Dining in the Singing Wilderness

" I’ve heard the haunting call of a black and white loon ... and rediscovered the essays of Sigurd Olson, the conservationalist largely responsible for preserving the 1 million-acre Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness within Superior National Forest. The Singing Wilderness and several of Olson’s other essay collections articulate why the human spirit soars in wild places such as this.

It’s more than the food at the first-rate restaurant that inspires me here. It’s seeing the most spectacular sunset of my journey and hearing a loon.

I start my tour of the resort ... at Cabin # 26...I hike to the main lodge for my real purpose here: eating....Convivial guests are gathering in the lounge area awaiting the 6 pm opening of the big porchlike dining room..My traveling companions and I are reavenous so we start with appetizers , ....then we share the headliner walleye dish ..risotto, .free-range chicken...other specialities appear from the selection of pastas, steaks and barbeque ribs.

An inquiry about dessert reveals Nicole’s creations: berry sorbet served with a delicate ice cream as well as Burntside’s creme brulee....pastries such as blueberry sconces, cinnamon rolls and biscotti, tiramisu.

Gazing out the window over coffee I glimpse several returning canoeists as they near the dock. The summer season is short at Burntside Lodge, and the restaurant is open only from Memorial Day into late-September. Perhaps that part of what makes dinner in this ‘singing wilderness’ so very magical."

" An old wooden fishing boat blooming with bright red cannas greets guests as they make their way oup the Burntside Lodge driveway. It's the first indication that the hunting camp built in 1913 has evolved far beyond its modest roots. Northern Minnesota was still mostly wilderness when Terry Brownell and Thomas Miller established their outing company on Burntside Lake near Ely around the turn of the centry. Ray and Nancy LaMontagne bought the resort in 1941 and managed it for 42 years, transforming it into one of Minnesota's premiere tourist destinations. Famous for its scenic location, fine dining, and meticulously maintained log buildings, the lodge has earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places"

" If you haven't slept in a lodge made from trees, you haven't lived. Our state is filled with log lodges, and, fortunately many historic log structures still stand on the North Shore and along the Gunflint Trail and around Brainerd. For the full experience, our favorite is Ely's Burntside Lodge, established in 1913 and owned by the same family since 1941. The lodge hasn't been transformed by golf courses, Jet Skis, and a conference center. It's just a summer resort—one that happens to be on the National Register of Historic Places, recognized for having the nation's largest collection of log buildings (most designed in the 1920's). The food has moved way beyond old-timey creamed chipped beef, however — note the Wine Spectator Aware of Excellence from 2003. Burntside is nestled on twelve-mile-long, spring-fed Burntside Lake, which holds more than 125 islands. God's country, indeed."

"Built in 1914 and now on the National Register of Historic Places, the lodge is almost as legendary as its surroundings. Fourty-four log cabins, many hewn by Finnish immigrants, were built here upon a rocky point of Burntside Lake. Today, 21 remain, spread among the pines on stilts like unobtrusive forest creatures. Glowing in the lodge's trademark red-orange varnish, waterfront Cabin 26 is perhaps the most photographed cabin in the state. Its pine logs still bear the marks of the broadax."

"One of the lovliest resorts in all of Minnesota— and certainly the most photographed —Burntside Lodge...got it's start as a hunting camp in the early 1900s. Many of the 21 ultra-cozy cabins overlooking island-studded Burntside Lake were built in the 1920's and each is unique. The National Park Service, noting both its age and architecture ("a remarkable architectural achievement in an outstanding state of preservation"), has added it to the National Register of Historic Places."

"Burntside Lodge, in Ely, Minnesota, offers the classic Boundary Waters experience for fishermen and paddlers. But instead of taking in the shimmering northern lights from a Therm-a-Rest–enhanced rock, they can watch the show from the veranda of one of 20 impeccably restored 1914-era cottages. There's also a cedar sauna, cappuccino bar, and dining room with an award-winning wine list."

"Cabin 26 seems to glow on the rocky, fir-lined shore of Burntside Lake. Though it's part of Burntside Lodge, this structure seems to stand alone: a tiny home with a green roof, smokestack, and the lodge's trademark red-orange varnish... Cabin 26 is iconic―what you expect in a cabin, if your expectation is a retreat from everything you think you want to everything you really need. "

"A final nod to civilization (and infinitely more appreciated after a few shower-free nights in the wilderness) is Burntside Lodge, an early-20th-century lakefront resort. A series of handsome log cabins nestled in wooded privacy, solidly built of local materials by expert local craftsmen, the Burntside is especially sought out for its kitchen and wine list, whose unpretentious excellence is unmatched -and unexpected- in the area."

