at the edge of the park at Rainy Lake, Lake Kabetogama,
Ash River and Crane Lake.
Voyageurs is just 11 miles east of International
Falls, an entry point from Canada. Points of interest in
town are the museum dedicated to football legend
Bronko Nagurski, who played for the Chicago Bears in
the 1930s, and tours of the Boise Paper mill. A 26-foot tall
statue of Smokey the Bear stands in a city park. There are
antique and specialty shops in International Falls and the
nearby resort village of Ranier. Golfers enjoy the play
and the views at the riverside Falls Country Club. The
Voyageurs area is at the eastern end of the Waters of the
Dancing Sky Scenic Byway.
International Falls is on the Rainy River, where
anglers toss in their lines for walleye, smallmouth bass,
northern pike and monster sturgeon. Another favorite
with anglers is Crane Lake, between Voyageurs National
Park and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Resorts and outfitters here provide access to both. Pelican
Lake near Orr offers more opportunities for fishing,
boating and family resorting. A boardwalk trail loops
through a bog at the Orr Visitors Center on the east side
of Pelican Lake. Northwest of the lake is the Vince Shute
Wildlife Sanctuary, where visitors can watch black bears
in the wild from the safety of an observation deck.
The Chippewa National Forest, to the north and west
of Grand Rapids, is another vast area of lakes and woods.
There are numerous fishing lakes, hiking trails, dozens of
lakeside campgrounds and resorts, and two scenic byways.
The Avenue of the Pines follows Highway 46 between
Deer River and Northome. The Edge of the Wilderness
is a beautiful drive through the forest along Highway 38,
through the tiny towns of Marcell and Bigfork. A short
side trip leads to the lakes and pines of Scenic State Park.
Snowmobilers enjoy the hundreds of miles of marked
and groomed trails in this region, and Grand Rapids is an
access for the 170-mile Taconite Trail to Ely.
Blueberry Art Festival, Ely
Festivals
& Events
Sampler
January
John Beargrease
Sled Dog Marathon,
Duluth & North Shore
February
Laskiainen Finnish
Sliding Festival, Aurora
Winter Tracks Festival,
Gunflint Trail
Vasaloppet Ski Race, Mora
May
Dylan Days, Hibbing
June
Grandma’s Marathon, Duluth
Wooden Boat Show &
Summer Solstice Festival,
Grand Marais
Land of the Loon Arts Festival,
Virginia
July
Blueberry Art Festival, Ely
Corn & Clover Carnival,
Hinckley
Mississippi Melodie
Showboat, Grand Rapids
Agate Days, Moose Lake
Water Carnival, Hoyt Lake
August
Fishermen’s Picnic,
Grand Marais
Tall Timber Days, Grand Rapids
Rendezvous Days & Powwow,
Grand Portage
Bayfront Blues Festival, Duluth
Hoghead Festival, Proctor
September
Fall Harvest Moon Festival, Ely
Bayou Boogie, Grand Portage
Hawk Weekend, Duluth
October
Ship of Ghouls, Duluth
Field of Screams, Chisholm
November
Fish House Parade, Aitkin
December
Weihnachtfest, Biwabik
For more events info see:
exploreminnesota.com
