The National Park Service (NPS) will be developing a Frozen Lake Surface Access and Use Plan at Voyageurs National Park and is seeking your input.
More Information:
Frozen Lake Surface Access and Use Plan – National Park Service
Plan to limit ATVs on frozen Voyageurs Park lakes makes waves – Duluth News Tribune
During a typical winter in Voyageurs National Park, ice roads are plowed and maintained by park staff on Kabetogama and Rainy Lakes (depending on weather/ice conditions). Ice roads allow access to ice fishing locations among other sites, and provide visitors with a unique way to experience and drive through the splendor of Voyageurs in the winter. Winter visitors can also enjoy cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and use snowmobiles on a designated trail system and on lake surfaces.
The process to update the guidelines to manage ice roads and winter access on frozen lakes in Voyageurs National Park involves responding to changes in outdoor recreation trends and the need to protect natural and cultural resources. The park’s enabling legislation specifically allows for recreational fishing and includes provisions for winter sports, including snowmobile use. Past plans and regulations address snowmobiles, but not the use of off-road vehicles (ATVs, UTVs and others) on frozen lake surfaces. Off-road vehicles are prohibited in most national parks.
Adding another layer to park management questions, ice houses and shelters have evolved from simple shacks to large campers. With the rise of ATVs, side-by-side UTVs, off-road capable trucks, as well as new types of ice fishing shelters, the park is developing guidelines for its visitors on these winter activities.
Truck plowing ice road / National Park Service
The NPS has drafted a preliminary proposal (view it here) for the public to provide comment on. The National Park Service’s current planning process will not establish any changes to snowmobile use in Voyageurs. This planning effort aims to align winter recreation activities on and near ice roads with established NPS regulations and policies by defining allowable use to minimize or avoid adverse impacts to visitor experience and natural resources.
Preliminary proposal for zones, ice roads, and trails / National Park Service
In its proposed preliminary Frozen Lake Surface Access and Use Plan (view it here), the NPS is proposing:
Two zones for different frozen lake usage and management. On all of Kabetogama Lake and the western part of Rainy Lake, ice roads would be maintained and off-road vehicles and ice-fishing shelters would be allowed in a corridor along up to 26 miles of ice roads.
All other lakes in the park would be left ice road-less and accessible by snowmobiles or by non-motorized travel (per the current management plan).
Off-road vehicles would be allowed to operate within 300 feet of the edge of an ice road, where ice fishing shelters will also be allowed.
The moderate and low-use zones would be established by:
Evaluating appropriate areas for ice roads.
Identifying the types of vehicles allowed on different areas of frozen lake surfaces.
Identifying the types of ice shelters allowed in different areas of frozen lake surfaces and determining how long they should remain in place.
Determining appropriate uses of the Mukooda Truck Portage.
A Frozen Lake Surface Access and Use Plan is needed because:
The park currently does not have a plan for management of the frozen lake surfaces other than for snowmobile use.
Current park management of vehicles on frozen lake surfaces is not consistent with federal regulations governing the operation of vehicles off of park roads.
Ice shelters have evolved from homemade shacks to campers that can be lowered onto the ice. An increase in the number and weight of ice shelters on the frozen lake surface could have adverse impacts on safety, visitor experience, and natural resources.
Resources that can be impacted by winter recreation and need protections include:
Wildlife
Visitor Use and Experience
Safety
Water Quality
Air Quality
Socioeconomics
Acoustic Environment (Soundscapes)
Scenic views
Night Skies
Fisheries
Ice Fishing Shelter in Voyageurs National Park / National Park Service
YOU CAN HELP INFORM THE PLAN
We invite you to participate in the planning process by attending a public comment session and/or submitting your comments and ideas to help inform frozen lake surface management at the park. The public input period for this process will be open through June 3, 2023.
The information obtained from the public during this civic engagement period will be used to develop and refine alternatives for frozen lake surface management, identify issues, and ensure the NPS has the information needed to move forward with the planning process.
The park will host two in-person meetings and one virtual public meeting. Park staff will give a brief presentation from 5:00 to 5:30 pm and will then be available to answer questions from the public via an open house format until 7:00 pm. The meeting schedule is:
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
5:00 to 7:00 p.m. CST
Kabetogama Community Building
9707 Gamma Road Kabetogama, MN
Thursday, April 20, 2023
5:30 to 7:30 p.m. CST
Auditorium at Rainy River Campus of Minnesota North College
1501 Highway 71, International Falls, Minnesota 56649
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
5:00 to 7:00 p.m. CST
Virtual Meeting
Meeting link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83447266503
Telephone: If you would like to call in on listen only mode and not view the presentation, please call US: +1 312-626-6799 Webinar ID: 834 4726 6503
All meeting information is also available on the project PEPC page, under “Meeting Notices” https://parkplanning.nps.gov/VOYA-frozen.
Voyageurs Conservancy & the Frozen Lake Access & Use Plan
Voyageurs Conservancy is the official philanthropic partner of Voyageurs National Park. Our members, partners, donors and volunteers represent some of the many stakeholders (hailing from the park’s gateway communities to all over the U.S.) that enjoy and cherish the lands and waters of Voyageurs National Park and choose to invest in its ongoing stewardship. The Conservancy works collaboratively with NPS on joint programs and projects (i.e Dark Sky Initiative, Wetland Restoration, Voyageurs Classroom), but continues to operate as an independent 501c3 organization, managed by a board of directors. Through our funding, advocacy, and education efforts, we work to balance the long-term preservation of the wild character of the Voyageurs landscape with sustainable human access.
The Voyageurs Conservancy was not involved in the internal formation of the National Park Service's draft proposed "Voyageurs National Park Frozen Lake Surface Access & Use Plan." Conservancy staff and volunteers viewed the draft plan on the same timeline as the public and have the same commenting options as the general public.
The Conservancy is still reviewing the proposed plan and formulating comments. Given this is the first phase of review of the proposed plan, the Conservancy will focus on listening to stakeholder input and formulating key questions for future plan drafts.
By far, Conservancy members and park users most value the “wild character” of the park (based on surveys and community listening sessions). Common sense regulations and policies should help preserve this core experience of Voyageurs.
The Voyageurs Conservancy supports the NPS’ need to come into compliance with federal regulations by establishing policies on this issue. In general, the Conservancy supports fees and permitting that allow the NPS to better fund park operations and manage sustainable levels of use.
