While up in Minnesota a couple weeks ago visiting in-laws my husband and I went on an overnight canoe trip!

It was at Voyageurs National Park.

All campsites in the park are accessible only by boat. There are NO drive-to campsites in Voyageurs National Park.

There is no fee for the campsites but a free permit is required.

We started at the Ash River Visitor Center and went north to Lost lake for the first night.

It was like we had our own private lake!

If looking at the campsite map it is campsite K19, I highly recommend it!

My father in-law let us use his hobo stove that he made, while we were there.

It worked great!

It takes very little fuel and boils water very quickly!

We were in bear country so most of the campsites had these food lockers.

We tried these freeze dried meals for the first time.

You can find this brand at Walmart, the pasta ones were pretty good but the eggs were just odd.

The consistency was throwing me for a loop!

Next time I think we will just bring instant oatmeal…

The colors were so beautiful!

We hiked a little ways away from the campsite to get a better view of the sunset.

It was mostly bushwhacking.

Ducking and weaving can be a little bit tiring…

We decided to stop short of our goal because we were pretty sure we would not get there until well after the sun was already down.

I made Nick really nervous here.

Right at my feet is a steep drop off.

I might have been a little less then cautious to get this shot set up…

I did not fall though!

So it is almost like I was being careful.

But not quite…

The next day brought some of the hardest paddling I have ever done.

We were going against these waves for most of the morning.

I might have a bad habit of stopping when I think we are going under.

Nick would have to yell at me to keep paddling.

I am pretty sure I would have tipped the canoe over many times if it were not for him!

I regretted every time I skipped lifting weights before this trip.

I was literally yelling at myself to finish strong just to keep myself paddling.

My arms were jello.

I am still not sure how I kept paddling.

We got our map from National Geographic.

It really came in handy and it was waterproof, which was really good because both it and I got wet.

The person in the front always gets wet in rough water.

The alternative was me being in charge of steering and keeping us from tipping though.

Wet it is.

We went all the way around Round Bear Island to Lost Bay for our second night.

On the campsite map it is K16.

Surrounded by water.

So amazing!

We did some more bushwhacking to the North of our campsite after we set up.

There was a trail north of us and I thought we could maybe get to it from our campsite.

We ended up turning back after a while though.

We were following a game trail about the shape of a barrel and it had a LOT of bear scat.

I talked a lot.

If nothing else I bored any bear around us into leaving us be.

Enjoying a beautiful sunset!

I unzipped my tent after a long night of listening for bears and this is what greeted me.

Amazing.

 

Even though the water was a lot calmer on our last day we still decided to portage the canoe instead of going back around Round Bear Island.

We used the 1/4 mile portage from the Long Slough to Lost Lake(were we had stayed on the first night).

Nick told me the canoe did not weigh much.

He lied.

I was again left regretting every missed arm workout.

I really wanted to check portaging a canoe off of my mental “things I have done” list though.

I did half of the 1/4 mile…

Heading back to the Ash River Visitor Center on Kabetogama Lake.

It was bittersweet to go back.

I loved waking up to the stillness.

I loved waking up to air the same temperature as the outside.

The feel of the breeze on my face all day.

Woods all around me.

It truly is a beautiful place.

I hope to go back some day.