Clearwater Historic Lodge and Canoe Outfitters

Clearwater Historic Lodge is a lovely, historic log lodge on the Gunflint Trail in Grand Marais, MN. It is located on Clearwater Lake, frequently mentioned as one of the MN lakes with highest water clarity. I recently visited with an old friend and we stayed in the larger suite in the lodge. It was perfect for our needs with a living room, bathroom and two bedrooms. Clean, comfortable beds and delicious breakfast comes with rooming in the lodge. We both needed a rest and although many activities are available - hiking, canoeing, swimming.. it was Sept with an early chill and some rain. The main lobby with a big fire and the big porch overlooking the lake with rocking chairs were perfect places to meet others or to catch up on our lives and reading. That and various spots of interest on the trail made for a lovely and restful visit. This ws my 3rd visit to Clearwater Lodge and I look forward to returning.

/Kerry was great to work with in helping us decide what trip/route to take into the BWCA (lakes, portages, campsites). We stayed our first night upon arrival in the bunkhouse (we had our own bathroom, not the communal one for the others). The bunkhouse is a bunkhouse, not a hotel room -- a great start to our trip -- comfortable enough: it had bunk beds and was clean. We had a couple of beers and a pizza at Hungry Jack's, down the road. Great early breakfast the next morning before Kerry drove us out to the East Bearskin campground/boat launch for our drop off and start to our trip. (We returned four days later, a phone call from the very nearby Bearskin Lodge had Colin there to pick up us at the boat launch not fifteen minutes later. What more could you ask for?) We stayed in cabin 10 (all cabins are dog-friendly, except for "Patrick's cabin," which had a great view of Clearwater Lake. The lake's water is, indeed, VERY clear for a very long ways down. Full kitchen, comfortable accomodations in the living area, comfortable bed, nice wrap-around deck and firepit down by the water and small private dock. We rent a canoe for a day, paddled it over the two or three minutes from the lodge to our little dock, and off we we went to see the Pallisades -- a must-see where you can climp up to the top of these sheer cliffs to look both to your right and left to see a great length of the lake. The lodge itself is very rustic (just the way we like it), with a huge granite fireplace. Having breakfast that first morning, it was a little chilly (we were there the third week of September), and the staff ahd the fire going. Very coze and comforting. Before you go, read up on the history of the lodge, its founding family, and the Gunflint Trail itself. You'll appreicate your entire trip and stay and Clearwater Lodge all the more. Highly recommend. The statff were ALL very nice, with wonderful service.

An old HS friend from the east coast joined me for R&R at Clearwater Lodge. It was a perfect spot for that - we had a suite in the lodge that included two separate bedrooms and came with a delicious breakfast. The beds were very comfortable, the porch overlooking the lake with rocking chairs a perfect spot for reading (they even have a stack of lap throws if there is a September chill in the evening. The lodge is a genuine log lodge, the first that was built on the trail and the fire roaring in the fireplace a tribute to all who have cared for it these past hundred years (there was an evening chill!). The food is very good with a set breakfast and one can order one of the pies or scones which are made in house from Petra Boostrom's original recipes that have been lovingly handed down. In fact one should order a pie! The staff are caring and I look forward to a return.

This is a fabulous outfitter. The prices are fair in the service is excellent. Everything was easy to find even though I showed up after hours everything was clean everything is old and rustic, but that’s part of its charm. If anyone is going into the Boundary Waters in this area, I would highly recommend them. They have all the equipment and resources you need and they are very helpful and explaining to you possible route and trip options. I got to meet the owner while I was watching the northern lights and he was a very humble and friendly host.

We stayed at the historic lodge. I wasn't sure what to expect; it was terrific. Our rooms were comfortable and welcoming; the breakfast was phenomenal. The hospitality and atmosphere were so welcoming, cheerful, and relaxing. The view of the lake and palisades was lovely from the porch. The porch was really inviting and comfortable.||I was impressed by how much I enjoyed the history of the lodge. It truly is historic and gave me a sense of wonder for the people who build this beautiful lodge so long ago by hand.||We also rented a canoe for a day trip, and had great support getting all that we needed for a great trip.

We just wrapped a 4 day, 3 night, Boundary Waters Canoe trip. They provided us with canoes, a bunkhouse for the night before we started, and showers for the day we came out. The breakfast was delicious. We had a group of 8, and the bunkhouse was perfect for that size. Would definitely go here again.

