Looking for canoe rental and bunkroom on each end of trip in the Ely area. Thinking of using Canadian Waters in downtown Ely. Anyone have experience with them or pictures,info about them? This trip is for two people.

My first choice is Voyageur North - love their bunk house arrangements, Spirit of the Wilderness or Piragis.

I've used Canoe Country Outfitters for 15-16 years and probably will never change. A number of lodging opportunities, and easy walking to stores and restaurants. Great people.

I have used Ely Outfitting Company & Boundary Waters Guide Service for a number of years - center of town - they have a bunkhouse and are great at what they do!

Jason Zabokrtsy
Founder and Guide
Ely Outfitting Company & Boundary Waters Guide Service
www.ElyOutfittingCompany.com

Plenty of options as you're seeing. I've used Voyageur North and Canadian Waters previously. If you just need canoe rental and place to stay, canoes are all similar so it's down to the housing. VNO gets the nod here.

Williams and Hall. They are not located in Ely, but rather on Moose Lake, and they are simply the best at what they do.

Good info - thanks. Piragis - nice place, lots of canoes, no bunkhouse. In the past I have always used a MN2. I want to try a Northwind 18. CCO and Ely Outfitting have the wrong canoe. Moose Lake is too far out of town. Voyageur North sounds like a good place, but too far to walk downtown. Canadian Waters have a lot of what I am looking for, downtown, bunkhouse, breakfast, correct canoe, BUT I am not hearing much about them. Thanks for your help. Bruce

brucew: "Good info - thanks. Piragis - nice place, lots of canoes, no bunkhouse. In the past I have always used a MN2. I want to try a Northwind 18. CCO and Ely Outfitting have the wrong canoe. Moose Lake is too far out of town. Voyageur North sounds like a good place, but too far to walk downtown. Canadian Waters have a lot of what I am looking for, downtown, bunkhouse, breakfast, correct canoe, BUT I am not hearing much about them. Thanks for your help. Bruce"

When we stayed there the night before an early morning departure, it's bare bones. No heat, bunk beds, bathroom and shower were across parking lot which wasn't ideal when the low that night was 21. Summer might have given me a different impression.

brucew: "Good info - thanks. Piragis - nice place, lots of canoes, no bunkhouse. In the past I have always used a MN2. I want to try a Northwind 18. CCO and Ely Outfitting have the wrong canoe. Moose Lake is too far out of town. Voyageur North sounds like a good place, but too far to walk downtown. Canadian Waters have a lot of what I am looking for, downtown, bunkhouse, breakfast, correct canoe, BUT I am not hearing much about them. Thanks for your help. Bruce"

In my experience you can stay one place and rent a canoe from another. I'm sure you could rent from Piragis and stay at CCO for instance.

brucew: "Good info - thanks. Piragis - nice place, lots of canoes, no bunkhouse. In the past I have always used a MN2. I want to try a Northwind 18. CCO and Ely Outfitting have the wrong canoe. Moose Lake is too far out of town. Voyageur North sounds like a good place, but too far to walk downtown. Canadian Waters have a lot of what I am looking for, downtown, bunkhouse, breakfast, correct canoe, BUT I am not hearing much about them. Thanks for your help. Bruce"

Before I bought my Northwind 18 I wanted to do rent one, and I rented from Piragis - at least at the end of June, they rented me one that was basically new, hardly used, with paddles that also looked practically new. If you're looking at trying out a specific boat it may be worth renting it from Piragis for this reason, since they sell their whole rental fleet every year. We spent the night before at Adventure Inn, which for two people isn't much more than a bunkhouse and a heck of a lot more comfortable, but I do also know that Voyageur North is great about renting their bunkhouse even if you aren't renting gear there.

My groups have been using Voyageur North for years. I looked at a bunch of different outfitters for my first trip as a leader. Lynn and John have both been very helpful and friendly from the beginning. They have a variety of canoe choices, and quality rental gear. The bunkhouses are clean, with plenty of room, and everything came at a good price.

+ 1 for VNO, simple bunkhouse option, clean rooms

We used Canadian Waters for our first trip. Everything went fine. The bunkhouse was basic but served the purpose for a large group. Received very useful information from Dan.
Side note: we did swap out a couple canoes which were loaded on a trailer for us with better shaped canoes from their stock.
FOFO

VNO is top notch.

billconner: "

brucew: "Good info - thanks. Piragis - nice place, lots of canoes, no bunkhouse. In the past I have always used a MN2. I want to try a Northwind 18. CCO and Ely Outfitting have the wrong canoe. Moose Lake is too far out of town. Voyageur North sounds like a good place, but too far to walk downtown. Canadian Waters have a lot of what I am looking for, downtown, bunkhouse, breakfast, correct canoe, BUT I am not hearing much about them. Thanks for your help. Bruce"

In my experience you can stay one place and rent a canoe from another. I'm sure you could rent from Piragis and stay at CCO for instance."

+1. I've done this for going in on Moose with a tow up to PP.

Another vote for VNO, but I've heard good things about many of them. I don't know if you can go wrong.

I have been to the Boundary Waters three times and each time, we used the bunk house and rented from Canadian Waters. Overall, I have good things to say. The night before a trip, I am so uptight and excited, I don't sleep much anyway. The rooms are very basic, but they had space heaters when I was there. You do have to walk across the small parking lot to the showers, but they were provided before and after the trip. Lots of hot water.

Breakfast was also included. Each time, it has been at a different restaurant, but always good food and more than we could eat.

Another plus is across the street is the local brewery. Good food and good beer the night before you leave.

I will say your stay at the bunkhouse will be dependent on the other residents. Very thin walls. The first time we went, our next door neighbor was going out solo. We found out why. He snored loud enough to rattle anything not tied down.

It has been my experience that you will get your own room. They do not mix groups.

I have never used the bunkhouse at the end. I have only showered and hit the road.

thanks for everybody'help. have my reservations at VNO. EP 14 second week July
Thanks Bruce

I have gone with Packsack Canoe trips in Winton. Just about 6 miles from Ely. And its right on Fall Lake. The folks there are super nice. Any questions holler at me.

Dodger.

I dont think you can really go wrong with any outfitter.

That said, +1 for VNO.