Buzz and I got to visit Ely, MN, ~4 hours north of Twin Cites a couple weeks ago. Ely is home to more than 5000 lakes and the getaway to Boundary Waters Canoe Area. There are also tons of remote hiking trails! If you are like us that love being in the woods and enjoy outdoor activities, this is for you!
Stay
Ely Log Cabin – a sustainable, eco-friendly off grid remote cabin (Instagram @elylogcabin)
Are you looking for a piece of quietness in life? Is your dog not a “dog-dog?” Well – Ely Log Cabin is perfect for you. The cabin is located on a private 40 acre lot with 5 marked trails. It is built with sustainability in mind – solar power panel, propane heat, etc. The cabin sleeps 6 with 2 queen beds and one pull out couch and allows up to 2 pups!
Things we love about Ely Log Cabin
- Extremely Dog Friendly – you can find “dog-friendly” accommodations easily but not every one of them put as much details as Ely Log Cabin. The cabin provides dog water dish, leash hook, doggy paw cleaning station (WITH TREATS) and poop bags
- Large enough space for a big dog crate – I know this sounds easy… but this doesn’t happen often. We loved being able to set up Buzzy’s safe space!
- 5 marked trails – WE LOVED on-property trails. 4 out of the 5 days we were there were raining/snowing, it was so nice to be able to just walk outside to catch a little rain break!
- Cozy environment – from sling chair, fire place, lavender pillow mist… you name it!
- Fast WIFI – let’s be real… we all need WIFI. The wifi at Ely log cabin was very fast – dog dad and I were both able to work from the cabin for a couple days while on zoom calls together
- Closeness to different trails (see below!)
Pet Rules
- No pets on furnitures
- Pet must be crated if left alone in the cabin
- Pet is not allowed in the loft
Hiking
There are tons of hiking trails in Ely – if you are lucky, you might see a bear or wolf 😉 We didn’t get lucky but we saw tons of deers. When it snows, it’s legit a winter wonderland. Below are some hiking trails we went on as well as recommended by others.
When hiking, make sure you have maps with you or use AllTrails especially if you are hiking alone. I couldn’t tell you how many times AllTrails app has saved me.
- Bear Head Lake State Park (15 mins from Ely Log Cabin) – Hiking Club Trail (3.5 miles loop)
The trail brings you to 2 of the lakes at Bear Head Lake State Park (Norberg Lake & Bear Head Lake.) It is a rocky trail so make sure you are wearing comfy shoes for hiking, if it’s right after a snowfall, please make sure to bring snowshoes! Snow + Pines = PARADISE - Lake Vermilion – Soudan Underground Mine State Park (15 mins from Ely Log Cabin) – Hiking Club Trail (2.4 mile loop)
The trail brings you through an old mining building as well as an old growth forest. It is a bit hilly. - Bass Lake – Dry Lake Loop (3 miles loop)
This trail is located in Superior National Forest. The trail is pretty rocky with tons of ups and downs but the view of dry lake was well worth it (pic of Buzz jumping in dry falls above) - Hegman Lake pictographs (2-3 miles roundtrip)
- Kawishiwi Falls (1 mile round trip) – 70 foot waterfall
Other Activities
- Skijoring – if your pup are trained to skijor, you can rent skis at Piragis and get outfitted at Wintergreen Northernwear
- Go ice fishing – you can hire a local guide through Ely Fishing Guide Co or Piragis Northwoods Co.
Food
We actually cooked most of the meals in the cabin. Given it’s winter, all patios are closed so there weren’t dog friendly options that we could go. However, you can always get take out! Some of the local favorites including Insula, Evergreen restaurant and Gators grilled cheese.
Are you convinced to visit Ely yet? Check out my instagram @buzzthemuddypyrador to see more adventures and feel free to reach out if you have any questions! We will be back to Ely in summer so stay tuned for the summer guide!
Enjoy!