Voyageurs, Minnesota's only national park, celebrates 50 years
Minnesota's Voyageurs National Park, the only federally-designated park in the state, is celebrating its golden anniversary this week.
Established on April 8, 1975, Voyageurs is located near the Canadian border and is known for its clean water, clear skies and wildlife.
"It takes everything that is special about Minnesota and puts it in a national park," said Christina Hausman Rhode, executive director of Voyageurs Conservancy, the park's official nonprofit partner. "A lot of people think you have to leave our state, and we have one right here. So the vast waterways, the call of the loon, the towering pines, the starry skies. It takes all of that and packages it in an international park and preserves it for the next 50 years."
Hausman Rhode says backpacking and camping aren't the only way to enjoy this natural treasure. There is also sea kayaking, housing boating and park ranger tours.
"You can stay at a lodge on the edge of the park and work with a local guide to take you to all the best fishing spots, local sites," she said. "We're also one of the few national parks that offers full snowmobiling and house boating."
Voyageurs also holds the distinction of being Minnesota's only certified International Dark Sky Park, and one of only 155 in the nation.
"My absolute favorite is camping under the stars," she said. "We have some of the darkest skies, the starriest skies, and our campsites are designed so you can't see another campsite from where you're camping, so you're really secluded and really have that wild experience."
Hausman Rhode says the recent chaos in the federal government underlines the importance of funding and protecting the nation's designated wild spaces.
"There is a lot of fluidity with the changes going on with the National Park Service. We have seen cuts to our staff, hiring freezes and more cuts being proposed, so I think one important thing to talk about is when we talk about celebrating 50 years of Voyageurs, we have to think about protecting it for staffing and funding these places," she said. "For every one dollar you put into a national park, $15 goes back out to the local economy, so it makes sense to invest in our national parks."
There are several events planned across the state over the next several months to celebrate Voyageurs' 50 years, including a special exhibit at the Minnesota State Fair and even symphonic performances.
"It's really visionary for a group of people to protect this place and set it aside for the greater good and make it a national park. That is rare," she said. "I just think it's so important to talk about the uniqueness of preserving places and the ongoing work we have to do to keep them protected."