Up North. Snow gently falling, snowshoeing, winter hiking, sled dogs, moose, hot tub, and a fireplace. Sounds like a perfectly Minnesotan winter wonderland weekend! Unless you are afraid of a bit of cold (or a lot, depending on your norm), a long weekend at the Gunflint Lodge & Outfitters on the Gunflint Trail is about as perfect as you can get. And, hanging with our daughter who works at the lodge is an added bonus that can’t be beat.
A “long” weekend is important if you are traveling from the Twin Cities, as travel time to Gunflint is at a very minimum of 5.5 hours. Remember, you really can see and walk to Canada from there! Add in a gas stop and a break to stretch your legs and it’s easily a 6-hour drive. For that kind of drive, you really should have 2 full days with no driving to make it worthwhile. We left Thursday at about 2:30 pm and arrived at 8:30 pm and stayed through Sunday.
Lesson learned: Grab a bit to eat in Duluth, as there was absolutely nothing for a quick grab and go between Duluth and Grand Marais at that time of the evening. There are some options if you have time for a sit-down meal, but remember winter is much different than busy summertime when more places are open for longer hours. We made do with some decent sandwiches and chips from Zup's in Silver Bay.
Once you hit Grand Marais, there is still a good hour (with good driving conditions) to go to reach the Gunflint Lodge. The good news is that the Gunflint Trail is very well-maintained with regular plowing. Even so, the road will likely be snow-covered, maybe icy, and warrants some caution. Wildlife likes to hang out along the Trail (more so during the day in the winter), so keep your eyes open for moose and fox. This summer we saw 5 different foxes along the road, while coming back from the winter trip, we saw 4 moose. We were thrilled!
A gateway to the Northwoods since 1925, Gunflint Lodge is self-described as a “family and honeymoon resort”. The resort is over100-acres nestled along Gunflint Lake, which separates Minnesota from Ontario Canada, and is a launching point for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA). Winter lodging is in cabins, which vary from accommodating 2 to 13 and feature classic knotty-pine siding, gas or wood stone fireplaces, kitchens and many have saunas or large jacuzzi tubs. Dogs are welcomed for an extra fee.
You will definitely need to book far in advance during the winter, as Gunflint is a popular place. As long as you have warm winter clothes and layers to bundle up, there is a whole lot to do at the Gunflint. From ice fishing to snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, skating, fat tire biking, snow hiking, dog sledding, and numerous naturalist activities, there is something for everyone. We also stayed at the Gunflint Lodge in October, which is much less busy, as winter activities hadn’t yet begun, but prices are very affordable.
Naturalist programs are offered every day and are generally free with your stay. Sign up ahead of time if you are able, or as soon as you check-in. The size of the groups is limited with Covid and some fill-up quickly. We enjoyed a very cold Geology Hike (yes, it really “felt like” -25 degrees F), Soap Making, a Celtic Music Show, and a Wolf Howling Night Hike. In October, we attended a Minnesota Ghost Stories presentation. John and Emily, the naturalists, have broad and deep knowledge of the area, nature and the various topics offered.
If you have an opportunity to do dog sledding, don’t think twice about it! Our ride was quick and we were testing a new route for the dogs, but it was thrilling. First, you get to meet the dogs. All the dogs are approachable and love the attention, with some shyer than others. All the dogs absolutely love to run and when the harnesses come out, the dogs go crazy barking “pick me, pick me!”. The dogs range in size from 35 to over a hundred pounds and they all looked quite different. One dog, Titan, had stunning steel blue eyes. Several of the dogs were veterans of the classic Alaskan Iditarod Sled Dog Race, the “super bowl” of dog sledding.
Kevin and I were passengers, zipped into the sled covering, while Olivia, the musher, was “driving” the sled. Commands are simple: Hike! (Get moving), Ghee! (turn right), Haw! (turn left), Ahead! (keep going) and Whoa! (stop). It was absolutely thrilling to travel through the snowy woods and onto Lonely Lake behind these excited dogs. The ride was quick, only about 20 minutes, but was incredibly fun to get a sense for the dogs, their love for running, and the speed the dogs can reach especially downhill.
Gunflint has a plethora of trails to use, for hiking, skiing and snowmobiling. We hiked up to Look-Out Point several times, as the view from this rocky promontory is quite glorious during both day and night. At night, there is a 1 km ski loop that is lighted that Look-Out Point overlooks. I do regret not getting out on that ski trail at night, as it looked so beautiful and peaceful.
For snowshoeing, we headed out to Trails End Campground, at the very end of the Gunflint Trail, 12 miles from Gunflint Lodge. With Seagull Lake to the south, Gull Lake to the northeast, and waterfalls, we enjoyed hiking through the campsites and along the snowy paths and ranked the best sites. We also hiked a few miles of the Kekekabic Trail (this forms part of the Border Route and North Country Trail). The "Kek" is 46 miles in length and Kevin plans to hike its full length and back again over three days this Summer or Fall. We highly recommend this area for snowshoeing. We had the place to ourselves and the snow was still fresh and deep, making snowshoes helpful.
Old man walking on the Kekekabic Trail
The main lodge has a front desk, a shop with souvenirs and clothing, and Justine’s Restaurant. During our winter stay, breakfast was included and it’s not just a continental spread, but you can order what you want from the menu. The front vestibule has a load of dvds to take back to your cabin to watch.
What to bring?
· During Covid, bring your own board games or cards to play.
· DVDs (not Blue Ray)
· Swimsuit if you have a sauna or hot tub
· Warm clothes! Don’t underestimate how cold it might be. Wear layers and you can adjust as needed. When it was -25, my feet froze with only 1 pair of wool socks. Bring hand and foot warmers or purchase them from the front desk or the outfitter’s center. Bring mittens in addition to gloves.
· Food, snacks, beverages- including oil, spices, salt, pepper. Justine's Restaurant is open from 8 am - 9 pm in the winter and has excellent food, but if you want to make your own, remember all the condiments, oils, and spices.
· This is a pretty casual place where Carharts are way more common than Calvin Kleins. Dress comfortably.
There is no cell service, but wi-fi is available. Embrace the frost.
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