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ELY, MINNESOTA

Canoeing and Hiking in Minnesota's Boundary Waters

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 MN

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 Water Sports

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 $700 - $1000

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Program #4852RJ

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7 Days | 6 Nights
ACTIVITY LEVEL: Moderately Challenging
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Love to learn in a small-group setting? This collection of programs has at most 10-24 participants.
See our Small Group programs.
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EasyFor people looking to exercise their minds more than their bodies. There’s minimal walking and not too many stairs.
ModerateThese programs get you on your feet and include activities such as walking up to a mile in a day through a city and standing in a museum for a few hours.
ActiveFor people who enjoy walking as much as two miles a day, perhaps to explore historic neighborhoods or a nature trail.
Moderately ChallengingFor hardy explorers who enjoy a good physical challenge, spending most of their days on the go.
ChallengingGet ready to keep up with our highest-energy group. These demanding — and rewarding — programs are for seasoned outdoor enthusiasts.

Program Details > Daily Schedule

Itinerary for Aug 4 — Aug 10, 2013

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Type: Cabin

 Description: This facility was formerly a family-run resort. Located on US Forest Service land, it now accommodates participants enrolled in educational programs.

Contact info:
3255 Fernberg Trail
Ely, MN 55731 USA
phone: 218-365-4613
web: www.elyoutdoorlearningcenter.com/

Room amenities: The small cabins and apartment are furnished simply. Each has a living room, a kitchenette (stove/oven, sink, refrigerator, but no dishes), a bathroom (sink, toilet, shower) and one to three single or double occupancy bedrooms. The apartment has a tub.

Facility amenities: Quaint cabins are within 100 feet of the lake. Site features short walking trail, canoes, and a beach.

Smoking policy: No
Smoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Bathroom: In six of the cabins, the bathroom in each cabin is shared by up to two participants, while in the the other two cabins and the apartment, it may be shared by up to three participants. One bathroom features a bathtub, while the other eight have a shower.

Additional nights before: Approximately $45 per person.
Please call 218-235-2164 to make arrangements and find out current price.

Check in time: 3:30 PM

Day One: Sunday, August 04 - Arrival / Orientation 
Afternoon: Plan to arrive to the Outdoor Learning Center between 3:30 PM and 5:00 PM.

Dinner: Enjoy a hearty dinner.

Evening: Welcome and orientation with introductions is held in the classroom. Meet your instructors, review the schedule for the week, and spend some time getting to know your fellow participants.

Lodging: Outdoor Learning Center

Meals Included: Dinner
Close [ x ]
Type: Cabin

 Description: This facility was formerly a family-run resort. Located on US Forest Service land, it now accommodates participants enrolled in educational programs.

Contact info:
3255 Fernberg Trail
Ely, MN 55731 USA
phone: 218-365-4613
web: www.elyoutdoorlearningcenter.com/

Room amenities: The small cabins and apartment are furnished simply. Each has a living room, a kitchenette (stove/oven, sink, refrigerator, but no dishes), a bathroom (sink, toilet, shower) and one to three single or double occupancy bedrooms. The apartment has a tub.

Facility amenities: Quaint cabins are within 100 feet of the lake. Site features short walking trail, canoes, and a beach.

Smoking policy: No
Smoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Bathroom: In six of the cabins, the bathroom in each cabin is shared by up to two participants, while in the the other two cabins and the apartment, it may be shared by up to three participants. One bathroom features a bathtub, while the other eight have a shower.

Additional nights before: Approximately $45 per person.
Please call 218-235-2164 to make arrangements and find out current price.

Check in time: 3:30 PM

Day Two: Monday, August 05 - Basic Canoeing Techniques / Tree Identification / Evening Presentation 
Breakfast: Enjoy a nourishing breakfast.

Morning: On the ground, learn or review basic canoeing techniques, including points of safety. Once comfortable with the basics, head out onto Fall Lake, putting your skills to work. Small group size allows instructors ample time to help participants one-on-one.

