43rd annual Gunflint Trail Canoe Races
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GRAND MARAIS, MINNESOTA - May 29, 2019 (LSN) Time to think about getting on the water to escape to a classic paddling destination like Gunflint Lake in Grand Marais, Minn. for 43rd annual Gunflint Trail Canoe Races. Gunflint Lodge welcomes visitors to wet their paddles at the 43rd annual Gunflint Trail Canoe Races on the evening of Wednesday, July 17 on the south shore of Gunflint Lake.
In 1976, friends and neighbors on the upper Gunflint Trail organized the first Gunflint Trail Canoe Races to raise money for worthy causes benefiting all on the Trail. Since then only one year was cancelled – 1999 – when the great BWCA Blowdown occurred just a few days before the scheduled Races. The underlying mission of the Races is to support the efforts and growth of the Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department (GTVFD) and EMS.
An active committee of the Gunflint-Seagull-Saganaga Property Owners Associations, working with volunteers from up and down the Trail, have made the races a success for more than 40 years. The money raised from these events has funded numerous projects benefiting the emergency services on the Gunflint, including a new Ambulance.
How to Participate in the Canoe Races or Donate to the Cause
The Gunflint Trail Canoe Races are always looking for participants and spectators. Grab a buddy and sign up on site for one of the 17 races scheduled or come to watch the crews of area outfitters duke out their rivalries on the water. There’s beer, good food, and more served all afternoon and night.
An annual tradition and a major part of the fundraising initiative is the sale of raffle tickets, commemorative T-shirts, and the exciting silent and live auctions at the event. Raffle tickets are available for $5 and enter you to win a Current Designs Solara 120 Kayak, valued at $900. T-Shirts are sold for $20 online and will be available during the event, but they do sell out, so get yours early!
Gunflint Trail: Where the road is and what it leads to
The Gunflint Trail (County Road 12) is one of two national scenic byways (roads recognized nationally for their scenery and significance) in Cook County and is the ideal location for experiencing nature at its best and most pure. This 57-mile stretch of paved road begins in the middle of the small harbor town of Grand Marais and travels up through the Superior National Forest to the Canadian border, where it comes to an end.
Visitors looking to reconnect with the great outdoors have endless opportunities when it comes to creating the perfect getaway along the Gunflint Trail year-round. They can choose anything from an extreme adventure to a tranquil wilderness experience.
There are many side roads on the Gunflint Trail that lead to campgrounds, lodges, a history museum and nature center, trails, and lakes, including miles and miles of scenic trails where visitors can cross-country ski, snow-shoe, snowmobile, dog sled, bike, fish, swim, canoe, view wildlife, pick wild blueberries, catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights and more.
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