Aspen Lodge
Grand Marais
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The Gunflint Trail runs inland from Grand Marais on Lake Superior to Saganaga Lake on the Canadian border, about 57 miles of road with lodges and outfitters along it. It is the eastern gateway to the Boundary Waters, and from Saganaga to Quetico Provincial Park.
Outfitters here supply whole canoe trips and run tows across Saganaga to the Canadian border. Most lodges sit on lakes along the Trail and rent canoes and boats; a few have guides for lake trout, walleye and smallmouth.
I. The lodges
Where to stay
Stay in Grand Marais for town and Lake Superior, mid-Trail for lodges on their own lakes, or at the end of the Trail to start straight from Seagull or Saganaga.
6 places to stay
Grand Marais
Motels, the town campground and Lake Superior charter captains in Grand Marais, where the Trail starts.
Best Western PLUS Superior Inn
Grand Marais
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Grand Marais Recreation Area (Municipal Campground)
Grand Marais
From $10–$20 / night · year not stated
Mangy Moose Motel
Grand Marais
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Mangy Moose Trailside Lodge (Trailside Cabins & Motel)
Grand Marais
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The Outpost Motel
Grand Marais
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16 places to stay
Mid-Trail: Devil Track to Clearwater
Lodges on Poplar, Hungry Jack, Bearskin, Clearwater and Flour lakes, and the Forest Service campgrounds along the way.
Bearskin Lodge & Outfitters
Grand Marais
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Clearwater Historic Lodge & Canoe Outfitters
Grand Marais
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Devil Track Lake Cabins
Grand Marais
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Devil Track Lake Campground
Grand Marais
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East Bearskin Lake Campground
Grand Marais
From $24–$86 / night · year not stated
Flour Lake Campground
Grand Marais
From $24 / night · year not stated
Golden Eagle Lodge & Campground
Grand Marais
From $41 / night (campsite) · year not stated
Hungry Jack Lodge
Grand Marais
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Iron Lake Campground
Grand Marais
From $24 / night · year not stated
Kimball Lake Campground
Grand Marais
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Nor'Wester Lodge & Outfitters
Grand Marais
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Poplar Haus
Grand Marais
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Rockwood Lodge and Outfitters
Grand Marais
From $175–$320 / night (2-person list rate; 2027 spring-fall range) · 2027
Trail Center Lodge & Restaurant
Grand Marais
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Trout Lake Resort
Grand Marais
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White Pine Lodge
Grand Marais
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8 places to stay
End of the Trail: Gunflint, Seagull & Saganaga
Resorts on Gunflint and Loon lakes and the fishing camps and outfitters at Seagull and Saganaga, where tows run toward Quetico.
Borderland Lodge
Grand Marais
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Gunflint Lodge & Outfitters
Grand Marais
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Gunflint Pines Resort & Campground
Grand Marais
From $57–$70 / night · year not stated
Heston's Lodge
Grand Marais
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Loon Lake Lodge
Grand Marais
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Sag Lodge
Grand Marais
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Trails End Campground
Grand Marais
From $22 / night · year not stated
Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters
Grand Marais
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II. Into the wilderness
What canoe outfitting costs
Complete outfitting covers canoe, packs, tent, sleeping gear, cooking kit and food. Most packages here use Kevlar canoes; Saganaga tows are priced per person.
| Package | Per person, per day | Typical | Outfitters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete outfitting | $112–$129 | $122 | 4 |
| Partial outfitting | $70–$86 | $77 | 4 |
"Typical" is the median of published rates. Complete outfitting usually means canoe, packs, tent, cooking gear and food; check what each includes and the minimum trip length.
| Outfitter | Complete / day | Partial / day | Canoe rental | Tows | Rate year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Track Outfitting Co. / Bally Creek CabinsGrand Marais | Call | – | – | – | not stated |
| Bearskin Lodge & OutfittersGrand Marais | Call | – | Aluminum $30/day ($180/week); solo Kevlar $45; tandem Kevlar $55; 3-4 person Kevlar $60 (year not stated) | – | not stated |
| Boundary Country TrekkingGrand Marais | Call | – | – | – | not stated |
| Clearwater Canoe Outfitters & Historic LodgeGrand Marais | Call | – | Full-day rentals, booked online | Shuttles; the Forest Service has suspended the Clearwater Lake tow | not stated |
| Gunflint Northwoods Outfitters (Gunflint Lodge)Grand Marais | Call | – | – | Tows on Gunflint and Saganaga lakes | not stated |
| Hungry Jack OutfittersGrand Marais | $126 | $86 | $55/day 2-person Kevlar; $60 3-person; $65 4-seat; $44 solo Kevlar; $35 17ft aluminum (2026 season) | Tow boat to Quetico Park $100 round trip per person (2026) | 2026 |
| Nor'Wester Lodge, Outfitters & CampgroundGrand Marais | Call | – | – | – | not stated |
| Rockwood Lodge & OutfittersGrand Marais | Call | – | Canoes from $32/day (undated) | – | not stated |
| Sawbill Canoe OutfittersTofte | $117 | $70 | $47/day 2-person Kevlar; $52 3-person Kevlar; $40 Kevlar solo; $30 2-person T-Formex or aluminum (2026) | Transport to or from Kawishiwi, Brule, Homer or Hog Creek entry points, or Tofte, $100; Baker Lake $60; custom shuttle $2.25/mile (2026); free one-way transport to certain entry points with complete outfitting | 2026 |
| Seagull Canoe Outfitters & CabinsGrand Marais | Call | – | – | Tows on Sea Gull Lake | not stated |
| Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe OutfittersGrand Marais | $112 | $72 | $55/day 2-seat Kevlar; $60 3-4 seat Kevlar; $50 solo Kevlar; $38 2-seat lightweight aluminum | Saganaga Lake tow per person: American Point/Hook Island $60 one way, $100 round trip; Saganaga Falls $60 / $100; Red Rock Portage $65 / $110. Shuttle $20 one way to Gunflint Lake, Larch Creek, Seagull or Saganaga (free with canoe rental); Poplar $75; West Bearskin, Clearwater, East Bearskin $100 | not stated |
| Voyageur Canoe OutfittersGrand Marais | $129 | $82 | Kevlar upgrade $22 a canoe a day | Sag Lake tow per person: American Point or Hook Island $60 one way, $100 round trip; Sag Falls $55 / $95; Red Rock Portage $65 / $105; extra towboat $50 per boat. Shuttle one way from $15 (Trails End, Seagull public) to $75 (Clearwater, East Bearskin); free shuttle with outfitting packages | not stated |
III. On the water
What a guided day costs
| Boat | Full day | Typical | Half day | Typical | Operators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | $475–$499 | $487 | $325–$399 | $362 | 2 |
"Typical" is the median of published rates. Most operators don't put a year on their rates.
