Voyageurs National Park Posts

Mithrandir Trail Wildlife Footage: Winter 2024

A single trail camera in Voyageurs National Park captured an array of critters from January to May during the mildest winter on record at the park

Minnesota mystery beast stalking the northwoods

The Voyageurs Wolf Project posted trail-camera video one month ago showing a “wolf-dog like animal wandering forests of northern Minnesota.” The scenes were captured last winter and the release of the video garnered considerable media attention — with some organizations offering competent reporting and others maybe more focused on a clickbait headline than careful attention to detail. A new version of the video, embedded above, pokes fun at some headlines that emerged after the initial video was released.

Stunning footage of a lynx in northern Minnesota

Trail cameras from the Voyageurs Wolf Project will occasionally capture footage of lynx, but the University of Minnesota researchers say “this is definitely the coolest.”

Wolves Howling in Winter in Northern Minnesota

The wolves of Voyageurs National Park have a new hit single, captured during a live performance last winter. The two segments of this video offer sights and sounds of the howlin’ Minnesota wolves.

This trail-camera footage is from the Voyageurs Wolf Project, which is focused on understanding the summer ecology of wolves in the park.

Video: A mountain lion in northern Minnesota

This video of a mountain lion just south of Voyageurs National Park was captured on April 16. The trail-camera footage is from the Voyageurs Wolf Project, which is focused on understanding the summer ecology of wolves in the park. This is the third video of a mountain lion the project’s cameras have captured in the past three years. All three animals seemed to be wandering through and were only caught on camera once before they appeared to leave the area.

The Moss-covered Log: A Wildlife Hotspot

An old, moss-covered log in Voyageurs National Park was a popular item last fall. The allure of the log caused some bears to temporarily lose their minds and the log paid the price for it. The wolves and some other forest critters were not too far behind the bears.

This trail-camera footage is from the Voyageurs Wolf Project, which is focused on understanding the summer ecology of wolves in the park.

Wolves and Other Wildlife on the Mithrandir Trail

The Mithrandir Pack of wolves is the primary traveler seen on this trail camera footage from Voyageurs National Park, shot last summer and fall, but an array of other critters also pop in.

Northwoods Creatures in Wild Remote Country

This latest montage from Voyageurs National Park shows critters over a 1.5-month period this past spring.

The camera was set up by the Voyageurs Wolf Project, which is focused on understanding the summer ecology of wolves in the park. But the otters kind of steal the show in this video.

Summer Vignettes of Minnesota Wildlife

This montage of trail camera footage from Voyageurs National Park includes a bobcat and her kittens, a black bear, a deer, a coyote and several moose.

The camera was set up by the Voyageurs Wolf Project, which is focused on understanding the summer ecology of wolves in the park. This particular camera has been removed because the area is kind of swampy and there were no wolves traveling on the trail all summer.

Spring Vignettes in the Northwoods

This spring 2023 trail camera footage shows vignettes of wildlife in Voyageurs National Park, with several toddlers tromping through the frame.

The camera was set up by the Voyageurs Wolf Project, which is focused on understanding the summer ecology of wolves in the park.

The 2023 Half-Moon Pack of Wolf Pups

The 2023 Half-Moon wolf pack has seven pups and all appear to be in good shape.

The Voyageurs Wolf Project is focused on understanding the summer ecology of wolves in Voyageurs National Park, about 100 miles north of Duluth. Donations to its annual fundraiser help study how many of these pups survive to adulthood and pays for the equipment that captures footage like this. Donations can be made via crowdfund.umn.edu.

One Year on a Northwoods Portage

This trail camera footage shows the diversity of wildlife that passes through an old canoe portage at Voyageurs National Park over a 15-month period. Prepare for lots of otters.

In the Heart of Voyageurs National Park: The Fisher Trail

This trail camera footage was shot in a remote location on the Kabetogama Peninsula, about 120 miles northwest of Duluth in Voyageurs National Park. The footage is from fall 2021 and features a variety of wildlife. The wolves in the video are the Cranberry Bay Pack.

The camera was set up by the Voyageurs Wolf Project, which is focused on understanding the summer ecology of wolves in the park.

Vignettes from the Edge of a Beaver Pond

Researchers at the Voyageurs Wolf Project placed cameras around the edge of a beaver pond this past summer hoping to get good footage of wolves. Instead, they captured a whole lot of otter activity along with a few other critters, including a black bear and three cubs that predictably knocked over a camera.

Vignettes of the Northwoods

The Voyageurs Wolf Project has been the source of some of northern Minnesota’s best trail-camera wildlife videos in recent years. The latest release is a montage of the very best.