About Gold Portage – Voyageurs National Park
Gold Portage is a historic canoe portage in Voyageurs National Park connecting Rainy Lake with Kabetogama Lake. Today it is managed by the National Park Service as a portage route and hiking trail.
The Gold Portage area is a terrific place to spot wildlife. In addition to beavers, fishers, and a wide variety of birds, Gold Portage can also provide opportunities to see some of the park’s more elusive wildlife such as moose, bears, foxes, and even wolves.
The trail is a half mile long and is easy for hikers, canoeists, and kayakers of all ages.
RELATED: Complete Voyageurs National Park Guide
Best Time to Visit Gold Portage
The best time to visit Gold Portage is at sunrise or sunset when the still waters of the lakes reflect the beautiful colors of the sky. Wildlife is most abundant during these times giving you your best chance at a rare sighting.
The best time of year to visit Voyageurs is September and October. Autumn brings cooler temperatures, less bugs, and spectacular displays of fall foliage throughout the park.
RELATED: Complete Voyageurs National Park Guide
About Voyageurs National Park
In the far reaches of Northern Minnesota, straddling the Canadian border, you’ll find this watery wonderland almost exclusively accessible by boat.
Here, in the pristine waters of vast lakes and the mosaic of islands and boreal forest that comprise the park, you can truly get away from it all and listen to nothing but the sound of your canoe gliding in the tranquil water and the distant calls of loons.
Things to Know Before You Visit Gold Portage
Entrance Fees: There are no entrance fees to Voyageurs National Park.
Bugs: The Gold Portage trail can tend to be a bit overgrown so be sure to apply insect repellent with DEET as ticks can be an issue during the spring and summer months.
Cell Service: Cell service is hit or miss throughout the park. The visitors centers have service and most places with roads do. Rainy Lake has some coverage, but as you go east on the other lakes coverage is rare.
Guide Book: We like this one.
Map: The best map for Voyageurs is this one which is kind of a must if you want to navigate the park.
Sunscreen: For many of us visiting national parks in the summer means lots of sun. Seriously, some of these parks can zap you if you don’t wear sunscreen. We happen to like this one because it works AND it’s not full of a bunch of chemicals.
Leave No Trace: We’re big fans of Leave No Trace, here at MTJP. Want to learn more? Read about the seven principals of Leave No Trace here.
Dry Bags: Dry bags are an essential Voyageurs item keeping wallets, phones, cameras, etc., nice and dry in a very wet park. We like this dry bag.
The entire park is accessible only by boat! Rentals are easy and our Voyageurs National Park Guide provides a comprehensive guide to renting boats of every type in the park.
Where to Stay
Visiting Voyageurs National Park? If you haven’t decided where to stay (yet) check out our helpful guide on visiting Voyageurs National Park for tips. Don’t have time? Here’s our favorite hotel for Voyaguers.
Voyageurs Film
This film is the culmination of several weeks spent in Voyageurs National Park. Encompassing more than 340 square miles, Voyageurs is a watery wonderland almost exclusively accessible by boat. Journey with us as we explore a land blanketed in pristine lakes, erupting with kaleidoscopic fall colors, and home to the most spectacular displays of the northern lights on the planet. This is Voyageurs. Filmed primarily in stunning 8K.
Helpful Related Articles
Voyageurs National Park Guide: Voyageurs National Park: Epic Guide to Minnesota’s Watery Wonderland
Voyageurs National Park Things To Do: 10 (INCREDIBLE) Things to Do in Voyageurs National Park 2022
Voyageurs National Park Camping: Everything You Need To Know About Camping in Voyageurs National Park
Grassy Bay Cliffs: Visiting Grassy Bay Cliffs Voyageurs National Park
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