We will be heading to the BWCA in early June. We are coupling this with several days in Voyageurs. Rather than camp, we are looking for cabins or lodges that can serve as a base for day trips. We are flying from out of town and will have to rent gear or use what is available at the cabin.

Since we are starting at Voyageurs, we need something that is on the Western edge of the BWCA and something in the ballpark of <5 hours back to downtown MSP.

What location do you recommend?

We are amateurs and will be travelling with pre-teen aged kids.

If you’re planning trips in both the National park and the BWCAW, one of the many places on Crane Lake make the most sense. Google Crane Lake lodging and choose to your liking. I have no experience with any of them, so that's all I can suggest.

Check out Anderson's Canoe Outfitters in Crane Lake...

I don't know what your budget is like, but you might consider renting a houseboat on Rainy Lake, Voyageurs, or Vermillion. Voyageurs, which is much like the boundary waters, except motors are allowed, has many designated campsites for Houseboats. They have docks to moor your boat. Some of the House boats come with a smaller boat to go fishing. Some have water slides etc. But you might spend $3,000 for a week. But it's like a lodge on water.

I don't get over on the west side of ely much. I'd probably dig through VRBO and see what's there for lodging with canoe or boat use.

If you were going on the eastern side, something like the Rockwood lodge would be ideal. They have cabins right on the waters edge, on an entry point to the bwca, and have canoes you can rent. I'm sure there's stuff like that on the western side, I'm just not familiar with it.

So I take it you're renting a car from the MSP airport?

Again, i don't know what your budget is, but perhaps something like this:

VRBO

Looks like they have a boat you can rent, or its close to Ely, so you could set up day trips through wilderness outfitters, or voyageurs north or something. IT says BWCA accessible by water.

Something like this, for $170 a night, comes with 2 aluminum canoes and a kayak...



another VRBO

I see a few nice places on VRBO for $150 a night.

Fenske Lake Resort Cabins/ Echo Trail Outfitters is about 4 1/2 hours from the Minneapolis Airport. There are a number of day trips near there and one right from their location that is not in the BWCA, but is in the Superior National Forest and a BWCA-like experience. The cabins are very nice and do book up early.
Here is a link:
Fenske Lake Cabins & Echo Trail Outfitters

QuietWaters: "Fenske Lake Resort Cabins/ Echo Trail Outfitters is about 4 1/2 hours from the Minneapolis Airport. There are a number of day trips near there and one right from their location that is not in the BWCA, but is in the Superior National Forest and a BWCA-like experience. The cabins are very nice and do book up early.
Here is a link:
Fenske Lake Cabins & Echo Trail Outfitters


"

Any resort on the echo trail would be fine, also don’t count out vermillion or other big lakes outside of the bwca. The lakes in Voyager NP are large and can be dangerous in a canoe, crane lake Gets heavy motor traffic that funnels into a narrows on the north end, horrible place to canoe

The thread was quiet for a few days and I didn't have time to chime in last week when folks started to respond. We checked out Fenske, but their availability did not match our window so we settled on Moose Track Adventures. I think we are near entry point 31, so hoping we chose wisely! I am sure it will be perfect.

I think that's a good choice. A couple of BWCA daytrip options right from their dock, or you can rent one of their fishing boats and stay on the 4-lake White Iron chain that they're located on. There are a lot of other day trip options if you want to transport a canoe to other entry points.

JD