Eloping in Voyageurs National Park

The awesome thing about Voyageurs National Park is that it is a “choose your own adventure” kind of location. What I mean by that is not only is it located in a state that has all four seasons (and thus four different kinds of experiences) but the entire park is split up into locations that are either accessible via car, otherwise there are other park locations that you must portage to or access via boat/ water taxi. The Park itself is about 5 hours away from the Twin Cities via I-35 and Highway 53. It’s also only 3 hours from Duluth if you are interested in making a pit stop either on the way to or from your wedding at Voyageurs ( **this is one of my favorite locations ever so I highly recommend doing so).

1. Decide WHEN You Want to Go

The Park has already put together this great chart for us that shows the various temperatures and precipitation rates at the park- so it really all depends on what is most important to you. Purely based on the greatest average temperature and also the least amount of precipitation, August and September would be great times to elope here! Keep in mind other factors such as bugs may be present during these months. In my personal experience, May was a great to go because there were very few visitors which gave us a lot of privacy in the park.

2. Decide WHERE You Want to Go

1. As I mentioned earlier, this park has various look outs, trails, campsites and more! However, not all of them are accessible via car and will require crossing bodies of water to get to them so it is imperative that you decide ahead of time what you want to do.
2. The photos used in this blog post were all accessible on land and were primarily located around the Ash River Visitor Center. These points look over Lake Kabetogama. If you don’t want to cross the great blue lake- I have checked out the park and know some great spots. There are a variety of lengths of trails we could do ranging from .5 miles all the way to 11.2 miles!
3. Other trails that would require water crossing would be things like:
   1. Cruiser Lake Trail
   2. The Locator Trail
   3. Agnes + Ek Lake
4. If you decide you want to cross the waters to get to your spots, Voyageurs National Park has put together a great resource for finding things such as canoe and kayaking rentals or water taxis to help you get to where you need to go. This list also includes helpful guides as well as private tours you can book! For example, Northern Water Excursions LLC provides water taxi and delivery services for the Rainy Lake area that you could also utilize if there was poor weather or needed supplies delivered.

3. Apply For Those Permits!!

1. Starting off with a great start.. You don’t have to pay an entrance fee for the park! Woohoo!
2. As exciting as that is, you will still need to apply for a special use permit (SUP) to host your elopement here. There is a $50 filing fee and the reservation fee will likely vary based on how many guests you are having or if you require additional decorations or set up within the park. The Park recommends filing at least 4 weeks prior to your event to ensure it gets approved in time.
3. Thankfully, the Rangers at Voyageurs have always been very friendly, open and helpful with me, so in general, we shouldn’t have issues obtaining a permit for your elopement. This permit application is actually relatively short and should only take you about 15 minutes to complete. I am here if you have any questions and will also be communicating with Park Rangers about obtaining my own photography permit if  that is applicable and needed, so I will also be able to ask them questions for you!

4. Apply for Your Marriage License

1. As mentioned in my “How to Elope In Minnesota Blog” you will have to apply for your marriage license and can do so in any Minnesota county. However, each county may have slightly different rules so be sure to check on their website or contact them about the best way to apply for your license in that county. Once it is ready, you will only have it for 6 months, so you must elope in this time frame or you will have to pay to renew it.
2. A friendly reminder that if you want to make everything legit on your actual elopement day, we will need two witnesses present which could be hikers if they are present, otherwise friends or family members are welcomed to come along!

5. Plan Your “I Dos”

1. I am not an expert ceremony planner by any means, so this section is mostly here as a placeholder to remind you to plan your day exactly how you want it. Take intentional time to write your vows and write notes to each other. Do you want to add any unity ceremonies? Perhaps you still want to have a first dance during or after your ceremony- it’s completely up to you! As I mentioned earlier though, you will have to have an officiant (which I can fill that role if need be) and two witnesses, so take some time to envision who you want those special people to be!
2. Here is just one option you could choose for your officiant if you want to hire someone from the outside. Positively Charmed travels and also have decor options!

6. Just Add Activities for Perfect Elopement

1. The Park has weekly boat tours that could be a great way to add some fun to your day. They even have options to look at the stars from the water. How epic would that be!? Did someone say star photos???
2. Pack a picnic or celebratory meal for your post vow celebration. Telling someone how much you love them takes a lot of energy ok!?
3. Hammock and take a nap (again.. Love takes a lot of energy k? 😉 )
4. We can also discuss doing a Honeymoon Session if you want to include some photos of you camping or in alternative outfits after your elopement day.

7. Plan Your STAY

Again, where you stay is going to be dependent on if you are staying on the mainland or crossing over the water, but there are great options for both!

Main land:

1. Lodges
   1. The Pines at Kabetogama offers both RV hook up sites as well as RVs you can rent upon arrival. The views are fantastic!
   2. There are a variety of resorts and lodges along the Ash River Trail and bordering Kabetogama Lake. The Frontier Resort for example!
2. Airbnbs
   1. I created a list of cute places to stay if you decide to stay on the mainland. I should note that since this park spans a great distance, depending on where you are having your elopement, you may have to travel a ways to get to your air bnb from the actual park. However, a lot of these stays are SO cute that it is WELL worth it!
3. Campsites
   1. Voyageurs has A TON of options for camping- both easily accessible and backcountry sites, as well as houseboat and RV options. HERE is where you can look at all of the sites and request your permit to stay.                                                                              Crossing the water:
      1. Kettle Falls Hotel – you can book  a water shuttle to pick you up and drop you off!
      2. This Ash River Trail site has a list of lodges and resorts accessible in multiple ways.
      3. The Voyageurs National Park website has also put a list of accommodations ranging from their campsites to houseboats that you can reserve. A house boat!? Are you serious?

8. Last But CERTAINLY NOT Least… Book ME!!!

While this actually should be the FIRST thing you do, I wanted to get you all excited about the park first 🙂 But in all seriousness, when you’re planning your elopement, I  highly recommend booking your vendors as soon as you can. This is not only so that you can have the peace of mind that you will have the people you want there on your day, but ALSO because these vendors (such as myself) are here to be a RESOURCE to you and help you have the best ever day. I may be “just be” a photographer and not a certified guide… but I have done my research and am excited about crafting an experience that is fun and unique to you. I will also be able to help with permits, give recommendations for stays and other vendors, and also communicate with the park alongside you… it’ll make your life a LOT easier- trust me!
So if you’re ready to elope here in the park, click the button below and let me know you want to start planning your Voyageurs National Park Elopement – I already can’t wait!

Click here to chat with me about YOUR elopement!