In our quest to visit all MN state parks, Bear Head Lake was next on our list. We stuck with the…read moreHiking Club trail or Norberg Trail. It was a three mile loop that took you past a couple of lakes. It involved walking on some uneven ground (roots and stones) but it was relatively flat and very woodsy. We visited in mid July and it was quite buggy so make sure you are covered or sprayed to minimize the bites. Minnesota parks are so beautiful. I get so worries about where I'm stepping, I sometimes forget to look up and all around to enjoy the beauty.

Bear Head Lake is a sleeper of a state park in Minnesota, which is too bad because this park is…read morebeautiful. We stayed on the no-electricity loop, which consisted mostly of tent campers. The facilities were well maintained and the campsites have everything you need to have some quiet, sit around the fire, and eat your camp meals. The park itself offers great trails, will set you up with fishing gear, as well as rent you a canoe or kayak or rowboat for 4 hours or a full day. The new trail center is a beautiful building, and the beach is a wonderful place to have lunch or snooze in the sun. We did the hiking loop that takes you back by the backcountry sites. It was about a 3-4 hour hike and we saw a lot of wildlife and had the trail all to ourselves. Next time we go, we'll be staying at the paddle-in site on that loop. It was the perfect spot. We will be back here again.

Our family of 6 had a lovely vacation on #18 Lake Vermilion Houseboat. It was clean and everything…read morewas in working order. We were given a good complete orientation on how to drive the boat and where and how to moor for the night. We had the boat for 3 nights and stayed in a different spot on beautiful Lake Vermilion each night. We had great weather the first 2 nights and had no issues finding a site to moor. The 3rd day was windy and the water was choppy. Luckily, we had 2 strong teenagers to tie the rope to anchor the boat to shore. We appreciated getting a text from Joy and Kyle about the wind speed and direction that day. They told us a time to get our boat anchored and gave their recommendation on which spot to choose. Overall, positive experience for an adventure we had never done before. Thank you Joy, Kyle and staff!!

This is my favorite vacation. For us it is a week of rest and solitude. We sleep, hammock, read,…read morehot tub, explore our campsites, play games, swim, and make ourselves really good food. We've had Kyle be our excellent fishing guide, bringing back and cleaning a Walleye feast. And, we know that there is still more to explore and do. The Soudan mine. The casino. Hiking trails. More. We will be back again and again. The boats: We've experienced 4 different boats. They're all clean and comfortable. Each has its strengths. They are easier to drive and park than you think. Kyle makes navigating the lake a breeze with good maps and easy to use GPS units. The campsites: Vary pretty wildly. Some are groomed. Others are pretty wild. Some remote. Some very near civilization. Some are rocky. Others are beach. Some are shoreline. Others are island(our favorite!). The people and the service: Kyle and Joy are the best. As mentioned above, we've hired Kyle as a fishing guide twice. One time he had to coordinate another guide and he was awesome. Scheduling responses are fantastic. Service to the boat is timely and efficient. And, emergency response is immediate and thorough (a very long story I'll tell you over a beer!).

I don't have enough great things to say about Steve and Ginny and the rest of the crew at Spirit of…read morethe Wilderness. We were out on Knife Lake on Tuesday July 14 2026 (the day of the closure and evacuation of the wilderness). I had rented a one way Spot and picked up my permit from Spirit. Unfortunately with the device we had no one could communicate with us, but the crew at Spirit was tracking us and keeping everyone back home aware of our situation. After we got back into Ely, they even offered a bunkhouse for us to stay the night before heading home.

Five stars isn't enough for this crew. We fish with Craig at Lake Vermilion Fishing Guides just…read moreabout every year, and our Boundary Waters trips into Basswood are the ones we talk about all winter. From the first phone call he asks the right questions about what you want out of the day, then builds the whole trip around it. Getting into the BWCA on your own takes real planning, but Craig handles all of it, and once you're out there you've got world-class fishing with almost nobody around. He reads the water, adjusts constantly, and genuinely cares that everyone on board catches fish. He handles the big fish with real care too, quick photos and healthy releases. This is what a professional guide service should be. We're already planning next year's trip.

