Gunflint Lake · Lodge and cabins
Gunflint Lodge
A Northwoods resort since 1925, with cabins, outfitting and dining on Gunflint Lake.
Official details for Gunflint LodgeMinnesota · Couples · Two nights
Gunflint Trail & Gunflint Lake
Fly to the edge of the Boundary Waters.
The Gunflint Trail climbs 57 miles from Grand Marais on Lake Superior into the border lakes, and Gunflint Lodge sits at its heart on Gunflint Lake, with Canada across the water. Floatplanes can land right at the lodge; landplanes use Grand Marais. Stay in a cabin with a fireplace, paddle into the Boundary Waters for a day, visit the Chik-Wauk museum at the end of the trail and look for moose and the Milky Way.
Seaplane lodgeBoundary WatersDark skies
YOUR ROUTEKMYR to CKC
STRAIGHT-LINE DISTANCE~995 NM
ILLUSTRATIVE FLIGHT TIME~6 hr 53 min
WEEKEND STYLETwo nights · Rental car, lodge shuttle or dock
Time illustration: direct distance at 150 KTAS plus 15 minutes for departure and arrival, matching the discovery page. Use ForeFlight for your actual flight plan.
01 / Aviation & getting around
Land at Grand Marais or at the lodge.
CKC, Grand Marais/Cook County, is a non-towered field with a 5,002-foot runway about an hour by road from Gunflint Lake. Floatplanes and amphibians can land at Gunflint Lodge’s own base, M56.
The FBO
Grand Marais/Cook County Airport
218-387-3024Grand Marais/Cook County Airport, Grand Marais, MN
Remote area with few alternates. Confirm fuel and a rental car or lodge shuttle before you go. No live fuel price is shown.
Border-lakes weather: morning fog on the lakes, fast-moving summer storms, wildfire smoke some summers, remote terrain with few alternates, and ice from about mid-November to early May. About 1000 nm from Myrtle Beach: a long cross-country day with two fuel stops. Plan four or more nights, or break the trip with an overnight on the way.
Seaplane access
Gunflint Lodge (M56), public-use seaplane base
218-388-0501Gunflint Lake, MN · 218-388-0501
Water lanes: 08W/26W, 6,000 × 100 ft.
The Canadian border runs down the middle of Gunflint Lake. Stay on the U.S. side unless you have cleared customs. Boundary Waters wilderness airspace and landing rules restrict flights over and onto many nearby lakes; check the chart before you go.
Call the lodge before you land.
Water landing rules, conditions and docking change; call the base and check the chart supplement before you go.
02 / Where to stay
Cabins on the border lakes.
Rates and availability need travel dates. Summer and fall weekends book early.
Gunflint Lake · Cabins
Heston’s Lodge
Family-run cabins on Gunflint Lake.
Official details for Heston’s LodgeBearskin Lake · Cabins
Bearskin Lodge
Lakeside cabins and camping midway up the trail.
Official details for Bearskin Lodge03 / Where to eat
Northwoods dining.
Reserve weekend dinners.
Saturday dinner · Lodge
Justine’s at Gunflint Lodge
Northwoods cooking in the lodge dining room, plus the Northern Lights Lounge.
Official details for Justine’s at Gunflint LodgeLunch · Poplar Lake
Trail Center Lodge
A classic stop midway up the trail.
Official details for Trail Center Lodge04 / Things to do
Paddles, moose and history.
Days are about the water and the woods.
Boundary Waters day trip
Paddle into the wilderness for a day with outfitting from the lodge.
Gunflint LodgeChik-Wauk Museum
Trail history and a nature center in a 1930s lodge at the end of the trail.
Gunflint Trail Historical SocietyMoose and dark skies
Dusk drives for wildlife and nights under one of the world’s largest dark-sky areas.
Gunflint Trail Association05 / What’s happening
Sometimes the season is the reason to fly.
This prototype links to the local visitor site. It does not yet match events to your travel dates.
Late May–mid-October
Chik-Wauk season
The museum and nature center are open.
Chik-Wauk for Chik-Wauk seasonLate September
Fall color
Birch and aspen gold along the trail.
Visit Cook County for Fall colorJune–September
Paddling season
Boundary Waters trips from the lodge.
Gunflint Lodge for Paddling seasonConcerts, festivals & local happenings
Check the local calendar when choosing a weekend, and confirm dates and tickets with the organizer.
06 / Suggested itinerary
Friday in. Sunday home.
A sample Northwoods weekend. This is a long flight; plan four or more nights. No bookings or availability confirmed.
Day trip version
Just for the day
- Arrive
Land at M56 mid-morning (from CKC, the lodge is an hour's drive).
- Midday
Lunch on the patio at Gunflint Lodge.
- Afternoon
A short paddle, then back to the airport.
DAY 1
Arrive
- Arrival
Land at CKC or M56, subject to weather, your fuel stop and your actual flight plan.
- Afternoon
Settle into a cabin on the lake.
- Evening
Dinner at Justine’s.
DAY 2
Explore
- Morning
A Boundary Waters paddle.
- Afternoon
Chik-Wauk at the end of the trail.
- Evening
The Northern Lights Lounge, then stars.
DAY 3
Morning & home
- Morning
A dawn drive for moose.
- Before leaving
Allow time at the base or airport.
- Fly home
Remote terrain and fast storms; leave early.
Longer stay · Add a day
With an extra day
- Morning
A Boundary Waters paddle.
- Afternoon
Chik-Wauk at the end of the trail.
- Evening
Dinner at Justine's.
07 / Good to know
Keep the weekend easy to change.
These details make the difference between an appealing list and a usable getaway.
Book in this order
A cabin first, then a car or the lodge shuttle from CKC.
Very long flight
About 1,000 nm. Plan two fuel stops and four nights, or an overnight on the way.
Water
Stay on the U.S. side of the lake; check wilderness airspace.
Best seasons
June to early October.
Reviewed · Destination 178
Reviewed November 5, 2026.
Picks and links reviewed by WingAway Weekends. Hours, prices, menus and availability change often, so confirm directly with each place before booking. Spotted something out of date, or have a favorite we missed? Email us at [email protected].
WingAway Weekends helps you discover the destination. Use ForeFlight and current official aviation information for route, performance, weather, NOTAMs and preflight decisions. Flight planning and PIC responsibility stay with the pilot.