Ely Minnesota
Your Gateway To The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness ~
Ely, MN

• Dorothy Molter Museum
  The Dorothy Molter Museum is a memorial to the legendary last resident of the BWCAW, who died in 1986 after living most of her 79 years on Knife Lake near the U.S.-Canada border. Canoeists often stopped at Molter's home to enjoy her hospitality and famous homemade root beer (she was often referred to as "the Root Beer Lady") The museum's two log cabins were transported out of the BWCAW piece-by-piece and reassembled in Ely. The Winter Cabin is now an interpretive center with pictures and documents. There is also a small gift shop and a video telling the story of her life. Open 10:00 - 5:30 Mon-Sat, and Noon - 5:30 on Sun. Open weekends in May and September.
  
  Located east of Ely on Hwy. 169
  Phone: (218)365-4451
  
• International Wolf Center
  Ely is home to the International Wolf Center's flagship interpretive facility, a multi-million dollar complex that examines one of the most elusive and misunderstood animals in the world. Center visitors learn about the natural history of wolves by observing the resident wolf pack and touring the "Wolves and Humans" exhibit. Program participants can track wolves by plane, go on evening howling expeditions or put on snowshoes and follow the predator's winter tracks. Videos, talks, demonstrations, family day programs and other adventures round out a visit to the IWC. 9 am - 5 pm daily, May-Sept. (until 7 pm July and Aug.). Winter Hours: November through April, Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
  
  Located east of Ely on Hwy. 169
  Phone: (800) ELY-WOLF
  
• Soudan Underground Mine
  This Minnesota State Park features our first and deepest underground iron mine. One-hour guided tours will take you 2,400 feet down and more than 100 years into our past. Tours are available from Memorial Day through September, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Educational and group tours by special arrangement. Park hours 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
  Located west of Ely in Tower, MN
  
  Phone: (218)753-2245
  
• Sisu Heritage Homestead Tours
  About 30 miles southwest of Ely - near Embarrass - you can see actual pioneer homesteads, saunas, a rare housebarn and more representing the Finnish heritage of the entire community. Several of these buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. Open daily Memorial Day - Labor Day; tours begin at 10 am and 2 pm.
  
• Ely-Winton History Museum
  Located on Ely's Vermilion Community College campus, this center shows the local history of logging and mining through artifacts, photographs and displays. Open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Memorial Day through Labor Day.
  
  1900 East Camp St., Ely, MN 55731
  Phone: (218)365-3226
  
• Bois Forte Heritage Center and Cultural Museum 
  A two-story building celebrating the history, life and ways of the Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe. 3,000 square feet of exhibits, including a mural on the migration of the band into the Great Lakes area; maps; artifacts; a Waaginogam -- or wigwam -- fur trading post and school re-creations; a wall on spirituality and beliefs; a lifeways exhibit that includes education on topics such as ricing, bead work and basketing; a constellation ceiling; and a veteran's wall that pays tribute to Bois Forte band members who served in the U.S. armed forces.
  
  10:00 am to 5 pm Tuesdays through Saturdays, and until 8 pm on Thursdays; noon to 4 m Sundays. The museum will be closed on Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
  
  Bois Forte Heritage Center and Cultural Museum
  Fortune Bay Casino
  1500 Bois Forte Road
  Tower,MN 55790
  (218) 753-6017
   
• Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary
  About an hour from Ely.  Upon arrival at the VSWS - visitors follow a gravel road for approximately 1 mile to the sanctuary parking lot. Courtesy buses run every 15-20 minutes from the parking lot to the viewing platform and visitors will receive a short talk on the history of the sanctuary and the bears.
  
  On the viewing deck, visitors will be free to walk around and view the bears and other wildlife and take photographs. There will be volunteers on deck to answer any questions you may have about the bears. Also throughout the evening there will be talks about the bears and the sanctuary from experienced naturalists.
  
  There is a gift shop on the viewing platform where visitors can purchase souvenirs and gifts, all proceeds from which go back into the sanctuary. There is also an opportunity to become a member of the American Bear Association or to adopt a bear.
  
  The Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary is open Tuesday through Sunday from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day.
  
  We will be open to the public from Saturday 26th May 2007.
  
  Opening hours are 5pm untill dusk. We are closed on Mondays, except for holidays - we are open Memorial Day and Labor Day.
  