Independent guides
Lodges that run their own guides are listed with the lodges above.
| Guide | Full day | Half day | Boat | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lake ChartersGrand Marais | Call | – | ||
| Grand Marais ChartersGrand Marais | $900 | $550 | lake trout, salmon | |
| Little Vince's Guide ServiceGrand Marais | Call | – | walleye, smallmouth bass, bluegill, rainbow trout, splake, lake trout, brook trout | |
| North Shore OutdoorsGrand Marais | Call | – | lake trout, salmon, smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, muskie | |
| Northern Goods Fly Fishing GuidesGrand Marais | Call | – | ||
| Seagull Creek Fishing CampGrand Marais | $475 | $325 | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, lake trout |
IV. The almanac
Seasons at a glance
- Late JanuaryBWCAW quota permits open on recreation.gov.
- May 1 – September 30Quota season for overnight trips.
- May 9, 2026Walleye, pike and summer lake trout seasons open (parts of Saganaga and Little Gunflint stay closed into May).
- September 30Summer lake trout season and the quota season end.
- January 1, 2027Winter lake trout opens on lakes entirely inside the BWCAW.
- April 14, 2027Walleye season closes on the border lakes.
Fishing dates from the DNR's 2026 regulations; permit dates from recreation.gov.
V. Field notes
The Little Knife Fire
- In July 2026 the Little Knife Fire crossed from Quetico into the BWCAW near the end of the Trail. The Gunflint Ranger District closed 15 lakes on July 12 and the whole wilderness closed July 14.
- Cook County eased the Trail's evacuation status in late July, Trails End Campground reopened July 29, and all Gunflint and Tofte water-access entry points reopened August 4.
- Campsites around Knife, Ottertrack and the lakes next to the fire stayed closed into the late season. Check the Forest Service's alerts and your outfitter before booking a 2027 route.
VI. Regulations
Fishing rules
2026–27 season (inland May 9, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027; border lakes May 9, 2026 – April 14, 2027) and the BWCAW quota season (May 1 – September 30)
- From May 1 to September 30, every overnight group in the BWCAW needs a quota permit for its entry point and date (recreation.gov); no more than 9 people and 4 watercraft together.
- Saganaga (with Gull Lake and the Sea Gull River) and Sea Gull Lake: walleye possession limit 3, only one over 20 inches.
- Gunflint, Saganaga and the other lakes on the Canadian line are border waters: walleye season to April 14, 2027. Parts of Saganaga and Little Gunflint are closed to fishing in May; call the DNR's Grand Marais office (218-387-6021) for the dates.
- Northern pike on inland lakes (Northeast Zone): 2 in possession; release every pike from 30 through 40 inches; one over 40 allowed. On Saganaga: 3, only one over 30 inches.
- Lake trout, summer: May 9 – September 30, 2 a day. Winter: January 1 – March 31, 2027 on lakes entirely inside the BWCAW; January 16 – March 31, 2027 elsewhere.
- Ice shelters may be used inside the BWCAW but must come off the ice each night and whenever you leave the wilderness.
From the DNR's 2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations: inland seasons, the Northeast pike zone, the Saganaga and Sea Gull special regulations, and the Canada-Minnesota tables for Gunflint, Saganaga and the other border lakes. Permit rules from recreation.gov. Check before you fish.
VII. Asked at the dock
Questions people ask
How much does complete canoe outfitting cost on the Gunflint Trail?
Published complete outfitting runs $112–$129 per person per day (typical $122), usually with canoe, gear and food. Most outfitters charge less per day for longer trips and more for one or two people.
How much does a fishing guide cost on the Gunflint Trail?
A guide boat for 1–2 anglers runs $475–$499 for a full day. Rates are per boat, not per person, and usually include bait and gas.
What does a Saganaga tow cost?
Tuscarora and Voyageur charge $60 a person one way ($95–$100 round trip) to American Point, Hook Island or Saganaga Falls, and $65 to Red Rock Portage. Hungry Jack charges $100 round trip to Quetico.
Do you need a permit for the Boundary Waters?
Yes. From May 1 to September 30 every overnight group needs a quota permit for its entry point and start date, booked on recreation.gov, with no more than 9 people and 4 watercraft. Outfitters can reserve it for you.
Sources and photo credits
Photos: Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway - Trees and Lakes from Gunflint Lake Overlook - NARA - 7719042, Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway (National Archives), Public domain; Grand Marais Harbor (184318155), Sharon Mollerus, CC BY 2.0; Gunflint Trail, Timber Creek (15622657977), Tony Webster from Portland, Oregon, United States, CC BY 2.0; Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway - Seagull Lake - NARA - 7719062, Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway (National Archives), Public domain.
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