(Photo: Courtesy of National Parks Service)Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota
Closest major city: International Falls (12 miles)
The main part of Voyageurs National Park is accessible only by boat, although in winter, the preferred modes of transport are snowmobiles, skis, and snowshoes. Listen for the smack of a beaver’s tail or the croaking cry of the great blue heron (the birds nest all over the park). Walk up the Ash trail and listen for the black-capped chickadee’s clear whistle. It’s best to visit during late spring/early summer, when the ice melts and the animals grow active after the long winter.