Lunch: Enjoy a lunch and comparing notes with your fellow learners.

Afternoon: Learn tree identification, becoming familiar with common northern Minnesota trees. Learn about other indigenous plants. Take a short nature walk in the Superior National Forest, leaving right from our classroom door.

Dinner: Enjoy a hearty dinner.

Evening: Learn about the geology and climate of the area, or another aspect of the natural or regional history of northern Minnesota.

Lodging: Outdoor Learning Center

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Close [ x ]
Type: Cabin

 Description: This facility was formerly a family-run resort. Located on US Forest Service land, it now accommodates participants enrolled in educational programs.

Contact info:
3255 Fernberg Trail
Ely, MN 55731 USA
phone: 218-365-4613
web: www.elyoutdoorlearningcenter.com/

Room amenities: The small cabins and apartment are furnished simply. Each has a living room, a kitchenette (stove/oven, sink, refrigerator, but no dishes), a bathroom (sink, toilet, shower) and one to three single or double occupancy bedrooms. The apartment has a tub.

Facility amenities: Quaint cabins are within 100 feet of the lake. Site features short walking trail, canoes, and a beach.

Smoking policy: No
Smoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Bathroom: In six of the cabins, the bathroom in each cabin is shared by up to two participants, while in the the other two cabins and the apartment, it may be shared by up to three participants. One bathroom features a bathtub, while the other eight have a shower.

Additional nights before: Approximately $45 per person.
Please call 218-235-2164 to make arrangements and find out current price.

Check in time: 3:30 PM

Day Three: Tuesday, August 06 - Hiking Field Trip / Native Plants and Wildflowers / Tuesday Night Live 
Breakfast: Enjoy breakfast.

Morning: Leave for three-quarter day hiking field trip on the Secret-Blackstone Hiking Trail. See an area affected by the tremendous windstorm, which swept through the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area and the Superior National Forest on July 4, 1999. Learn about wilderness camping as you walk through a wilderness lakeside campsite.

Lunch: Enjoy a sack lunch on the trail, possibly at one of several scenic overlooks along the trail.

Afternoon: Continue hiking field trip. Total hike for the day is about five miles, over semi-rugged terrain. A lecture on the plants and wildflowers of northeastern Minnesota follows.

Dinner: Choose a restaurant in Ely to enjoy a dinner on your own.

Evening: It's Tuesday Night Live in Ely! Take in one of several performances by local musicians sharing a variety of musical styles. This is a perfect night for exploring the quaint town of Ely.

Lodging: Outdoor Learning Center

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Close [ x ]
Type: Cabin

 Description: This facility was formerly a family-run resort. Located on US Forest Service land, it now accommodates participants enrolled in educational programs.

Contact info:
3255 Fernberg Trail
Ely, MN 55731 USA
phone: 218-365-4613
web: www.elyoutdoorlearningcenter.com/

Room amenities: The small cabins and apartment are furnished simply. Each has a living room, a kitchenette (stove/oven, sink, refrigerator, but no dishes), a bathroom (sink, toilet, shower) and one to three single or double occupancy bedrooms. The apartment has a tub.

Facility amenities: Quaint cabins are within 100 feet of the lake. Site features short walking trail, canoes, and a beach.

Smoking policy: No
Smoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Bathroom: In six of the cabins, the bathroom in each cabin is shared by up to two participants, while in the the other two cabins and the apartment, it may be shared by up to three participants. One bathroom features a bathtub, while the other eight have a shower.

Additional nights before: Approximately $45 per person.
Please call 218-235-2164 to make arrangements and find out current price.

Check in time: 3:30 PM

Day Four: Wednesday, August 07 - Canoeing Field Trip / Wolf Ecology 
Breakfast: Enjoy breakfast.

Morning: Leave for three-quarter day canoeing field trip in the Superior National Forest, or in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Destination will be selected with input from the group and direction from the instructors.

Lunch: Beach the canoes and eat a lakeside picnic lunch.

