The Little American Island Boat Tour is a 2 hour boat tour through Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota. This ranger led tour gives you the opportunity to explore a historic gold mining island and learn more about the park.
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🏨Hotels and Lodging Options near Voyageurs National Park
📍Voyageurs NP Tours, Kettle Falls Full-Day Small-Group Boat Tour
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Little American Island Boat Tour - Voyageurs National Park
The tour departs from the Rainy Lake visitor center near International Falls, Minnesota and the border with Canada.
Reservations are advised to make sure there are a minimum of six guests on each tour.
The tour can't depart if a minimum of 6 tickets are not purchased. Tour tickets can be purchased on recreation.gov.
We highly suggest making sure you have sunscreen and sun protection with you for the tour. There is seating available inside and outside on the boat. We enjoyed sitting on the top deck and enjoying epic views of Voyageurs National Park.
The tour departs from the dock next to Rainy Lake Visitor Center. There is a restroom onboard the boat, but we do suggest using the one at the visitor center before departure, so you don't have to use a bathroom on a moving boat.
Once onboard there is a safety briefing that takes a couple of minutes, and then the boat departs. The Park Ranger onboard provides commentary about the history of the area and how Voyageurs National Park was created.
The Little American Boat Tour travels in and outside of the park to reach the island. The island is on the edge of the park which provides the opportunity to hear more about the resorts in the area and the history of the area.
After passing the Sha Sha Resort and other resorts the boat docks at Little American Island, guests have the opportunity to enjoy a ranger-led walk around the island for 30-40 minutes that includes learning about the gold mining history of the island.
The walk includes a small hill to the top of the island and then circling the island to see three gold mining areas. The walk is on a gravel path and is fairly easy.
Little American Island was mined for gold during the brief gold mining rush of the 1890s.
On the island you can view mine shafts, tailing piles, and pieces of machinery used during the gold rush.
There is a bathroom on the island along with park benches if guests want to rest or enjoy the views. The history of the island is really interesting and helps you understand the gold mining days in Northern Minnesota.
We also saw the Rainy Lake Fault. The Park Ranger explained the geologic impacts of being on the fault line and the creation of the lakes within Voyageurs National Park.
After our time on Little American Island the boat traveled to a few other islands to look for Bald Eagles, Loons, and other birds. We sadly did not see any loons on our tour but they said they saw them the day before.
They even saw baby loons on a tour which would have been amazing.
The 2 hour Little American Island Boat tour was truly fantastic. It was incredibly relaxing and so much fun being out on the water.
The interpretive Park Ranger did a fantastic job explaining the history of Voyageurs National Park along with sharing the importance of the area.
Things to know when planning a Voyageurs National Park Boat Tour
Reservations - Reservations can be made on Recreation.gov
Departure location - The Little American Island Tour boards at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center, 1797 Township Road 342, International Falls, MN 56649.
Check in for tour 30 minutes prior to departure at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center
What to bring with you - Water is allowed on the boat. They do not allow any food on the boat tours. Make sure to bring sunglasses, sunscreen, and a hat that can handle the wind.
We suggest bringing your camera or phone for epic photos.
Duration - 2 hours
Tour Days - Every week on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday
Accessible - Yes
Hiking Distance on Little American Island - .25 miles round trip, easy
Restrooms - There are restrooms aboard the boat but we always suggest stopping by the visitor center ahead of time.
Smoking - Smoking is nor permitted on tour boats.
Best Vouageurs National Park Tours
Self-Guided Paddling Tour (Beginner)
⏳ Tour Length: All Day | 🛶 Check Rates and Availability
Explore Voyageurs National Park at your own pace on this self-guided paddling adventure, perfect for beginners and first-time visitors to the park. Designed for solo paddlers or pairs, each rental includes your choice of one canoe or one kayak, giving you the freedom to chart your own course through the breathtaking waterways of one of America's most water-rich national parks.
