As most locals know, Gunflint Lodge is one of the most iconic places on the Gunflint Trail, loaded with history and beauty. It is a business that offers its guests (and visiting public) a wide range of outdoor activities. Now, because of its inclusion in 1,000 places to See Before You Die in the United States and Canada, more people will learn about the lodge and all that it has to offer.
John and Mindy Fredrikson, the new owners of Gunflint Lodge, are happy to report that their business has been selected for inclusion in the prestigious listing of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die In the United States & Canada.
Author Patricia Schultz writes: “The Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota is an outdoor person’s dream, preserving a 150-mile-wide swath of glacial lakes, roiling rivers, and backcountry trails spiraling over the rounded Sawtooth Mountains. Better yet, it links two of Minnesota’s natural jewels: Lake Superior’s rocky North Shore to the east and the renowned Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to the west. From mountain biking to birding to backpacking, there are few outdoor pursuits you can’t enjoy here. And in the long winter months, it becomes nothing less than a wonderland.”
The Gunflint Trail, once an Indian footpath and part of the Voyageur routes that opened the interior of the North American continent, is now a paved scenic byway that passes by countless lakes and rivers, including Gunflint Lake, home to Gunflint Lodge and Outfitters. Founded by the legendary Justine Kerfoot in 1927, Gunflint Lodge & Outfitters is still family owned and operated, although it recently was passed on from the Kerfoots to the Fredrikson family.
As Schultz observes, the year-round lodge “artfully balances rustic charm and great-woods luxury.” Twenty-four lakeside homes and cabins “hide among pines and birches overlooking Gunflint Lake along the Canadian border,” all with fireplaces and many with in-room saunas or hot tubs. Meals feature local fresh game and fish, along with locally harvested wild rice and maple syrup tapped in the area. The lodge’s guides can outfit you for fishing, paddling, and camping trips, or lead excursions deep into the Boundary Waters wilderness. The Towering Pines Canopy Tour allows guests to zip through the trees high above the Boreal forest and the Gunflint Riding Stables offers a different perspective while venturing deep into the woods. In the winter, they offer nearly 70 km of groomed cross-country ski trails, as well as dog sledding excursions and other outdoor winter activities. An onsite naturalist offers guided hikes and interpretive programming and a massage therapist will help you relax at the end of a busy day.
Leave a Reply