Voyageurs National Park
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IUCN category II (national park)
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Early autumn in Voyageurs National Park
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| Location | Saint Louis County & Koochiching County, Minnesota, USA |
| Nearest city | International Falls |
| Coordinates | 48°30′N 92°53′W / 48.500°N 92.883°WCoordinates: 48°30′N 92°53′W / 48.500°N 92.883°W |
| Area | 218,200 acres (883 km2) |
| Established | April 8, 1975 |
| Visitors | 241,912 (in 2016) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Voyageurs National Park |
Voyageurs National Park is a United States National Park in northern Minnesota near the town of International Falls established in 1975. The park's name commemorates the voyageurs, French-Canadian fur traders who were the first European settlers to frequently travel through the area. The park is notable for its outstanding water resources and is popular with canoeists, kayakers, other boaters, and fishermen. The Kabetogama Peninsula, which lies entirely within the park and makes up most of its land area, is accessible only by boat. To the east of the National Park lies the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
The park has several boat ramps and visitor centers on its periphery, though the main body of the park is only accessible by boat or, in the winter, by snowmobile, ski, or snowshoe. In 2016, the park hosted 241,912 visitors.
Voyageurs National Park is located on the Canadian Shield, with the rocks averaging between 1 and 3 billion years old. Formed during the early ages of the earth formation, the rocks of the park were compressed, and folded under tremendous pressure. Then molten flows of lava intruded through the layers creating a mosaic of various gneiss and granites. Over time, additional layers of sedimentary rocks developed on top, to be stripped away by the continental glaciers of the Wisconsin Glacial epoch and earlier.
The largest city near Voyageurs National Park is International Falls, Minnesota. Unlike many other national parks, where the main access to the park is by motor vehicle, bicycle or foot, the primary access to Voyageurs is via water. Many visitors travel by canoe and kayak, while others rent houseboats or take a guided tour boat. The park has three visitor centers for obtaining information, viewing films, and seeing exhibits about the park's geology, wildlife, plants, and history:
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Wikipedia