SmartScopeClubCommunity Hub
Northern Lights over Voyageurs National Park waters NPS /Dimse

Voyageurs National Park

Dark-Sky Certified · MN

Tonight at Voyageurs National Park

Click a target to explore it
Projecting the nights ahead…
Computing tonight's sky for this exact spot…

Voyageurs National Park spans 218,000 acres of lakes, forests, and streams in northern Minnesota. Established in 1975, the park is named after the French-Canadian Voyageurs who once navigated these abundant waters. Voyageurs National Park provides exceptional opportunities for recreation and exploration amidst landscapes rich in natural beauty, history, and cultural heritage.

Weather & conditions

There are four distinct seasons in Voyageur country. During June, July, and August periods of fine, mild weather prevail. The frost-free season averages 120 days from June to mid-September. The average ice-out date is May 3. The first measurable snowfall occurs in late October and the last in late April or early May.

What to do after dark

  • Watch the Northern Lights Over Voyageurs National Park

    The Aurora Borealis, also known as northern lights, are radiant colors that light up the night sky over middle and high latitudes of the northern hemisphere, including at Voyageurs National Park.

  • Stargazing at Voyageurs National Park

    Come see the night skies at Voyageurs National Park. We have been recognized as an International Dark Sky Park because of the quality of our night skies and our commitment to protecting the sky form light pollution. The best places to view the night sky at Voyageurs are the Voyageurs Forest Overlook parking area, Kettle Falls Dam, and the Beaver Pond Overlook. If you are up by international Falls

From the National Park Service.

What this latitude gives you

From 48.5° north, anything above declination +41.5° is circumpolar here: it never sets, so it is available on every clear night of the year. Anything below declination -41.5° never clears the horizon at all.

Full astronomical darkness survives the summer here, but the window is narrow around the solstice. From late August the nights lengthen quickly.

We do not hold a measured Bortle class for this site, so treat the sky as unknown until you have taken a reading of your own.

Where to stay near Voyageurs National Park

Hotels, cabins, lodges and holiday rentals within reach of these coordinates, for the nights you have chosen above. We earn a commission if you book through this map, at no extra cost to you. It does not change what you are shown: nothing here is ordered, promoted or paid for. How the site is paid for.

Lodging search by Stay22. Prices and availability come from the booking sites themselves.

Address
Voyageurs National Park, International Falls, MN 56649
Coordinates
48.4837, -92.8383
Official site
nps.gov

Coordinates and park details from the US National Park Service. Sun, moon, dark window and forecast are computed for these coordinates by the SmartScopeClub dark-sky engine.