  Please note that because of our open viewing deck, we must close during thunderstorms or adverse weather.
  
  Admission rates:

  Adults and seniors 18+	$7
  6-17 year olds	$5
  5 and under	Free
  Adult season pass	$15
  Youth season pass	$7

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AA
Hiking Trails
The Ely area provides unique opportunities for those seeking hiking experiences. Depending on the experience you are seeking, assorted hiking trails can lead you either on a short jaunt, vigorous day trip or an extended wilderness trek.

Discover the beauty of the boreal forest in a landscape formed by glaciers that retreated 10,000 years ago.

There are many trails in the Ely area. The most popular trails include the Bass Lake Trail, the Angleworm Trail, Trezona Trail, Hidden Valley, Secret/Blackstone Trail and the Snowbank Lake Trail.

• Bass Lake Trail:
  Features: 5.6 miles around Bass Lake. Backpacking campsites. Historically and ecologically unique. Requires at least 4-6 hours.
  Location: On the Echo Trail - six miles north of Ely.
  Description: Bass and Low Lakes are located in a basin gouged out of pre-Cambrian rock. Prior to 1925 the two lakes were separated by a ridge of glacial gravel which acted as a natural dam. Logging operation led to the construction of a sluiceway to move logs through the gravel ridge - a drop of 60 feet. Seepage soon weakened the sluiceway as water moved through the gravel adjacent to the structure. The sluiceway and glacial ridge washed out in the spring of 1925 leaving a gorge over 250 feet wide. Bass Lake was lowered 55 feet in 10 hours, reduced to 1/2 its original size and two small lakes, Dry and Little Dry, became isolated in the old lake bed. Approximate 250 acres of land was then exposed and available to the establishment of pioneer plant species.
  
• Angleworm Trail:
  Features: 14 mile trail, with 11 miles forming a loop around Angleworm, Home and Whiskey Jack lakes. 9 designated campsites.
  Location: 14 miles northwest of Ely on the Echo Trail.
  Description: Rugged trail through stands of red and white pine with many high ridges with scenic overlooks. Moose love to frequent the north end of the trail in the Home Lake area. Pink ladyslippers demurely display themselves along the trail in the spring.
  
• Secret/Blackstone Trail:
  Features: Scenic Overlooks. Assorted terrain. 1 campsite Firegrate, tent area & latrine. 3 1&Mac218;2 miles in length - Allow 2-3 hours.
  Location: 20 miles northeast of Ely off the Moose Lake Road (Forest Road 438)
  Description: The moderate terrain trial, with a few steep hills, includes a loop around Blackstone Lake. The high vistas provide scenic views to low moist areas. The trail also winds across small waterfalls. Habitat for various species of wildlife are provided by trees and vegetation. The trail destination is a rock cliff overlooking Ennis Lake which is frequently used for rock repelling and climbing. A back country campsite is located on Blackstone Lake.
  
• Trezona Trail:
  Features: Flat to rolling terrain. Historic mining pit and old mine shaft headframe. Great views.
  Location: 3 blocks north of Sheridan Street in Ely.
  Description: The trail is just over 5 miles in length and goes around Miners Lake, a former iron ore mining pit. History abounds in the area providing a glimpse into the economic lifeblood of the past. The south side of the trail is flat to gently folling, following old railroad grades and mine haul roads. The north side of the trail is rolling to hilly, passing through white pine stands, residential areas, and the historic Pioneer Mine buildings and headframe.
  
• Hidden Valley:
  Features: Rolling to hilly terrain. Birch and white pine stands.
  Location: 1 mile east of Ely on the Hidden Valley Road.
  Description: The trails pass through rolling hills, paper birch and pine stands and newly planted red and white pine plantations.
  
• Snowbank Lake Trail:
  Features: Ledge rock outcroppings. Red and white pine stands. Hilly Terrain. BWCAW campsites. Scenic Overlooks.
  Location: 23 miles east of Ely with trailheads on the Snowbank Lake Road and on the Fernberg Trail.
  Description: The trail winds about 25 miles along the shorelines of Snowbank and Disappointment Lakes. Side trails spur off to Flash Lake on the west and to the Old Pines Loop on the east. The trails offer some of the most scenic hiking terrain in the area. Rock outcroppings, pine stands, shoreline bluffs and abundant wildlife mark the character of the trail.

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