2022 trip four: Voyager national Park: August 20

International Falls Minnesota

Saturday night was our second attempt at spotting the aurora borealis, The northern lights. The skies were completely clear. This night, instead of being at the rainy Lake visitor center we are at the Kabetogama Lake visitor center. The view to the north did not have the distraction of the lights from a resort that we had Friday night.

Our other major activity of the day was taking a boat trip to the Ellsworth rock Gardens. The trip to the Kabetogama peninsula is about 20 to 30 minutes from the visitor center. The day was sunny and pleasant, the boat ride being a welcome means to experience the lake.

Jack and Elsie Ellsworth were from Chicago and spent summers on Kabetogama lake. over the course of 22 years, Jack built a series of stone terraces, planted flowers, and created various stone sculptures. Today the Ellsworth rock gardens are the second most visited part of voyageurs national park.

Today’s rock Gardens are not as extensive as the final product of Jack’s laborers. Nevertheless, the Park service has made extensive efforts to re-create the gardens and the result was well worth the visit.

On our way home, we stopped at the rock exhibit at Moose Lake State Park. We have tried to see this exhibit previously but it’s limited hours did not accommodate any of our previous visits. Besides presenting a brief geologic history of Minnesota, there is a nice display of Lake Superior agates

As mentioned last night, this blog post is being dictated on an iPhone rather than an iPad. I hope the shorter verbiage and the potential errors in typing and spelling do not lessen your appreciation.

Ed & Chris, Saint Paul Minnesota, August 21.