Ely, MN Guidebok

Ely, Minnesota Itineraries for every type of Adventurer!


guidebook
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FAMILIES • SEASONED ADVENTURERS • HISTORY BUFFS • ARTS & CULTURE LOVERS
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itineraries inside
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Welcome to Ely
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CONTENTS DIRECTORY - 03 FAMILY FUN SEEKERS - 04 EXPERIENCED ADVENTURERS - 06 ARTS & CULTURE LOVERS – 08 HISTORY BUFFS – 10
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Ready for yours?
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land of 10,000 adventures
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Attractions
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Trails & Parks
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Trails and Parks
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Shops
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Outfitters
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LaTourell's Moose Lake Outfitters
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Food & Drink
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Arts & Culture
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FOR THE
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amil un Seekers
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puddle jumper park, chapman street
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Ely is the kind of place where kids can still be kids. A day might include exploring the woods, learning about wolves, reading a new favorite book by the lake, and enjoying a sweet treat.
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The pace here is gentler, the distractions are the good kind, and there's enough wonder to wear out even the most energetic little explorers.
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Start at the edge of the wilderness and work your way into town, or the other way around. Good memories are waiting to happen!
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International Wolf Center
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Get face-to-face with wolves at the International Wolf Center.
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Meet the residents of the North American Bear Center*.
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Stretch your legs on the Kawishiwi Falls Trail, a 1.5-mile round trip hike to a stunning 70-foot waterfall with interpretive signs along the way.**
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Let the kids run loose at Semers Beach Park.
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Browse the selection at Piragis Northwoods Company's bookstore.
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Grab a treat at Ely’s Old-Fashioned Candy or Northern Expressions Ice Cream Parlor* to enjoy at Puddlejumper Park.
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Kawishiwi Falls
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Take a family photo in front of the new Ely mural at Puddle Jumper Park on Chapman Street!
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Photo: Brett Ross / Boreal Roots Media
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*Seasonal, check hours before you visit.
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**Be aware of drop-offs and fast moving water along this trail.
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family fun seekers
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Experienced Adventurers
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Experience the quiet of a lake at dawn, the burn in your shoulders after a long portage, and the particular satisfaction of earning your rest.
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Ely is your gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, with over a million acres of lakes, rivers, and forest waiting for you to explore on your own terms.
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Whether you're here for a day paddle or a week-long expedition, the outfitters in town can set you up with gear, maps, permits, and advice tailored to your skill level and ambition.
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The BWCAW is the largest federally designated wilderness east of the Rockies, consisting of more than one million acres of primitive forest and over 1,200 miles of canoe routes. It lies within the 3.9 million-acre Superior National Forest.
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FOR THE
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Makers + shoppers unite!
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Arts + Culture Lovers
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A strong creative spirit sets Ely apart.
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Known for its local art, live music, and handcrafted goods, this end-of-the-road destination is a magnet for creatives and makers.
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Explore local galleries, catch a theatrical performance, do-si-do at a barn dance, shop for locally made items, and learn a new craft.
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You'll find excellent coffee shops, brewpubs, and restaurants nearby to fuel your visit.
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Wander the downtown galleries and studios to see what local and regional artists are up to. See page 3.
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Take a class or attend an event at the Ely Folk School. Offerings range from felted sauna hat making classes to writing workshops to community dances. Visit their website for details.
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Catch a Northern Lakes Arts Association theater production. Visit their website for details.
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See a film or catch some live music at Ely's Historic State Theater, a beautifully restored downtown community hub. Visit their website for details.
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Refuel with a coffee and a pastry, or a full meal, at one of Ely's local cafes or restaurants. See page 3.
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Shop locally made goods at Wintergreen Northern Wear, Steger Mukluks, Lobo Leather, and more. See page 3.
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arts + culture lovers
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FOR THE
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History Buffs
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History isn't a memory in Ely, it's the foundation.
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This is Bois Forte Band of Chippewa homeland, a place shaped by wild rice, waterways, and centuries of Ojibwe presence long before European settlers arrived.
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Native (and then settler) fur trading took place here for over 200 years.
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Later came mining and logging, and eventually wilderness guides and outfitters, as tourism in the area became increasingly popular. You can trace these stories through museums, walking tours, and the landscape itself if you take the time to look.
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Visit the Dorothy Molter Museum, dedicated to the "Root Beer Lady" who lived alone in the Boundary Waters and served homemade root beer to passing paddlers until 1986.
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Explore mining history at Pioneer Mine, where tours bring Ely's iron mining past to life, and a self-guided walking tour around Miners Lake tells the story of its past as an iron ore mine pit.
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Browse artifacts and archives at the Ely-Winton Historical Society.
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Take the Tour Ely Walking Tour through downtown's historic buildings and landmarks.
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Paddle in the summer - snowshoe in the winter - to the 1,000-year-old Hegman Lake Native American pictographs.
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Spend time at Listening Point Foundation, the restored property where writer Sigurd Olson found the stillness that shaped his conservation legacy. Visit their website for details.
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Check out Pillow Rock - a rare ellipsoidal lava flow formed beneath primeval seas 2.7 billion years ago.
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history buffs
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visitelymn.org @visitelymn
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Visit Ely, MN Newsletter bit.ly/visitelynewsletter
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