Off the Map: Voyageurs National Park & Canoe Country

I have not received a questionnaire so I am writing a review instead. The trip was amazing. The trip leaders, Doug Wood and Larry Dolphin, were knowledgeable and inspiring. I enjoyed Doug's naturalist presentations on the walks and going to Sig Olson's cabin and learning about the voyageurs, who were able to canoe from what is now the Boundary Waters all the way to Hudson Bay, with some challenging portages in between. I also liked Doug's singing songs he wrote about the area we were experiencing. I loved the hikes, the canoeing, the trips to the Wolf Center and to the Bear Center, and the boat trip in the National Park led by the ranger. The accommodations and the food were great, except the Days Inn in Hinckley was substandard; the breakfast wat not good; the sink in the room was stained, etc. however all we did was sleep there and it was not a big deal. The program was identified as Spirited and I don't think that was accurate. The hikes were very short and were not difficult. The canoe trips, especially the first one, were very short. I would have liked to have the trip be two or three days longer and to have had the option to do longer hikes and another canoeing day. The trip was a lot of work for the guides, who had to drive vans, haul a trailer with luggage, and haul canoes (and get the canoes onto a rack so they could be hauled.) Both guides were seniors and this seemed like a lot of very hard physical work. I wondered if the Osprey people could have provided more help. It was an amazing trip and I couldn't have done it on my own. I would highly recommend it. The group was great and very congenial. There was one group member however who repeatedly went off on her own instead of participating in group activities. I thought this was unfair to the guides.

A great way to experience Voyageurs NP and the Minnesota north woods. We hiked and canoed and picniced at picturesques places. We enjoyed perfect weather and limited biting bugs being a late August program. We also did a lot of driving between places. Our leader, Douglas Wood, was attentive, patient and immensely knowledgeable. His music enhanced the program.

If you have never been to the Minnesota North Woods country, this is the trip for you. It is vast and beautiful. Doug and Elaine were awesome trip leaders. Our group was so friendly and welcoming. The field trips were wonderful learning opportunities, where we learned about the flora, fauna and geology of the region. Learning about the Voyaguers was super interesting.

I'd read several of Doug Wood's books before this trip, so it was great spending time with him personally "Up North" in the country he's always loved. Getting an introduction to this beautiful part of the country, through a few canoe 'paddles', and hikes, along with Doug's music/singing/readings was really special!

This was an overall good trip. A great taste of the North Woods and Voyageurs National Park, with a little bit of canoeing included. Although the weather was not conducive for the second paddle trip our leaders found other activities to help. Be prepared for the change in weather if you go. Layers, rain gear, and bug juice!

Intimate introduction to the North Woods. Short hikes and canoeing when weather permits.

if you want to explore the north shore and boundary waters and voyageurs national park, do this trip. doug wood was amazing fabulous leader.

I thoroughly enjoyed this trip. I would give it 5 stars, but I can't figure out how to on this website. It included a variety of activities in a beautiful area. The 6 days were very full. The leaders were excellent and very knowledgeable about a wide range of things (and did a lot behind the scenes). Unlike other Road Scholar trips I've taken, I appreciated being able to order anything on the menu at dinners (within reason). There was more overhead than I would have liked to get the canoes in the water and reloaded on the trailer, cutting into our canoeing time.

Doug Woods is an excellent leader. He is a botanist, author, musician, scholar and North Woods aficionado. He made this trip a great learning experience.

Off the Map:Voyageurs National Park & Canoe Country was a wonderful trip! As usual, well planned by Road Scholar and attended by intelligent, friendly people who formed a cohesive group. Doug Wood, an award-winning writer and naturalist, was a gift to us. He is an expert guide, sharing his experience of the boundary waters as well as his knowledge of Sigurd Olson and of the geology, flora and fauna, and natural history of the North Canoe Country. Doug's music was an extra bonus. Hiking and canoeing were far from too demanding, in fact, a bit more of each would be welcome. Sandy and Greg

