Most will agree that while the relaxation possible at Clearwater Lodge is second to none, our guests generally come visit us to explore the wonders The Boundary Waters Canoe Area has to offer. Whether you are the fishing and paddling type, or the all day hiker, you will not run out of things to do here during your stay. In fact, most people leave without having near enough time to enjoy all that our lodge and the Gunflint Trail has to offer. This page shows just a small sampling of the many things you can do here at Clearwater Lake Lodge. Use the menu buttons on the left to jump to each activity.
Two miles down the road from the lodge is a short but steep (90-steps) .6 mile round-trip hike to the top of a bluff that overlooks Hungry Jack Lake and West Bearskin Lake. Excellent place to watch the sunset.
After paddling across Clearwater Lake you will find a trail that climbs almost 400 feet to the top of the first bluff that makes up the palisades on Clearwater Lake. From here you will be able to look down and across at Clearwater lake and into Canada.
Border Route Trail: Clearwater is the central entry point to the Border Route Trail (BRT). This hiking trail is 70 miles long and runs along the Canadian/US Border. It is an old footpath that was used by the original fur traders to move goods. From Clearwater Lake there are several places where you can access the BRT for shorter day hikes and great overlooks and wildlife. Wear sturdy shoes and be prepared for some rougher terrain!
Portage Duncan Lake from West Bearskin then paddle this beautiful and intimate lake to the northern end and beach your canoe near a large beaver dam. From there you would hike a short distance to the spectacular 60 foot Rose Falls. Explore and hike to 3 higher and higher vistas looking into Canada. The Stairway portage which was built by the CCC boys during Franklin Roosevelt’s Presidency (1935) can be visited. A great experience and takes about 5 hours round trip.
Begin from our dock on Clearwater Lake and paddle 6 1/2 miles down this beautiful lake lined with high cliffs, great birch stands and bays. Take your empty canoe, trail lunch and fishing or camera gear and portage to Mountain Lake. From Mountain, you can to go Watap and Rove Lakes. These are beautiful border lakes with Canada and are fun to fish for smallmouth and explore. The Mountain Lake portage intersects with the Border Route Trail. This is a full day trip so start early.
Paddle east on Clearwater Lake and take the Caribou Lake portage (a very good Walleye Lake) and into Caribou, little Caribou and Pine Lakes. Beach the canoe here and walk back twenty minutes through an old growth forest to a 3-tier waterfall in which you can swim in the bottom pool. This is a full day trip so pack a lunch and take your camera.
This is a 3-mile hike and includes hiking though some burned area from the Ham Lake fire. It is quite an ecology study. The destination is a 60-foot rock with strong magnetic attraction and is a unique phenomenon of the Glacial Period. Bring your compass to test the magnetism.
Start at the Caribou Rock Trail Head, hike first to overlooks of West Bearskin Lake, then Moss Lake, and Duncan Lake. Then explore Rose Falls and connect to the Border Route Trail (BRT). Head east along the BRT and you will find an old cedar grove. Connect with the Daniels Spur Trail and head south till you come out at the lodge. Full day hike so be prepared with a lunch.
Often wet trail but leads to Daniels Lake. We keep a canoe at Jim Lake and you can check it out then portage it the short distance to Daniels and enjoy a very quiet and scenic lake full of Smallmouth.
Every Tuesday in the summer Harriet Boostrom Taus, the daughter of Charlie and Petra visits the lodge and tells stories about life in the lodge as she grew up there in the 1920s, 30s and 40s. Fantastic storyteller!
Fantastic museum all about the history of the Gunflint Trail and those who settled it located at the end of the Trail. Not only will you learn all about the Gunflint Trail but there is a considerable mount of information about Clearwater Lodge found at the museum.
Join us Monday evenings for a resort cook-out. We will provide the main dish and hope that you will bring something to share. Every Monday between Memorial Day and Labor Day by the main campfire area.
Every Thursday night come on over to the main campfire area and join us for an evening of stories, campfire songs and of course no campfire is complete without plenty of roasted marshmallows. Feel free to prepare a story of your own to share.
Want to enjoy time on the water? We have solo, tandem, 3-man and even 4-man canoes available along with kayaks, paddle boats, 10 hp motor boats and stand up paddle boards for you to enjoy.
While some might say that nature watching just comes with the area - and it certainly does - we have plenty of special places to send you for that extra chance and spotting something amazing. Just ask!
Obviously the water is a way of life up here. If you have come all this way to visit us, we certainly hope at least some part of your trip involves exploring what makes our area truly unique and that is our lakes. We specialize in canoe and kayak outfitting and can take care of you no matter how small or large your needs.
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area has true, world-class fishing opportunities. Due to the remote nature of our area, fishing pressure is always somewhat limited, allowing most anglers the opportunity of a lifetime. Our waters feature Lake Trout, Northern Pike, Walleye, Smallmouth Bass and various panfish species. We can point you to many excellent spots for whatever species you choose.
