Atlantic Ave June 2023

travel
Exploring Our
Great National Parks
BY Lisa Marie
With over 420 National Park Sites in USA, across more than 84
million acres there are 63 that have been selected by Congress
as especially important. This month we explore six of the
lesser-known National Parks and indulge in their sheer beauty
and diversity. These are among our nation’s true treasures!
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Voyageurs national park
Voyageurs
Straddling the Minnesota-Canadian border, this relatively quiet
park has no entrance fees and no roads! With 218,000 acres, water
makes up one-third of this natural wonder. You’ll leave your car
at one of the three visitor centers but No car = No problem! You can
navigate the 4 main lakes (Rainy, Kabetogama, Namakan, and Sand
Point) plus the 26 smaller interior lakes by renting a houseboat,
take a guided boat or canoe tour, a ranger led paddle, water taxi or
bring your own boat. If land is more your thing, then relish in an array
of wonderful hiking trails on offer. A taster of the hikes available;
Cruiser Lake Trail is a tough 9.5 miles, but there is a chance of spotting
a moose or hearing the howl of a wolf. Blind Ash Trail Park, an
easy 2.5-mile loop takes you through the boreal forest, with exceptional
scenery. The 2.5-mile Echo Bay trail is great for bird watchers.
Binoculars are a must! Accommodation within the park is only
available by water. Kettle Falls Hotel is the only non-camping option
with camping (tents only) or houseboats as the alternative. One extra
special sight that you might capture is The Aurora Borealis (Northern
Lights), intermittent but a possibility. Visit www.nps.gov/voya.
64 | June june 2023 | www.AtlanticAveMagazine.com