Two-Hour Personalized Small-Group Boat Tour
⏳ Tour Length: 2 hours | 🚢🦅 Check Rates and Availability
Departing from Thunderbird Lodge every two hours starting at 10 AM, this personalized small-group boat tour is one of the most flexible and comfortable ways to experience Voyageurs National Park on the water. With a maximum of just 6 passengers, every tour feels like a private experience, giving your group plenty of time with your captain and plenty of space to take in the scenery.
The Kettle Falls Full-Day Personalized Small-Group Boat Tour
⏳ Tour Length: 6 hours | 🚢🥾🦅 Check Rates and Availability
The ultimate Voyageurs National Park experience, this full-day luxury boat tour departs from Thunderbird Lodge and takes a small group of just 6 passengers deep into the heart of the park for an unforgettable day on Rainy Lake. Intimate, unhurried, and packed with remarkable destinations, this is the tour for travelers who want to see Voyageurs the way it was meant to be experienced.
Your captain navigates to some of the park's most stunning and remote locations, including Fujita Island, Anderson Bay Cliffs, Bushyhead Island, the Golden Triangle scenic overlook, and Daylight Beach. Each stop offers its own character and scenery, with ample opportunity to spot loons, bald eagles, white-tailed deer, black bears, beavers, and more along the way.
A lunch stop at the historic Kettle Falls Hotel is a highlight in itself, one of the most storied and remote destinations in the entire national park system, followed by an interpretive hike that brings the area's rich history to life. Complimentary beverages and convenient stops with full bathroom facilities keep the journey comfortable from start to finish.
Lodging Options in Voyageurs National Park
⭐️ 4.0 of 5 Stars - Kettle Falls Hotel - Click here for Rates and Availability.
The only lodging inside Voyageurs National Park, a National Register of Historic Places gem built in 1913 and accessible only by boat or floatplane, sitting at the remote intersection of Rainy Lake and Namakan Lake on the U.S./Canada border!
The hotel features 12 historic rooms with antique furnishings and shared hallway bathrooms, plus villas with full kitchens and private baths. The legendary Tiltin' Hilton Saloon with its famous sloping floor pockmarked by loggers' hobnail boots is a must-visit, along with the screened wraparound porch, dining room serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, kayak rentals, and daily shuttle boat pickup from the Ash River Visitor Center. Free WiFi, free parking at Ash River, open early May through early October!
Read our full review of the Kettle Falls Hotel Here!
Lodging Options near Voyageurs National Park
⭐️ 4.7 of 5 Stars - Cantilever Hotel - Click here for Rates and Availability.
One of the most unique boutique hotels in Minnesota, a Prohibition-era inspired destination perched steps from Rainy Lake in the tiny village of Ranier, just 10 miles from Voyageurs National Park!
The on-site craft distillery produces Minnesota grain-to-glass spirits served in the cocktail lounge alongside a full restaurant menu, with distillery tours available on Fridays and Saturdays. Rooms feature pillow-top custom mattresses, custom cabinetry, and select rooms with luxurious clawfoot soaking tubs. Unwind in the rooftop 12-person hot tub and sauna with sweeping views of Rainy Lake and the Cantilever Bridge, or catch the Northern Lights from the rooftop deck. Also features free yoga classes, e-bike rentals, a gift shop and espresso bar, free WiFi, and free parking. A truly one-of-a-kind Northwoods experience!
Read our full review of the Cantilever Hotel here!
Click on this link or the map below for a full list og hotels and vacation rentals in the area of Voyageurs National Park.
https://www.stay22.com/embed/67958aa85d343ce2783505b6
Voyageurs National Park Entrance Fee
Note: Park entrance fees are separate from camping and lodging fees.
Voyageurs National Park does not charge an entrance fee!
Additional National Park Resources
- Voyageurs Trip Report - Check out our trip to the park including where we stayed and more.
- Kettle Falls Hotel - Check out what it is like to stay at the only National Park Lodge in Voyageurs NP!
- Printable list of US National Parks in Alphabetical Order
- Printable List of all US National Park Sites
Check out all of the Minnesota National Parks along with National Parks in Wisconsin, South Dakota National Parks, National Parks in North Dakota, National Parks in Michigan, and National Parks in Iowa
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