Voyageur Canoe Outfitters is the key that unlocks Quetico and the Boundary Waters. Mike and Sue Prom own this delightful outfitter at the end of the Gunflint Trail 60 miles from the nearest town of Grand Marais, Minnesota. They offer a full range of adventures for Chicago travelers including canoe and motor boat rentals, fishing gear rentals, outfitting packages tailored to your needs, and cabins with a lodge for those not as adventure minded.
The end of the Gunflint Trail is a special place for those that love the outdoors. Canoeists and anglers especially love the region. The Gunflint Trail ends on Gull Lake which leads to the Seagull River where Voyageur Canoe Outfitter can be found.
The Seagull River empties into Saganaga Lake, which is an enormous lake on the Canadian and Minnesota boundary. This lake and the Seagull River are the gateway to both Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada and Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) on the American side.
Whatever your needs are Voyageur can handle them. If you have a boat and need equipment and/or food then Voyageur can rent just the items that are needed. If you have all your items and need a tow into the BWCA or Quetico then Voyageur can provide that service as well.
They usually do not offer guided services, however, they can provide a guide for a group upon special request if one is desired for the day. If one is not available through them I am sure they would be happy to recommend a good option.
Voyageur also has options for those that want to see the beautiful Minnesota wilderness, but not in the backcountry fashion of canoe and camping. They have a variety of cabins that range in price and amenities that can satisfy the luxurious traveler and the more primitive with one cabin that has an outhouse for bathroom detail. These cabins are also great to rent the night before the trip begins and the night after a trip ends as it is a long drive to and from Chicago.
What I like best about Voyageur is their flexibility and their laid back demeanor in the way they do business. On our recent trip to Quetico we booked a tow for the way back on a Wednesday at noon. Due to wind problems we decided to leave the park a day early and the Quetico Ranger station called in a tow for 10:30 at Hook Island. As soon as we hit the island we could hear the buzz of the motorboat for our return tow back to civilization. They were able to accommodate our change of plans within an hour with no questions asked. Adam or tow boat operator then dropped us off at our camping place and told us we could settle up later and even carried our canoe to shore.
This easy going attitude of wanting to help and providing a solid service for its customers is apparent in every employee. From Chelsea behind the desk to Elsa and Tessa who cooked and served us pancakes to Adam our tow boat operator the great service and pleasantness of the staff was consistent all the way through and a great experience. It is clear that Mike and Sue do a great job of choosing a staff that reflect their beliefs on satisfying the customer with a down to earth friendly approach.
If you take a tow or do a trip with Voyageur they even provide a fabulous pancake breakfast from 7-9am, which is a great way to start an amazing journey in the Canoe Country Wilderness.
Voyageur can be followed on twitter, facebook, and at their website. Owner Sue Prom is locally famous for her Boundary Waters Blog, so check it out.
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Comments
A good outfit to deal with.
Will you get this comment Ted?
examiner.com/christian-living-in-jacksonville/victoria-poller
Would love to hit this for fishing..nice read.
Cheers..
Interesting story although I must say, I miss seeing a picture of what you're writing about. I wonder if that is the new Examiner approach.
Well Ted, would love to post under my user name but when I try it logs me in and shows YOUR user name. Hence I can't post when logged in!
With that said, so excited to read about your articles from your trip. This is a great intro to your trip and I look forward to seeing photos. Hopefully, you will be able to do a slideshow of your trip (or I can check it out on FB!)
WOW, sounds ideal for our next getaway!
Its always great to find people like that – who love what they do and understand the concept of providing service. Especially great when you're in the wilderness and need some help.
Seems like a good business! I like people do not so much intensively. Too uptight, too Manu questions, all the rules. I mean rules are important and I know they are doin a business but you gotta relax! :-)
Sounds like a cool company! I'd love to see Quetico one day
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