Seniors Make Ely a Destination Town

I asked Google for the Most Beautiful Towns in Minnesota, and up came Ely. Senior travelers will find it is located on the Vermilion Iron Range, with a population of around 3,500, and is historically home to several iron ore mines.

Whether you’re in Minnesota canoeing into the unspoiled, world-famous Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) or relaxing at one of the hotels in Ely, senior visitors are  sure to enjoy their visit.

Ely is the largest “jumping off” town for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The BWCAW is renowned as a destination for both canoeing and fishing on its many lakes, and is the most visited wilderness in the United States.

With extensive outfitting and other services, Ely can credibly claim to do the most wilderness canoe outfitting of any town or city in the world.

Seniors Enjoy Stunning Natural Scenery In Ely

Once voted one of the coolest small towns in America, Ely is host to stunning natural scenery, outdoor activities and its fair share of independent pubs and bars. The wilderness area is one of the world’s foremost canoeing destinations.

For those that can’t make the trip five hours north of the Twin Cities, there are live webcam links of the city and nearby wilderness running day and night. Let Wikipedia fill you in on a fascinating history of the area.

Senior adventurers will find 22 professional canoe trip outfitters in Ely. More than just canoe renters, an outfitter is an outdoor recreation professional.

They are biologists, historians and woods-wise guides whose knowledge and love of this area will add immensely to the pleasure you’ll have on a boundary waters canoe trip. Feel up to that experience? Many have.

Seniors Might See The Northern Lights

Now imagine the view of a summer sunset across a remote Minnesota lake, as I have with a cabin on a lakeshore, with the haunting cries of a loon serenading you to sleep each night. Adventurous seniors might even see the northern lights from your campsite.

“Ely” was chosen in honor of mining executive Samuel B. Ely, a big promoter of Vermilion Range ore who lived in Michigan and never actually visited the town that bears his name. I’d definitely want to visit the International Wolf Center in Ely.

Senior hikers, there are many Minnesota wilderness hiking trails in the area. Echo Trail, considered one of the most scenic trails in Minnesota, is a former logging road that provides the primary access to the lakes of the western Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

The trail is a 72 mile (116 km) road on asphalt and gravel through the wilderness of the Superior National Forest and Kabetogama State Forest. My family used to fish on Kabetogama Lake. Enjoy all the scenic wonder and many amenities that this city has to offer.   -jeb