Best way to describe our experience is this way. Awesome comfortable place to stay...we love the…read morescenery and the resorts rustic flavor....very accommodating and friendly staff . Can't say enough good about them. We loved seeing Willie, their dog. Always looked for Willie when we came to the office and even talked about him on the way home. This is truly a superb Minnesota Resort. A place to enjoy the evenings and mornings sitting in the screened in porch, listening to the waves and the boats going by. A wonderful Minnesota Resort Tradition you won't want to miss. Take our word for it you won't be disappointed. Gary and Deb Korsgaden

This place is great. I've known of this resort since I've been coming up here 30 years. This place…read moreis family owned and now owned by the original owners daughter and son. Not luxury but great for a family used to holiday inn accommodations. They have a fantastic beach, cabins, volleyball court, boats and a store. I think it's well worth the money

a slice of heaven...right here. The Siskiwit River Preserve…read moreis my special place to go. It's just a few minutes out of Cornucopia, Wisconsin. The Siskiwit River cascading waterfalls is something you really don't want to miss. You can walk along side of the river over new boardwalks on the 102 acre preserve, or fish in the kettle hole downstream. Be sure to wear your water shoes because it can get slippery with the moss on the rocks! I have been coming to this special place for years. It was owned by Swenson family and we enjoyed many visits to the cabins along the river (the cabins have been removed to make the parking area). Originally, this was a apple orchard and farm (you can still find the apple trees here today). THIS is how much I love Yelp....I'm divulging the location of this special spot! Enjoy but please conserve this special nature area!

We can't thank Dave enough-caught about 40 fish including 11 different species . We even saw…read moremanatee, dolphins and lots of birds. We appreciate his kindness, sense of humor, and the continued teaching. He cleaned what we could keep and we had a delicious dinner that night. We highly recommend Sunset Glow Guide Service and hope to be back next year.

Wow did I have a blast fishing with Dave at Sunset Glow Guides services! He made a beginner angeler…read morefeel like a professional out on Lake Vermillion. His patience, knowledge, and experience were everything I could have asked for out of our fishing trip. Not to mention the multiple Walleye, Small Mouth Bass, and sunfish we caught, he cleaned, and we got to eat! I highly Reccomend you use his services whether you are a novice like myself learning life long techniques, or an expert looking to reel in fish after fish!! Thanks for the great time Dave!

For those of you old enough to remember, its the land of Sky Blue Water (Hamms Beer) lol and the…read moreland of 10,000 lakes. Located in Itasca Co. Minnesota about 200 miles north of Minneapolis MN. North Star is surrounded by state (Bowstring) and National (Chippewa) Forests. Its approximately 832 acres in size. It deepest part is 90 feet with about a 30 foot average. It has about a half dozen family and fishing resorts with scattered private homes. When fishing, anglers can expect to catch a variety of fish including Bluegill, Brown Bullhead, Largemouth Bass, Muskie, Northern Pike, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Bullhead, Yellow Perch, Pumpkinseed. You can expect to see a variety of wildlife in and around the lake. From Loons, Eagles, Heron, Hawks and hummingbirds all the way up to deer, caribou, black bear and even an occasional moose and even timberwolf. Some spectacular sunrises and sunsets are often the normal. And I've even seen the Northern Lights a couple times. They call this area "The Edge of the Wilderness" and they're right. No traffic, no hustle and bustle just a great place to unwind, relax and enjoy the peace and quite of your surroundings. Even if the fishing is not as good as you like, I guarantee you will come back relaxed and rejuvenated.

We did three days of fishing with Dominic and had a great time! He is personable, works well with…read morepeople of all abilities and got us on fish all three days despite changing weather conditions. I have worked with a lot of fishing guides and it's clear that Dominic is passionate about his profession!

I grew up in the Falls and thought I knew a lot about the lake. Boy was I wrong!! When visiting…read morefamily came to town we decided to book a tour with Voyageurs Outfitters. We took an amazing tour with Merritt, who shared so much history of the lake - I wish I would have even taken notes! We hiked through Voyageurs National Park - trail views were spectacular, saw many hidden gems, and stopped at the historic Kettle Falls. Highly recommend this guided boat tour for all - even if you have been on Rainy many times!

We did a full day tour in a small boat with six total customers. Our guide was Brent and he was…read moreextremely knowledgeable since he's grown up in the area and had all kinds of wonderfully crazy stories about his life here in Minnesota. The personal experience was exceptional. The small group made it an extremely personal and wonderful experience. It was a glorious day that we will never forget!