Afternoon: Continue canoeing field trip, enjoying more north woods scenery.

Dinner: Enjoy a hearty dinner.

Evening: Study wolf ecology with someone from the International Wolf Center. Learn about prey, habits, habitats, and eating behavior.

Lodging: Outdoor Learning Center

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Close [ x ]
Type: Cabin

 Description: This facility was formerly a family-run resort. Located on US Forest Service land, it now accommodates participants enrolled in educational programs.

Contact info:
3255 Fernberg Trail
Ely, MN 55731 USA
phone: 218-365-4613
web: www.elyoutdoorlearningcenter.com/

Room amenities: The small cabins and apartment are furnished simply. Each has a living room, a kitchenette (stove/oven, sink, refrigerator, but no dishes), a bathroom (sink, toilet, shower) and one to three single or double occupancy bedrooms. The apartment has a tub.

Facility amenities: Quaint cabins are within 100 feet of the lake. Site features short walking trail, canoes, and a beach.

Smoking policy: No
Smoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Bathroom: In six of the cabins, the bathroom in each cabin is shared by up to two participants, while in the the other two cabins and the apartment, it may be shared by up to three participants. One bathroom features a bathtub, while the other eight have a shower.

Additional nights before: Approximately $45 per person.
Please call 218-235-2164 to make arrangements and find out current price.

Check in time: 3:30 PM

Day Five: Thursday, August 08 - Hiking Field Trip / Minnesota Animals / Evening Paddle 
Breakfast: Enjoy breakfast.

Morning: Leave for three-quarter day hiking field trip on the Bass Lake Hiking Trail. Enjoy the variations in scenery and habitat, as you hike this five mile trail which covers some topography that was at one point in time a lake bottom.

Lunch: Eat a picnic lunch in the field. The lunch spot selected may be one of several scenic overlooks, or the rocky ledge by Dry Falls, a not so dry waterfall.

Afternoon: Continue hiking field trip. The terrain of this hiking trail is semi-rugged (a bit more so than the previous hike) and it is helpful to most people to use a walking stick. The afternoon also includes a lecture on wolf prey and other Minnesota animals.

Dinner: Enjoy a hearty dinner.

Evening: Enjoy an evening paddle, possibly in the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area, accessed through Fall Lake.

Lodging: Outdoor Learning Center

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Close [ x ]
Type: Cabin

 Description: This facility was formerly a family-run resort. Located on US Forest Service land, it now accommodates participants enrolled in educational programs.

Contact info:
3255 Fernberg Trail
Ely, MN 55731 USA
phone: 218-365-4613
web: www.elyoutdoorlearningcenter.com/

Room amenities: The small cabins and apartment are furnished simply. Each has a living room, a kitchenette (stove/oven, sink, refrigerator, but no dishes), a bathroom (sink, toilet, shower) and one to three single or double occupancy bedrooms. The apartment has a tub.

Facility amenities: Quaint cabins are within 100 feet of the lake. Site features short walking trail, canoes, and a beach.

Smoking policy: No
Smoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Bathroom: In six of the cabins, the bathroom in each cabin is shared by up to two participants, while in the the other two cabins and the apartment, it may be shared by up to three participants. One bathroom features a bathtub, while the other eight have a shower.

Additional nights before: Approximately $45 per person.
Please call 218-235-2164 to make arrangements and find out current price.

Check in time: 3:30 PM

Day Six: Friday, August 09 - Canoeing Field Trip / Free Time / Closing Ceremony 
Breakfast: Enjoy your breakfast.

Morning: Leave for three-quarter day canoeing field trip in the Superior National Forest. Selection of actual destination varies, depending upon input of each program week's group. A popular destination is the Dead River, connecting Burntside Lake and Twin Lakes.

Lunch: Beach the canoes and enjoy a lakeside sack lunch.

Afternoon: Continue canoeing field trip. Upon return to the center, have some time to explore Ely on your own before dinner.

Dinner: Enjoy a hearty dinner.

