Description of Services
Description of ServicesYour host Debbie Mark (at left) will help you plan and outfit your Boundary Waters or Quetico Park canoe trip.
- Complete deluxe outfitting for canoe camping trips into the Boundary Waters and Quetico Park
- Quality partial outfitting featuring canoes by Mad River, Wenonah, Souris River, Old Town, Alumacraft, and Bell
- Headstart Launch Service to Quetico Park and all points on Saganaga and Seagull Lakes
- Private rooms in our new, deluxe paddlers lodge
- Modern housekeeping cabins on Seagull and Saganaga Lakes
- Hours: 7 AM to 6 PM, May 1 – September 30 (reduced hours before Memorial Day and after Labor Day)
What to Expect from Seagull Canoe Outfitters
If you’ve never experienced a first-class outfitted trip and are unsure what to expect, check out our informational page For the First-Timer. There, you’ll learn how an outfitted canoe trip works. To learn more about the Seagull Outfitters family and friends, click here.
Seagull Canoe Outfitters is very much a hands-on operation. Debbie is more than just the owner and manager. . . she is also an experienced canoeist who has paddled these routes many times over the years. She and her staff use their first-hand information to advise you on the details of your trip. Debbie and her staff will make sure that all your needs are taken care of. This includes details such as double-checking all the food and gear that they pack for you, and going over your trip details with you.
When you are miles out into the wilderness, you can’t afford to be missing crucial items that somehow weren’t included in your pack. At Seagull Canoe Outfitters, nothing is forgotten, and all equipment and gear is the finest available. As an example, we upgraded all cook kits from aluminum to stainless steel, and added small cutting boards. This level of attention to detail is one of the hallmarks of service at Seagull Canoe Outfitters. Their referral and repeat business rate is 75 to 80%, which is considered outstanding for this business. We invite you to look at some testimonials from some of Seagull’s many satisfied customers.
If you’ve never visited us at Seagull Outfitters, please take a look at our Sneak Peek at the Seagull Facilities page. It’s got photos of the facilities at our base camp on Seagull Lake.
I was part of a group of men who took a week’s canoe trip into the Boundary Waters. Seagull Outfitters supplied us with first-rate equipment, wonderful food, and great advice. Most members of this group were repeat customers who have used Seagull Outfitters over a number of years.
Our Location
Our LocationThe Boundary Waters Canoe Area sits atop the state of Minnesota in the northeast corner commonly known as the Arrowhead Region. Quetico Park, part of southern Ontario, adjoins the Boundary Waters at the border. Many mid-westerners drive to our place via Minneapolis and Duluth-Superior. Our flying guests generally rent a car in Duluth or Minneapolis for the fabulous drive up Lake Superior’s north shore to Grand Marais. This scenic harbor town will be your jumping off point into the wilderness. The Gunflint Trail, now a paved road, takes you deep into the heart of the canoe country and to our doorstep. Our base, on Seagull Lake, is your best bet for easy access to both the Boundary Waters and the Quetico Park. Click here to see a map showing an overview of the area we serve (note: this map is a large graphic and may take a few moments to download).
| City | Mileage |
|---|---|
| Duluth | 160 miles |
| Minneapolis | 310 miles |
| Milwaukee | 515 miles |
| Chicago | 600 miles |
| Indianapolis | 825 miles |
| Kansas City | 750 miles |
| Madison | 450 miles |
Flying In: Fly to Minneapolis or Duluth, and rent a car. It’s a 3-1/2 hour drive to our base from the Duluth airport.
Driving In: From Duluth, take Highway 61 north about 100 miles to Grand Marais. Take a left on the Gunflint Trail and follow it 55 miles to our door.
From Minneapolis Airport: Take 494E to 35E North to Duluth. From Duluth follow Highway 61 into Grand Marais. From Grand Marais take the Gunflint Trail which is also Highway 12 54 miles to our base on Seagull Lake. The drive time from the Minneapolis airport is about 5.5-6 hours.
About Canoe Country
Paddlers visit the canoe country from early May through September. The spring is a quiet time, with few other paddlers, and the opportunity to share your travels with newborn animals, hungry fish, and budding wildflowers. Early summer, June in particular, is known far and wide for its superb fishing. July is a quieter month and an excellent choice for good weather coupled with good fishing. August is the most popular month for family trips due to its warm, consistent weather and warmer water for swimming. September is our personal favorite for a number of reasons… most notably the absence of bugs, the absence of people, and the fall colors of our pine, birch, and aspen forests.
Setting up a trip with us is easy. You simply decide who can come with you, when you’d like to do it, and we do the rest. Give us a call so we can talk about the type of trip you’d like to do and reserve your BWCA Permits and/or Quetico Permits. After that you only have to make your menu selections and we’ll have you all packed and ready. Download/print your menu form! All you need to bring is personal clothing, fishing rod, and your camera. We do all the work… so you don’t have to worry about a thing.
