Deep within the Superior National Forest, the Gunflint Lodge continues to serve as a gateway to the wilderness, celebrating 100 years of operation this year. Located along the Gunflint Trail, a route that winds through boreal forests and past glacial lakes, the property sits at the end of a long journey from the city. Travelers reach the site by heading north to Grand Marais before climbing into the rugged Arrowhead region, eventually turning onto a gravel road at mile 43 to find the lodge nestled on the shores of Gunflint Lake, which marks the international border with Canada. You abruptly make a jagged, thousand-foot ascent, at Grand Marais. Looking wholly undiscovered but close enough to touch: Canada, one mile across the pristine lake. My family of three descended an outdoor staircase to Cabin 19, a green-painted A-frame bunker built into the lakeside slope, after checking in at the lodge. Inside, the cabin doesn’t take me back to the 1920s so much as the low-frills Minnesota lake resorts of the 80s: wood-panelled everything, mismatched furniture, and everything my extended family would have needed for day. In 1925, Gunflint Lodge sat at what was then the very end of the road. Boating, or stay back at the beach and playground with the kids, you could go hiking. The Spunners relocated permanently from Chicago to Gunflint, as the Depression settled in. You might find tables and chairs fashioned from logs and branches by Justine herself, in any given cabin.
The outpost was established in 1925 by Dora and Russell Blankenburg, two Chicago natives who envisioned a rustic escape for fishing and hunting.
At the time, the site marked the end of the road, which began as an Ojibwe footpath and later served as a mining thoroughfare. The Blankenburgs operated the lodge for only two years before selling it to their friend, Mae Spunner. She moved to the property in 1929 with her daughter, Justine, who later married a guest named Bill Kerfoot in 1934. After a major fire leveled the main building in 1953, Justine oversaw the construction of a new headquarters that remains the heart of the resort today, housing the reception, a gift shop, and Justine’s Restaurant. Where two Adirondack chairs sit on a wooden platform and the midsummer sun was just thinking about setting over two countries, there’s a short footpath to the lakeshore. An aspiring medical student who quickly fell in love with the North Woods, she arrived in 1929 with daughter Justine.
Over the decades, the resort grew to encompass 125 acres with a diverse collection of 35 cabins. The accommodations, which range from year-round structures to summer units, maintain a classic 1980s aesthetic with wood paneling and log furniture crafted by Justine herself. Following her death in 2001 at the age of 94, the management eventually passed to the next generation, Bruce and Sue Kerfoot. When the couple chose to retire in the 2010s, John and Mindy Fredrikson, who arrived from backgrounds in telecommunications and law, purchased the property. And nine summer camper cabins) is a hodgepodge of eras and updates, but all pay tribute to the wilderness, clad in that same green camouflage paneling, gunflint’s roster of 35 cabins (26 year-round. Eventually, a second generation of Kerfoots took over, expanding and modernising the resort. Who had respectively worked in telecom in the Twin Cities and as a lawyer for Delta Air Lines, enter John and Mindy Fredrikson.
John Fredrikson characterizes their role as stewards rather than just owners, focusing on maintaining the lodge’s modest, heritage-focused charm. While the core experience remains centered on the outdoors, modern additions have been introduced to the 125-acre grounds. In 2012, the resort opened the Towering Pines Canopy Tour, a zipline course that provides high-altitude views of the forest. More recently, during the 2024-25 winter season, the lodge drew national attention for a newly groomed 6-mile ice-skating trail network developed on the surface of Gunflint Lake.
The landscape surrounding the lodge offers an expansive variety of activities throughout the year. Guests can access extensive trails for hiking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and fat biking that connect directly to the national forest. Notable features include the scenic, teardrop-shaped Lonely Lake and various cliffside vistas. For many families, the appeal lies in the traditional lake resort experience—fishing, swimming, and dining on the day’s catch—with the natural scenery serving as a primary attraction. During a recent visit, one young guest captured the allure of the location’s sunset vistas, noting that “the whole world’s a sunset.” It’s one of the longest drives a city dweller can make and still be in Minnesota. Our 2½-year-old daughter was so enchanted by the scene that we swear she uttered the words: “The whole world’s a sunset.”, sitting deep in one chair.
Today, the lodge balances its historic legacy with its status as a destination for both adventure and relaxation. Whether utilized as a base for paddling trips into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness or as a quiet retreat, the property remains a staple of the Minnesota North Woods. The owners continue to integrate new guest experiences, such as seasonal boat excursions on Magnetic Lake, while ensuring the rustic character that has defined the site since its founding remains intact. Many use it as a launching point for multi or single-day paddling trips into the million-acre BWCA. Today, a guest could greet each day with a different activity.
