the right kind of clothing (e.g. packing wool or synthetics, not cotton) can become a matter of survival while enjoying an inspiring and powerful Voyageurs winter.