This was an over-the-top fantastic trip. Having Doug Wood as a guide was a privilege to dream of. He shared so much with us - his years of experience, wilderness wisdom and life wisdom, his music, his writing - along with just being a super human being, fun, humorous, kind, patient and well organized. His co-leader Nancy Dolphin was just a constant delight - upbeat and cheerful, super capable and always looking out for us. It was a physical trip for the leaders, loading and unloading canoes, luggage, tons of food - but they made it all look easy. The itinerary, sights and activities were all top-notch. Lake Superior and the north shore, Ely's lakes and Sigurd Olson's home and cabin, the fascinating wolf and bear centers, Voyageurs NP and the boat ride to Kettle Falls and paddling on Lake Kabetogama - every day was better than the one before. And we had a group of truly delightful people, I was sorry to say goodbye. This was truly one of my most memorable trips. Thanks to Road Scholar and our guides, I fell in love with the beauty and lore of the North Woods.

This was better than I expected. Our 2 morning canoe trips were on flat water. We had several short hikes to reach waterfalls and the like. We had "do it yourself" daily picnic lunches which turned out well. Good leadership, positive vibes with a focus on the unique nature and history of the North Woods. Individuals could easily opt out of the canoe and hike events if they wanted. Ambitious agenda meant long van rides on 2 days.

A great program for exploring the North Woods and learning about the conservationists that preserved this area, as well as learning about the distinctive flora and fauna of the north country. Plenty of hiking, not as much canoeing, but it’s all weather dependent.

We did less hiking and canoeing than I hoped we would but what we did was fabulous. The 'north country' is totally worth a trip; and getting there easier than I was thinking (we rode Amtrak).

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Wonderful trip, enjoyed it all; the hiking (nature walks), the canoeing. The areas we visited were beautiful. I enjoyed learning about the French Canadian history and the towering figures in conservationist history. Doug and Dianne were great guides. Highly recommend this trip. Margaret and Mike

Led by knowledgeable & helpful leaders Doug and Diane, this trip was really great, featuring a mix of energetic activities (hiking & canoeing) and important things to learn about (learning about the region's history, ecology, and species...). It should be mentioned that the trip does require a fair amount of van travel between locations. This year, the region's lakes were at historic flood levels, so our leaders adjusted some activities & schedules. As a result, we were still able to experience nearly everything that was planned in this wonderful Boundary Waters region. Thank you, Doug and Diane!

An awesome trip with wonderful leaders. Be prepared and flexible for a few changes in the dining schedule as the leaders seek restaurants that can accommodate our large group. (Some restaurants are short staffed due to COVID.) The Days Inn in Duluth is a bit dreary, but otherwise clean, comfortable, and quiet. Duluth is an awesome town to visit, so if possible come a day early (I did) or stay a day after. Canoeing on the last day was spectacular. Be sure to bring those water shoes. I had no issue with bugs.

Our trip was not so much instructional, as it was immersive in nature and nature preservation efforts. Unfortunately, the itinerary was significantly altered by Covid closures, mechanical boat failure at Voyageurs Park, and other unforseen problems.

This was truly a wonderful trip. The group was cohesive from the start and the glue was strengthened by our fearless leaders Doug and Elaine. Together we explored trails and waterfalls, learned about great wilderness conservationists and visited their idyllic homes. We learned about the strength of Lake Superior and the Canadian Shield and visited and canoed the lakes on the Canadian border. Visits to the Bear and Wolf Centers proved so much more interesting than I imagined they would be! And all this learning in such a relaxed atmosphere. There was always time for questions as well as time to just sit and appreciate the beauty of the area. So many morsels of knowledge were imparted about the flora and fauna, the geology, the history, the past and present culture and the foods of the area!! Who knew Frank LLoyd Wright designed a gas station in Cloquet? I honestly can't say enough good things about this trip. The only negative is that I have now have to diet off 5 pounds from the sit down, order from the menu meals we enjoyed nightly. But I'll never complain about good food. I hope our group can reunite on another Doug and Elaine trip!

Wilderness for the Golden Years, pretty much making the A List ...