If boating is your priority for a national park vacation, Voyageurs should be near or at the top of the list. Giant blue sparkling lakes await you and your watercraft for endless days of adventure. Wether by small motorboat, canoe, kayak or houseboat, Voyageur's waters have a spot for you.

Voyageurs National Park requires a $10 a day per boat fee. If you do not have your own watercraft, you can rent boats from one of the local outfitters for a daily/weekly fee.

Voyageurs National Park offers a remote boat rental service on the interior lakes of the park. However, this requires having your own boat to get to the trailhead, or getting a taxi service from one of the local resorts. Still , it would allow you not to have to portage, . You can view the inland boat map here. This would provide a motor-free backountry lake experience.

The boating campsite in Voyageurs are free, but you must have the overnight permit obtained at the visitor stations and boat launches.

Houseboating is a very popular way to see Voyaguers National Park. These large boats are "hotel rooms on floats" and can be fun for the entire family. There are several local outfitters where you can rent these boats.

Jet skies are not permitted in National Park waters. Minnesota state law requires that each person in a boat have a life vest on board and readily accessible. Children ten or under are required to wear a flotation device. Voyageurs waters are very large, and it is recommended that you obtain the proper lake maps to avoid shallow hazards such as rocks. There is a basic rule to "stay on shore" with choppy water and lightning.