This trip is planned in partnership with Iconic Adventures, whose trip leaders will be joining you alongside Earthjustice and local experts.

(Jeff Anderson)

Canoeing in the Boundary Waters.

Fly into Duluth International Airport (DLH) where your Iconic Trip Leader will meet you at baggage claim. You will be transferred by private shuttle to Grand Ely Lodge, our base for three nights. Relax and unpack before meeting the group for a welcome reception. We’ll receive an overview of the local wilderness area and go through a round of introductions including our Earthjustice hosts and fellow travelers. Dinner in downtown Ely will follow.

Following breakfast at the hotel, we’ll drive to Birch Lake to meet with Earthjustice community partners and board pontoon boats for a few hours on the water. While on the lake, we’ll learn about the ongoing litigation to defend the Boundary Waters from the nearby Twin Metals Mine. We’ll explore the lake to find refreshing swimming coves and enjoy lunch, returning to the dock in the early afternoon.

After recharging at Grand Ely Lodge, we’ll have the unique opportunity to meet with a local, long-standing small business, Wintergreen Northern Wear. In 1983, Paul Schurke and his teammates reached the North Pole on an unsupported dogsled expedition with his wife, Susan Shurke, sewing all of their clothing. Wintergreen Northern Wear was officially founded in 1987 and continues to thrive in Ely today, creating many jobs for local residents that depend upon the health of the Boundary Waters.

Following breakfast at the hotel, we’ll drive to the International Wolf Center and learn about the local wolf population and other wildlife inhabiting the Boundary Waters that depend on its clean water. Afterwards, we’ll enjoy a picnic lunch at a trailhead and then hike to Kawishiwi Falls, an easy 1.2 miles round trip through beautiful forest.

In the afternoon we’ll return to Grand Ely Lodge where you’ll have a few hours to relax with complimentary access to canoes, kayaks, paddle boats, paddleboards, and hydro bikes.

We’ll reconvene in the evening for a meet n’ greet and Q&A session with our multi-day canoe trip guides. The team from Piragis Northwoods Company will talk about what to pack, walk through the days ahead in the BWCA Wilderness and answer any questions you may have. This evening, we’ll enjoy dinner as a group at Evergreen Restaurant onsite at the lodge.

Following breakfast at the lodge, meet your Piragis guides at the designated starting point for the canoe trip. Over the coming days, you’ll paddle through the stunning Boundary Waters on a fully outfitted canoe trip. You’ll be accompanied by experienced guides and Earthjustice staff who will ensure the trip is adventurous, safe, comfortable, and educational.

A typical day canoeing in the Boundary Waters may include: paddling, viewing wildlife, learning about the delicate ecosystem and it’s flora and fauna, practicing backcountry skills, campfire cookouts, stargazing, howling with the wolves and so much more. It’s truly the experience of a lifetime.

Relish your last breakfast in the wild before packing up camp and paddling to the take out point.

After meeting your Iconic Trip Leader, enjoy a picnic lunch and share Boundary Waters stories and laughs before returning to Grand Ely Lodge for the final evening. You’ll find your luggage in your (new) room and you can take the afternoon to soothe your muscles in the hot tub, enjoy a refreshing shower and rest.

This evening we’ll reflect on a wonderful week in the Boundary Waters and toast to these memories over a group dinner at Evergreen Restaurant at the lodge.

Breakfast will be available at the hotel this morning. After breakfast, airport transfers will be coordinated based on flight times.