Evening: Participate in the closing ceremonies around a lakeside campfire. Review what you have learned during the week, share stories, and enjoy the camaraderie with other participants and your instructors on this last night before departure.

Lodging: Outdoor Learning Center

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day Seven: Saturday, August 10 - Departure 
Breakfast: Eat a continental breakfast.

Morning: Be checked out of your cabin by 9:00 AM.

Meals Included: Breakfast


Free Time Opportunities


Ely, MN
Bois Forte Heritage Center and Cultural Museum Dedicated to telling the Bois Forte Ojibwe story, this award-winning museum depicts the history of these people through interpretive displays and artifacts. Learn about Ojibwe spirituality, ricing, bead work, and basketry.
For additional information, visit: 216.185.198.110/divisions/heritage_center.htm
Dorothy Molter MuseumThe Dorothy Molter Museum is a memorial to the legendary last resident of the BWCAW. Known as “the Root Beer Lady”, Dorothy died in 1986 after living most of her 79 years on Knife Lake. Canoeists often stopped at Molter's home to enjoy her famous homemade root beer.
For additional information, visit: www.canoecountry.com/dorothy
Ely-Winton History MuseumLocated on Ely's Vermilion Community College campus, this center shows the local history of the area’s logging and mining through artifacts, photographs and displays. For more information, call 218-365-3226.
International Wolf CenterThe International Wolf Center advances the survival of wolf populations by teaching about wolves, their relationship to wild lands and the human role in their future. In addition to the award-winning exhibit, there are interpretive programs, two packs of live wolves, and an interactive children’s exhibit.
For additional information, visit: www.wolf.org
Mesabi TrailLocated in northern Minnesota between the cities of Ely and Grand Rapids, the Mesabi Trail is a premier Minnesota bike trail winding through some of the state's prettiest regions. One of the longest paved trails in the United States, the trail passes through the communities of Nashwauk, Keewatin, Hibbing, Chisholm, Mountain Iron and Virginia.
For additional information, visit: www.mesabitrail.com
More about ElyAs a gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Ely is an ideal location for canoeing, hiking, mountain biking, and fishing. In addition to the multitude of outdoor opportunities, this quaint town also has many small gift shops and art galleries, particularly in photography. Visitors enjoy many activities year-round, including several annual festivals.
For additional information, visit: www.ely.org
More about Northeastern MinnesotaThe Iron Range is a region that is as scenic as it is historically significant. Visitors can enjoy colorful stories about the immigrants who mined and shaped the land. Explore a museum or discovery center, take a tour or participate in a festival. This region has a rich history, and numerous opportunities exist to learn more about it.
For additional information, visit: www.ironrange.org
North American Bear CenterSee live bears and explore interpretive exhibits at the North American Bear Center, the focus of which is to improve the understanding and appreciation of the North American Bear, their role in the ecosystem, and their relation to humans through education, research, and rehabilitation.
For additional information, visit: www.bear.org
Sisu Heritage Homestead ToursA 15-mile, three-hour guided circle tour in rural Embarrass will give you a glimpse of the how Finnish pioneers lived in northeastern Minnesota in the early 20th century. You’ll view handcrafted log farm structures that are examples of the distinctive construction techniques practiced for centuries in Finland and brought to this country by Finnish immigrants. Call for more information (218-984-2084).
Soudan Underground MineThis Minnesota State Park features Minnesota’s first and deepest underground iron mine. Guided tours take you 2,400 feet down and more than 100 years into the past to experience the working conditions of early iron ore miners.
For additional information, visit: www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/soudan_underground_mine/index.html
Trezona TrailCircling Miners Lake, this trail meanders through mining sites and a variety of habitats. Tucked around the edge of Miners Lake, it’s hard to believe that you are within the city limits of Ely on this four mile walking and biking trail. The surface is mostly paved.
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Important information about your itinerary:
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date.
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•6 nights of accommodations
•16 meals: 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners
•5 Expert-led lectures
•7 Hands-on experiences
•1 Performances
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