Campsites and Rainy Lake

I was reminded today of the new for 2014 changes in the campsite reservation system in Voyageurs National Park & Rainy Lake.

If your family has had a tradition of camping on Rainy Lake you better make your reservation ASAP. Quite a few prime dates and sites are already reserved. I am quite sure we can debate the pros and cons of this system, but that is not why I am making the post. I am simply saying RESERVE YOUR DATES SOON!

If you are new to camping on Rainy Lake you need to reserve your site before you arrive. Visit http://www.recreation.gov, search for Voyageurs National Park, and then click on reservation/permits. That will take you to the page where you can choose your site and choose your dates. The maximum # of days varies on the type of site you choose. The “front country” boat-to sites on Rainy Lake range from 2 tent sites, to 4 tent sites, and finally to group sites. Houseboats have their own designated sites and are not part of the reservation system at this time.

I could go on and on, but hop onto the Voyageurs National Park page and research the information for yourself as it may apply to your group. I encourage families to jump on this unique way to enjoy the park and its beauty!! You can now reserve your site and not have to worry about someone occupying the site when you arrive and then be forced to scramble for anything before it gets dark…you know what I mean.

It is also a great opportunity to hire a guide to either assist in navigating you to the site, or to lead your party on a fishing trip for the day, or both. The reservation system creates an opportunity to have a Coast Guard licensed Captain and professional fishing guide meet your party at YOUR previously selected site at a designated time. In other words, the guide will know where you are staying and can pick you up right at your site and head out fishing from there. This is the way most of the guided houseboat trips are started each day.

Contact info: http://www.recreation.gov
V.N.P. Headquarters: 218-283-6600

Touch base with the International Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau for guide information at 800-325-5766. Most importantly, plan your family trip right now! Your sons, daughters, and other family members will love this Minnesota gem!

DoRight Out

“It is also a great opportunity to hire a guide to either assist in navigating you to the site, or to lead your party on a fishing trip for the day, or both.”

I highly recommend this. Many years ago we camped up there for a week. What a great time. The lake was low and I ended up taking out a lower unit and three props

Fishing was great right off our island for smally’s

Calm down. There are only 30 campsites on the reservation system in the whole park this summer. All the rest are still first come, first served. The full reservation system takes effect September 16, 2014. All the facts are here:

http://www.nps.gov/voya/planyourvisit/reservation-camping.htm

Correction: there are 34 frontcountry campsites on the reservation system this summer, not 30 as I previously stated. From the VNP website:
“May 15, 2014- September 15, 2014
34 Frontcountry and all Backcountry Campsites”

Maybe site X is a reservation only site or maybe it’s not. The point is that if you have a certain site you like on a certain weekend you should make sure it isn’t reserved.

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Maybe site X is a reservation only site or maybe it’s not. The point is that if you have a certain site you like on a certain weekend you should make sure it isn’t reserved.

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No, that’s NOT the point. The OP stated “If your family has had a tradition of camping on Rainy Lake you better make your reservation ASAP.” and “If you are new to camping on Rainy Lake you need to reserve your site before you arrive.”

That is NOT true. There are only 34 front country campsites on the reservation system for the summer of 2014, 17 of which are on Rainy Lake. All the rest are first come, first served as usual until September 16, 2014.

Cook13,

Good info. I didn’t mean to create a panic. I did notice a fair number of dates booked already and wanted to get a positive message out about the Park’s new system.

Poor choice of words on my part. Obviously,you don’t “need” to reserve a site. However, if you are looking for a specific site because you have been there in the past it would be prudent to check it out. Also, if it’s your 1st camping trip here it might make solid sense to reserve your site in advance so that you can button everything up before your arrival.

Thanks for clarifying though!

I have been camping on Rainy for six years. Most of the time I have been able to find campsites around where I wanted to fish. But I also several experiences where the sites I wanted to stay were taken. It was frustrating to have to keep traveling down the lake not knowing if we would even find an adequate site.
One time we ended up having to camp on a non designated site which was less then comfortable.

For groups of more then one boat I bet this could be a bit disconcerting. With the reservation system groups will now not have to worry as much and be able to after traveling and getting ready be assured of a safe landing.

My understanding is that the regulation still applies that you can also set up camp wherever you wish providing they are not houseboat sites or designated differently. As the reservation system, at least for this year does not include all designated campsites you should still be able to take that impulse trip! You know- the unexpected days off and a yearning to fish the shield.

One thing I know is that Rainy Lake has some of the best guides around and now that you have that site reserved they can come to you. You will be able to hire them ahead of time. They will know where you are and come to you.

I like fishing both the east and west end of the lake. I also know Rainy lake walleyes are always on the move and any trip would be enhanced by spending a day with a knowledgeable guide.

For those of you who have your campsites reserved I would also like to suggest that you get a Remote Boarder Permit, you can also get your Ontario fishing liscence on-line. Fishing is good on both sides of the lake but I see far fewer people on the Candadian side and it is also rich in deep shallow bays. We all know what that means for June!

One last thing. If the campsites you want are books don’t forget to keep checking back as plans change you will find cancellations.

We had it pretty good in the past with not having to pay any fees to camp. There’s still campsites you can stay at that do not require reservations, but it seems that most of the nicer campsites on Rainy are included in those that require reservations. We just made our reservations and there are MANY openings at sites we consider to be the nicest. The maintenance staff for VNP does an excellent job of maintaining the sites. Be aware of the rules and know the Park Rangers will issue citations. I would be very hesitant to camp at a non-designated spot, as you would have to tie up all your food/beverages and I’m also not sure about the rules regarding campfires at a non-designated site.

I can tell you for certain that chain saws are not allowed there…… And for crying out loud don’t take beaver damn wood even though it burns really well..

I don’t like the reservation system. But since its here, I’d like for the park to find a way to make sure that people don’t reserve sites and then pull a no-show and ruin for everyone else. And I bet it will happen. I’ve never had a problem finding a campsite on Rainy in the 10+ years I’ve been doing it. I like the first come first serve system. Why do we always make things so complicated?

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Why do we always make things so complicated?

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Easy, Money.
I’ve been fishing/camping the park since ’97, spent over 350 nights out on Rainy, Namakan and Kab. The majority of the sites on this summers reservable list are the large campsites. There will still be non-desiganted camping until May 14th of next year. On May 15th, 2015 you can only camp in the park if you have a permit (back/front country and houseboats). From September 16th, 2014 to May 14th, 2015, camping spots are free, but you do have to reserve them and print out the permit in advance to camp. There will be no more permits to fill out at the boat landings.

I usually do either 4 or 5 day trips, not sure how/if this will affect the number of trips I make (has averaged 5 per year) next year.
I do see the possibility next year for sites to sit unoccupied due to cancellation or folks just not showing up. And there will be the need for much more enforcement presence on the lake, as you know there are going to be conflicts. Guess I will just enjoy the 23 days I have set aside for this summer (9 reserved )and wait and see what next year brings.