Our second time to Clearwater Lodge staying in a cabin... this is our way as parents to give our kids Boundary Waters level adventure while being able to sleep in a real bed, eat real food, and not have to carry anything but daypacks with us during the days. Also! We are absolutely reliant and trusting of the outfitters here who help give us ideas and advice on our excursions. Fun bonus= we purchase their bread (amazing lunch sandwiches), their pie (best in the midwest, truly) and their snickerdoodles (because our youngest says i can't make them as good as the lodge). Kerry, their outfitting manager, loaned our kids a hammock to match the photos of this cabin's kitchen. And paddleboards during a day we rented the fishing boat. This place could not be easier, their staff (especially Ben for the second yr in a row) so accomodating.||This will become a regular place to visit. And we don't typically go back to anywhere multiple times.

This place is exactly what you’re looking for. Remote and on a beautiful lake. Plenty of hiking, canoeing, fishing, and access to the famous Boundary Waters Wilderness area. Cabins are comfortable and clean. Anne was more than helpful giving recommendations and details before we arrived. Cary set up a camping trip with my dad and sons. Nothing but good to say and we WILL be back!

Fantastic hotel with cabins on the Clearwater lake. All cabins have their own dock, which is amazing. They are all fully furnished and full of great kitchenware. Their outfitting possibilities are endless. The staff is absolutely amazing as well. They bake fresh pies, cookies and breads daily (like the founders used to do in the 1920's!). Highly recommend this amazing place for your Northern MN vacation!

Beautiful area. The staff are the best I have ever met. They are super helpful and so laid back. Anything we needed they just jump up and help you with it. I cannot day enough good things about the staff. Our cabin was beautiful. We loved our stay there. It would have been nice to have air conditioning for sleeping. It was only 65 degrees outside but 78 in the cabin. We did have a mouse in our cabin so just make sure you have your food in some type of bin. Even with those issues it was still a great place. I hope we can go back some day.

We stayed a week in September of 2021 and had a wonderful time. The resort is secluded enough, and small enough to offer peace and quiet without feeling like you're in a big corporate type resort with tons of people all around. The lake is beautiful and we had a great view from our cabin. We had a couple of breakfasts at the awesome log lodge that were fantastic. Laura and her staff were all so welcoming and a joy to interact with. We look forward to returning to Clearwater again in the future, we have such wonderful memories. Thank you Clearwater.

Most amazing place to get married! I cannot say enough wonderful things about Clearwater Historic Lodge. The staff is incredibly helpful and made our wedding there an amazing experience. All of our guests commented on how beautiful and joyful our event was. I cannot overstate how the staff made our experience over the top. I was the most joyful bride. They worked with us to execute our vision for the event and took care to ensure that our guests and families were taken care of and attended to. The rustic setting of the lodge, cabins and surrounding area took what is usually an incredibly stressful event in life and made it one of the most relaxed, joyful and beautiful experiences of my life. We had a bonfire after our dinner/dance and it was the most relaxing part of the evening. We were really lucky to be able to host our wedding at Clearwater Historic Lodge and will be returning on a yearly basis. This is such a special place that you really need to experience to believe.

The best pie that I ever put in my mouth! Would definitely recommend. The drive to the lodge is about 5 miles off of the gunflint trail, but it's a beautiful drive into the forest. The lodge itself is on the Historical Ledger. Very interesting. The staff there is super nice.

Clearwater Lodge was an absolutely beautiful place to stay. We stayed in Suite A in the main lodge for two nights and enjoyed it very much. The lodge was built in 1926 with hand hewn logs (held together by pegs, not nails) and is on the national historic register. The area is very serene with a great view of Clearwater Lake ( which is very clear) . Fishing was fun (Bass and Lake trout) and the boat and motor we rented was reasonable and well maintained. The manager, Eric, was always available for whatever we needed and very pleasant. The morning breakfast (associated with the B&B) was fantastic. The woman who makes and bakes everything is the granddaughter of the man who built the lodge in 26. If she is making buttermilk pancakes, don't miss it. The recipe is nearly 100 years old and were absolutely the best pancakes I have ever tasted! The cabins all appeared very rustic and well maintained. Definitely easy to recommend Clearwater Lake Lodge!