Parking
There is no road parking at the trailhead. Reach the Anderson Bay dock by private boat, water taxi, or local rental across Rainy Lake.
Overview
About Peary Lake Trail
Why go
- A short walk to an inland lake and backcountry campsite
- The route is clearly tied to a named lake destination
Heads up
- A long Rainy Lake boat crossing is required before the hike
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Voyageurs map
Full mapElevation1,112–1,217 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Voyageurs alerts
- ClosureDryweed Island-area sites closed for bear activitySeventeen campsites, houseboat sites, and a day-use site on Dryweed Island and nearby islands are closed through the end of October 2026 because of continued bear activity and unsafe bear-human…Official details
- CautionNavigation markers and buoys absent on park lakesUse caution while boating on Rainy, Kabetogama, Namakan, and Sand Point Lakes because park hazard markers and secondary navigation aids have been removed, and most primary navigational buoys are also…Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Voyageurs Tour Guide
Your drive to Peary Lake Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Voyageurs National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
- 29 audio storiesacross Voyageurs’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Gray Wolf, Moose, Bald Eagle, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 19 trails, 49 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Peary Lake Trail
A short route to a backcountry lakePeary Lake Trail is about 1.
Peary Lake Trail is about 1.1 miles one way from the Anderson Bay dock on Rainy Lake to Peary Lake. It follows the northern part of Cruiser Lake Trail, then turns onto the short Peary spur. A day hike to the lake and back is about 2.2 miles. Do this if you want an inland lake walk and are happy to make the boat trip first.
The boat crossing comes firstThere is no road to this trailhead.
There is no road to this trailhead. Reach Anderson Bay across Rainy Lake by private boat, water taxi, or local rental; it is about a 19-mile boat trip from Rainy Lake Visitor Center. The hike is short compared with the access commitment.
Expect uneven backcountry treadThe route follows a forest footpath to the lake.
The route follows a forest footpath to the lake. The wider Cruiser Lake trail is rugged, with rocks and roots, while the final Peary spur has little published detail. Expect an uneven dirt trail rather than a surfaced path. Allow about 45 minutes to reach the lake, and longer if you are carrying a camping load.
Know the campsite rulesPeary Lake is backcountry campsite B13.
Peary Lake is backcountry campsite B13. An overnight stay requires a reserved campsite and permit; the canoe at the site is tied to that reservation. Pets are not allowed on Voyageurs backcountry trails.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Voyageurs
10 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
12 sightingsMooseMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
67 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
79 sightingsLoonMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
41 sightingsWhite PelicanMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
19 sightingsTrumpeter SwanMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Voyageurs. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
