Rainy Lake has plenty of ice for skating and playing hockey, but if you're looking for a manmade surface, you can try the Ranier Rink, or take a drive to one of the rinks listed below.
Ever wish you could ice skate in a national park? Now you can, with a new rink and sledding hill open on Lake Kabetogama, one of the entry points to Voyageurs National Park. Elsewhere in this area, just south of the Canadian border, you’ll find rinks in International Falls and Ranier. Further south in the hockey-loving Iron Range, there are rinks in Biwabik (minutes from the Giants Ridge ski resort), Hibbing and Virginia. While on the Range, pay a visit to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth. Or head to Grand Rapids for your choice of four outdoor rinks, including a covered one at the IRA Civic Center. Search for warm places to stay after a day on the rink in our lodging directory. Duluth WHERE: Bayfront Festival Park SURFACE: Manmade WHEN: Jan. 2 -weather permitting ACTIVITIES: Ice skating, PRICE: Free SKATE RENTALS: Yes EXTRAS: Sleds, snowshoes and snow-sculpting tools Kabetogama WHERE: Lake Kabetogama SURFACE: Lake WHEN: Weather permitting ACTIVITIES: Ice skating PRICE: Free SKATE RENTALS: None EXTRAS: Sledding hill Ranier WHERE: Ranier City Park SURFACE: Manmade WHEN: Weather permitting ACTIVITIES: Ice skating, hockey PRICE: Free SKATE RENTALS: Free EXTRAS: Warming house, sledding hill, fire pit, kids event with Mickey & Minnie Mouse (February) Grand Rapids WHERE: IRA Civic Center SURFACE: Manmade WHEN: Weekends, weather permitting ACTIVITIES: Ice skating, hockey PRICE: Free SKATE RENTALS: None Anglers are getting out on Rainy Lake. Walleye anglers are finding some success on Sand Bay in about 30 feet of water using jigs and minnows. Glow jigs seem to work best, and the best bite is early in the day. lite weight dark houses have been showing up on Black Bay where you stand a good chance of spearing a large northern pike, however, there haven't been many reports on that. Anglers are also trying Black Bay for crappie, hitting the areas near the crappie cribs. We've been hit with the first major snow of the season, and that usually means greatly improved trail conditions. International Voyageur Snowmobile Club will be grooming their trails, but due to the partial Federal Government shutdown, trails in the National Park will not be groomed. That applies to snowmobile, cross country ski and snowshoe trails. The National Park Service was able to stake the trail from Franks Bay to Ash River and mark any known pressure ridges and determined conditions are adequate to travel from Ash River to Crane Lake, but again, trails in the Park are not being groomed until the partial government shutdown is resolved. With the partial Federal Government shutdown, Voyageurs National Park remains open to the public, but there are no services available. Trails are not being groomed, the ice road has not been plowed open, the Administrative offices and Rainy Lake Visitor Center are closed and any interpretive programs have been cancelled until the situation is resolved.
We invite you to enjoy Rainy Lake, area restaurants and area lodging in the meantime! From NPS.gov During the federal government shutdown, the website for Voyageurs National Park will not be updated and may not reflect current conditions. Some national parks may remain accessible to visitors; however, access may change without notice. Some parks are closed completely. Some visitor services may be available when provided by concessioners or other entities. For most parks, there will be no National Park Service-provided visitor services, such as restrooms, trash collection, facilities, or road maintenance. |
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