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Water dominates the landscape of Voyageurs National Park; boundaries, more than 30 lakes fill glacier-carved rock basins. Four large lakes - Rainy, Kabetogama, Namakan and Sand Point - cover almost 40 percent of the 218,054 acres of Voyageurs, making it one of the few water-dominated parks in the NPS system and the only park unit draining northward to Hudson Bay. Hundreds of rocky islands and a myriad of coves and bays are scattered throughout these large lakes. In the midst of all this water lies the Kabetogama Peninsula, a 75,000 acre roadless land mass. The topography of the peninsula and much of the rest of the park is rugged; rolling hills are interspersed between bogs, beaver ponds, swamps and smaller lakes.

The park lies in the southern part of the Canadian Shield, representing some of the oldest exposed rock formations in the world. This bedrock has been shaped and carved by at least four periods of glaciation. In the years since the last period of glaciation, a thin layer of soil has been created which supports the boreal forest ecosystem, the "North Woods," of Voyageurs National Park.

Voyageurs is a land rich in human history. The park's waterways were an important stretch of the "voyageurs' highway" from the Great Lakes into the interior of the western United States and Canada. Voyageurs National Park was named for the French-Canadian canoemen who traveled these waters in their birch-bark canoes. The days of the voyageurs are long gone, but the waters they traveled remain and continue to influence and be influenced by humans. It is these waters and the accompanying scenery, geology and rich cultural and natural resources that give Voyageurs its national significance, significance that grants its protection for the enjoyment of present and future generations.

The park was established on April 8, 1975 by then-President Richard Nixon. Speaking about the park, he said, "The uniquely scenic and historic Voyageurs National Park, 36th in our National Park System, stands as a monument forever to the dedicated citizens and conservation organizations whose vision, ingenuity and courage matched the splendor of this superlative wilderness area.

Rich in the history of the early, exciting exploration of our great country, Voyageurs will serve as a living legacy linking generation to generation and century to century."

Acreage: 218,054.79
Land: 134,265.79
Water: 83,789.00