Changing Hands on the Gunflint Trail

When Mike and I purchased Voyageur Canoe Outfitters in 1993 we were known as the New Kids on the Block. Twenty odd years later we are no longer new and we are no longer kids. It used to be businesses on the Gunflint Trail remained in the family and didn’t change over often if ever but things are different these days and there are a number of new faces on the Gunflint Trail.

I don’t have time to go through all of the turnovers and sales today but I’ll give a quick rundown and talk more about them in a different blog.  Gunflint Lodge was in the news back in December for selling out but that sale fell through. Now another buyer is about to seal the deal, if they haven’t already. A lodge that has been in the Kerfoot family for years will no longer be and the new owners are ready to take over.

I don’t know how old the new owners of Rockwood Lodge are but they took over last November so they are technically on their first summer.  There are new owners at Loon Lake Lodge and the new owners of Tuscarora are now in their second season of outfitting canoe trips into the BWCA. Big Bear Lodge has replaced Old Northwoods Lodge at mid-Gunflint Trail and the name change was brought along by the new owners there. I think they have been there for a couple of years now.

There are still a couple of long lasting family businesses on the Gunflint Trail including Trout Lake Resort and Norwester Resort. Both have been around a long time and are celebrating milestones. More about that later too.