Help Needed: Voyageurs Area Camping or Resorts

[MG - Fishin']

I have a question for anyone with any past experience in this area. I'm looking to bring the girlfriend up to the Voyageur's area for a long weekend up north. We're looking for an area/resort where we can either rent a cabin (for a reasonable price) or camp out. We'd like to do some fishing, hiking, boating, and just enjoying the north scenery while we're there. Anytime between now and October works out. Does anyone recommend any places that will be able to accomodate everything listed? We don't really need anything to be fancy, we just want to enjoy the outdoors. She wants to make this a somewhat reasonable trip too. I'm in charge of planning this one so I want it to be a great time. This will be an important weekend for us. This is not my neck of the woods so any info will be greatly apprciated.Please post any feedback you have or any links to resorts, etc.

[fivebucks]

I just got back from staying at Kettle Falls Hotel. It was nice but it got a little spendy, about $400 for 2 nights with food, a sweatshirt, and a few cocktails in the bar. We were celebrating our aniversary so we decided to splurg a bit. There are alot of great campsites first come first serve on the lakes. They are boat to sites. We've done that a couple of times and it is great fun. I'm sure others can help you out on other resorts.

[Guest]

try looking under
www.kabetogama.com
list all the resorts on the lake plus links to all our web pages. If you have any questions on the area you can call me 877-422-2471 or Mel at the lake association 800-524-9085.
Hope you enjoy your stay wherever you go.
Thanks Sherry

[Polar Bear]

MG, The Voyageurs area would be a great place for a long weekend with your girlfriend. You could spend as much as your budget will afford, anything from 3 nights on a houseboat for a couple thousand bucks to 3 nights camping on one of the islands for free.

If I were a young buck again here's what I'd do:

1. I'd camp on one of the many secluded campsites in the park. Drive to the Ash River visitors center and get a free camping permit and map showing the locations of the sites. I can personally vouch for many of them but for privacy you can't beat Lost Lake (very private) or the end of Lost Bay. All the sites are boat-in only. You leave your truck and trailer in the parking lot and use their ramp.

2. If you have a reliable boat, get a good map and compass and make a day trip up to Kettle Falls for a meal and maybe a beer in their funky bar.

3. If you are camped somewhere near the Ash River you can boat up there and eat at any of 3 restaraunts and bars. There you can also buy ice, gas, bait and supplies. If you like homemade pizza, the Ash-Ka-Nam is very good. Further up the river you will find the Ash Trail Lodge. Their menu is maybe a little more up scale. The closest establishment to the park is The Frontier. I'm a little partial to this place just for sentimental reasons. No matter which place you decide to give your business to, you will never find more hospitable people.

3. Check out the movie at the Visitors Center. It gives a pretty cool overview of the park and how it came into existence.

4. For hiking, the park offers many miles of trails. If you get to the west end of Kab I can recommend the Locator Lake trail. Its less than an hour hike and ends at Locator Lake where the Park Service has placed several canoes for free public use. Here's the hitch: the canoes are locked up. You need to stop in at the visitors center the day before and reserve a canoe and get a key to unlock them. For a quick jog there is the Ek Lake trail which starts in Lost Bay. There is a canoe there too.

5. There are many other things to do and see...some of my faves are the abandoned scout camp and rail pilings in Hoist Bay, the cool little waterfalls on the west side of Junction Bay, Cheif Woodenfrog park, hunting for blueberrys, northern lights, loons ... all the usual northwoods camping stuff.

Also, if it works in to you schedule, try to get out to the bear sanctuary 15 minutes southwest of Orr. Stop in at the Orr store and ask for info and directions. You will see several dozen wild black bears as they come in to be fed. They have an observation deck for safely watching the bears. Its really fun if you've never done it before.

Fishing?....Hmmm....Well, the fishing is always good, sometimes the catching is a little slow!

Have fun, PolarBear

[Animal]

Camping in Voyagures is great if you get decent weather. September and October can be hit or miss. If you don't want to rough it try Harmony Beach Resort http://www.***********.com/harmonybeach/index.html.
The owners are great people and they will provide you with fishing info. If you are into hiking the Eks Bay trails are great and you will need to stop by the rock gardens. The visitors center has maps of the park attractions, but you will need a better map for navigation. Fishing Hot Spots has an excellent map.

[Marmot]

BTW...the USFS is now charging a $10 fee for the boats and canoes located on the remote lakes in the park. The $10 fee began in 2003.

Marmot