Voyageurs National Park Weather, Climate & Geography

A weather forecast from the National Weather Service is posted each morning at each visitor center. Most park radios have a weather forecast channel. A weather forecast is broadcast via telephone at (218) 283-4615.

International Falls, Minnesota Weather Stats

The lakes usually freeze in late November-early December. They thaw in late April-early May. The thickness of the ice varies depending on how cold the winter is. The ice can be 3 or more feet thick.

Snowfall ranges from 55 to 70”, but it is highly variable.

Annual precipitation averages 28” a year – this is snow and rain.

Voyageurs is approximately 218,000 acres in size. Lakes and other wetlands make up just over 1/3 of the park’s acreage. Lakes make up 38.5% of the park. There are 84,000 acres of water and 134,000 acres of forested w00dlands.

CANADA AND CUSTOMS
Customs phone number: 1-807-274-3655 ext 240
 

• 227,604 acres (36,418 acres in the park)
• 929 miles of shoreline
• 60 miles long (~35 in the park)
• maximum width of 12 miles (within the park)
• maximum depth of 161 feet (within the park)
• 1600 islands (200 within the park)

• 28,260 acres
• 146 miles of shoreline
• 16 miles long
• maximum width of 7 miles
• depth of 138 feet
   

• 8,890 acres (U.S. side)
• 92 miles of shoreline
• 8 miles long
• maximum width of 5 miles
• maximum depth of 185 feet
• 115 islands (66 within the park)
   

• 24,800 acres
• 77.6 miles of shoreline
• 15 miles long
• maximum width of 4 miles
• maximum depth of 78 feet
• 200 islands
   

Old Dutch Bay

Some lakes are deeper than other lakes, don't have tannin and do not turnover. Because a lake is dark in color does not mean that it is polluted, most likely it is acidic. The clearest lakes in VNP are Mukooda and Locator. Per Larry Kallemeyn.

The water flows from east to west into Cranberry Bay.

1911-1914

648 miles
Mainland = 387 miles
islands = 261 miles
 

Kabetogama Lake = 78’ near Martin Island
Namakan Lake = 138’ near Randolph Island
Sand Point Lake = 185’ near the middle of the lake
Rainy Lake = 155’ north of Anderson Bay
 

An interior lake is any lake found on the Kabetogama Peninsula or the mainland areas of the park. They are not readily connected to the park’s four large lakes.

There are a few waterfalls in the park and outside the park. Locations include:

• Junction Bay Falls on Namakan Lake; small and dependent on waterflow; 2 falls if water is running well
• Ash River Falls at the end of the Ash River (outside the park); rocky waterfall
• Gold Portage between Kabetogama Lake and Black Bay on Rainy Lake; the water flows from Kabetogama Lake to Black Bay; visitors need to hike the portage trail to the small waterfall/rapids
• Bear Slide on Rainy Lake; 2 falls; depends on waterflow
• Ryan Lake into Rainy Lake
• Peary Lake into Finger Bay on Rainy Lake
• Big Island on Rainy Lake; beaver flowage
• just south of Kawawia Island campsite on the peninsula
• Houseboat site called the Falls in Lost Bay on Rainy Lake
• Locator Lake into Cranberry River
• Tom Codd bay at the east end
• Moose River inside the park
• Vermilion Falls and Vermilion Gorge (outside the park near Crane Lake)

“The natural falls, once a 35-foot drop over a series of rapids, is now concealed under the reservoir of water formed by the dam built in 1905. Rainy River, flowing out of Rainy Lake to Lake of the Woods, serves now as the boundary between Minnesota and Ontario. The paper companies dammed the river to create hydroelectric power for the paper mills (see Dams). Visitors can learn more by visiting the Koochiching County Historical Museum (open all year Monday-Friday, admission fee).” Find details in the Rainy Lake-International Falls vacation planner.