Minnesota is an ecologically diverse state, with plains in the west, rolling hills in the south, and the boreal forest and the Iron Range mountains in the north. The state’s many waterways correspond with these changing environments. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) and Voyageurs National Park are well-known canoeing destinations, encompassing hundreds of lakes along the Canadian border, but the state is filled with Rivers and Streams for paddling as well. If you want to go even farther afield, Minnesota provides access to Canada’s Quetico and La Verendrye Provincial Parks or Michigan’s Isle Royale. From lake travel to leisurely rivers to rushing white water, Minnesota has paddling opportunities for everyone.
Canoeing Minnesota
PLACES TO PADDLE IN MN
Plan your dream BWCAW canoe trip - find outfitters, resorts, entry point permit and park info, BWCAW maps, popular canoe routes and explore thousands of lakes...
READ MORE +
Voyageurs National Park encompasses 200,000 acres, most of which is occupied by 4 huge border lakes, each big enough for several days’ worth of paddling and filled with islands for camping. Just west of the BWCAW along the Minnesota-Canada border, Voyageurs has a similar landscape, but more ...
READ MORE +
In northeast MN, fast and steep rivers plunge towards Lake Superior. In the northwest, waters are slower and boggier, heading to Hudson Bay. South of Lake Itasca, all rivers lead to the Mississippi, and the Mississippi, as it flows through the central part of the state, is designated “Wild & ...
READ MORE +
