Building Wooden Canoes for a Rite of Passage

Picture yourself venturing out for the first time into the wilderness of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Imagine the combination of serenity and wonderment you experience as you ply these pristine lakes and rivers, knowing that you are carrying all you need to survive in a sleek, seventeen-foot, skin-on-frame canoe. Now imagine that you just built that canoe with your own hands over the course of eight days. For six teenage apprentices with Urban Boatbuilders, this was the culminating event in the summer of 2010.

Officials Call Voyageurs Day a Success

Community officials from the International Falls area called this month’s Voyageurs National Park Day in Washinton, D.C. a success for raising awareness of the park and region among Minnesota’s federal lawmakers.

Coalition to Sue Over Park Air Quality

A coalition of environmental organizations intends to sue the Environmental Protection Agency and two other federal agencies over haze pollution in national parks and wilderness areas, including Voyageurs National Park and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Andy and Sue Ahrendt

What it truly means to be a ‘Boundary Waters Family’ The Ahrendt’s personal histories are steeped in the Boundary Waters experience. Having spent summers as staff at a local camp, they …

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Women in the Wilderness

“We can do it. We can do it without a guide.” By Rob Kesselring Wilderness News Contributor It started with a dare in 1986. Seven female volunteers at a nature center …

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Split Rock Lighthouse State Park Grows

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has acquired 19 acres of land adjoining Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, with which it will expand the popular North Shore of Lake Superior attraction.

DNR to Host Vermilion Park Open Houses

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will host two public open houses to solicit public comment on the draft master plan for the Vermilion and Soudan Underground Mine State Parks.

Quetico Plan Comments Due Friday

The initial public comment period for proposed changes to the Quetico Provincial Park management plan will close on Friday. Park managers are considering designated campsites and defined travel routes in the park as well as commercial dog-sledding operations and the development of a long-distance hiking trail.

Vermilion Park Comment Period Ending

The initial opportunity for public input for Lake Vermilion State Park’s master plan will end on September 30, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is reminding citizens.

Grand Portage Visitor Center Hosts Grand Opening

Amid a splash of fall colors, the new visitor center at Grand Portage State Park will host its grand opening on Saturday, September 25. The facility will serve as a highway rest area, a state travel information center, and park visitor center.

New Quetico Plan in Review Stage

Proposals for changes to Ontario’s Quetico Provincial Park’s management plan — possibly including designated campsites and defined travel routes — are in the public comment stage until mid-October. Park managers are also considering development of a long-distance hiking trail in the park as well as authorizing commercial dog-sledding operations.

Bear Head Lake State Park Ranks #1

Minnesota’s Bear Head Lake State near Ely has won a $100,000 contest naming it “America’s Favorite Park.” The park garnered 28% of the 5.7 million votes cast by the public in the America is Your Park campaign sponsored by Coca-Cola.

Minnesota DNR Seeks Vermilion Park Input

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is seeking public input as part of its Lake Vermilion State Park planning process. The DNR is asking citizens to respond to a short questionnaire on its web-site this month.