Originally Posted By RoadTrip We are back from our mini-vacation to Minnesota's Gunflint Trail. I planned our trip after reading/viewing many media stories about the devastating wildfire in that region last May. I know... it is kind of like wanting to look at a train wreck. But I figured this would probably be a once in a lifetime experience for me (Minnesota usually doesn't suffer wildfires of that size). We made reservations at the Gunflint Lodge which is the premier resort in that region. It was an interesting experience to say the least. Our initial surprise came when we checked in. We had reserved a one-bedroom cabin with a fireplace, king-sized bed and a 6-head Jacuzzi shower. Pretty cool, huh? The price was in the Disney Deluxe resort range, which is pretty steep for Northern Minnesota. When we first saw our cabin we loved it, but immediately wondered: 1) Where is the cable TV? 2) Where is the air-conditioning? Well, it seems that on the Gunflint trail they take this wilderness stuff seriously. Why would you let the outside world intrude on a wilderness experience? Although there was no way to received TV from the outside world, they did have an LCD HDTV connected to a DVD player. The Gunflint Lodge folks felt air-conditioning was not necessary because highs there rarely exceed the low 80's. Even when they do, the nighttime temperature drops to the 50's, so sleeping is pretty comfortable. I have to admit they were right. We had ceiling fans in both the living room and bedroom and we were very comfortable, even the day we checked in when it was just over 90 degrees. So what does one do in the Wilderness? Well, most people staying at the Gunflint Lodge fish, hike, ride horses, canoe, etc. All of those activities, including guided hikes etc. are included in the price of lodging. We, well, mainly we slept. We needed a vacation because we were both absolutely exhausted from work and figured a place out in the middle of nowhere like Gunflint would be very peaceful. We were correct. Combine that with THE MOST COMFORTABLE BED we have ever experienced in our lives, and you can see why sleep became a much-anticipated activity. Of course we didn't spend ALL of our time sleeping. Just the hours between midnight and 11:00 AM. We also read Harry Potter, played cribbage, drank wine and had a generally great time. Lest you think we are totally hopeless, we didn't spend ALL of our time in the Cabin. We also drove in to Grand Marais on the shore of Lake Superior (the closest town; a one hour drive away) to shop at all the great touristy stores. On the way back we stopped at an overlook and took what was a quite challenging hike for me with my rather defective lungs. The next day we went on an hour and a half 'snack cruise' on Gunflint Lake offered by the lodge at no extra cost. It was a very good time; we met some great people and the naturalist guiding the cruise was most informative. Of course then we ate. We were on the 'Modified American' plan which meant that our evening meal was included in the cost of our lodging. Justine's, the restaurant in the lodge, is considered without a doubt the best fine-dining restaurant in northern Minnesota and one of the best in the entire state. It was. As unlikely as it would seem, we had some of the best food we've ever eaten in our lives at this lodge out in the boonies (so far out in the boonies that the Canadian border runs through the middle of Gunflint Lake). The first night I had Roast Duck in a wonderful berry glaze. That was served with, yes, Horseradish Purple Peruvian Mashed Potatoes!! They really exist -- Google it - LOL. The potatoes were truly purple, and were served with a lovely purple flower garnish. The salad was not terribly unusual, but the presentation was. The various types of lettuce and spinach leaves were enclosed in a single slice of cucumber sliced the long way and formed into a circle. Around the outside were arranged garbanzo beans, cherry tomatoes, etc. It all was wonderful. The second night I had Roast Boar Loin with Mashed Acorn Squash and Sweet Potato with Green Onion. Yes, Boar Loin. I asked twice to see if it was Pork Loin or Boar Loin. Boar it was. It again was in a wonderful berry sauce which of course I managed to drip all over my shirt. Although I had been somewhat concerned that the Boar might be a bit too gamey; any gaminess was wonderfully offset by the sauce. So we ate very well. In fact so well that after the first two nights we were in something of a fine-dining comma. We decided that for our final night we would eat in their Bistro. Since our dinners were free we were giving away a fair amount of value, but that is what we felt like. Although the fare was much simpler, the quality was just as high as we had experienced at Justine's. Oh... I almost forgot about the wildfires. It is amazing how quickly the land starts to look green again. Yes, there are large areas where all the trees are black, but because of the explosive growth of new ground vegetation it really doesn’t look that bad. The naturalist on our cruise explained that most of what burned was not really old-growth trees anyway, but middle-aged growth. Now that these trees (which for the most part were not the most desirable species) were out of the way, long dormant seeds from the old growth trees would now be able to grow. The Circle of Life and all that stuff! It was truly a wonderful and unique vacation. Not something I would do every year, but something I am enormously glad to have done.
Originally Posted By Mary Poppins RoadTrip, What an interesting report. I especially like your food reviews but you also describe your lodgings well. I'm glad that this resort was just right for your vacation this year!
Originally Posted By smedley Sounds like a great time was had. Sometimes it's good to just to chill out and do not very much