"When the Brownell Outing Company built a major addition to its hunting camp at the turn of the century, it was renamed Burntside Lodge. The company also put up sturdy log cabins, most of which are still there, still beautiful, and remarkably well preserved. The charming old dining room, staffed by perky uniformed waitresses in 1926, continues to welcome diners."

"Burntside Lodge, built in 1911, still holds its original magic for vacationers."

"Burntside Lodge offers wilderness luxuries on the shores of my favorite lake - Burntside. This place has it all and can become the launching pad for a wide variety of wilderness adventures. The food and spirits are also top-notch."

"Surrounded by the pines, rivers, and clear lakes of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Superior National Forest, Ely is the epicenter of Minnesota's outdoor paradise...Accommodations range from rustic log cabins to luxurious log resorts (Burntside Lodge - (218) 365-3894)."

Good Times Priced Right for Families

"Vacationers can get deep into the north woods without roughing it at this first-class century-old retreat west of Ely. From the renovated log lodge to the remodeled log cabins, Burntside caters to city dwellers' tastes. The lodge has a cappucino bar, and the dining room's wine list has won awards.
Lou and Lonnie LaMontagne, whose family has owned the lodge since 1941, balance these comforts with reverence for tradition."

Look for us in the "Hidden Treasures" section.

"Burntside Lodge is hardly hidden, it has been featured in magazines ranging from Midwest Living to Sports Afield to Gourmet. Burntside Lodge is, however, a treasure. With twenty different cabins, each with its own character, Burntside is an amazing juxtaposition of old and new, historical and current, rustic and luxurious."

Featured on the cover. Contains a nice story on Ely and the Iron Range area.

"Summer bursts across northeast Minnesota's old mining region, as dazzling as Fourth of July fireworks - and almost as fleeting. Outdoor enthusiasts seize the chance to explore the region's vast north woods and countless lakes. Vacationers flock to dozens of resorts. Grab your gear and make the most of every second!"

"With 1,200 lakes scattered across 1 million acres in northernmost Minnesota, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area is the largest wilderness region east of the Rockies. . . Tuck into a full service lodge for a comfortable night's sleep. The oldest lodge near Ely, the Burntside Lodge (218-365-3894), is on the shores of 12-mile-long Burntside Lake."

Our Cabin 26 is featured on the cover of the magazine and we are the lead-in for the article "Wilderness Lodges - Away From It All Without Roughing It"

"Traditions run deep at Burntside Lodge. This 86-year-old low-key resort clings to a rocky, pine-covered peninsula that juts into northern Minnesota's 12-mile-long Burntside Lake at the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area."

50 Best Outdoor Sports Towns. Ely is featured as the lead-in for Sports Afield's cover story. Burntside Lodge is listed as the place to stay in Ely, MN.

Distinctive Restaurants of Minnesota.

One of 16 restaurants featured in a special insert entitled Also featured in the "Let's Eat Out" section of the magazine

"Sip the house cocktail - sparkling wine with a splash of cointreau and a Cognac soaked apricot - and watch the sun set over Burntside Lake at this historic lodge (est. 1913). The innovative American cuisine with a northwoods flair surely rivals the view."

Featured in the August 1997 edition of Midwest Living as one of "15 Best Wilderness Getaways"

"Cozy, updated 1920s log cabins with kitchens, plus flower beds out front, make you feel as if you're at your own lake cottage.
The large main lodge, a picture-book north-woods retreat, combines original furnishings with logging memorabilia. Amenities include a top-notch restaurant and lounge, even a cappuccino bar."

Featured in the April 1996 edition of Minnesota Monthly in an article titled "Simple Lodge-istics".

"The excellent fishing has lured many guests, including Hubert Humphrey and Walter Mondale, complete with secret service entourage, to the resort. And the scenic beauty and the resort's comfort, hospitality, and fine dining have kept many of them coming back."

Burntside Lodge was mentioned in an article titled "Into the Flat Blue Yonder" about canoeing in the BWCA.

"For shelter with walls, try the Burntside Lodge, a historic, family owned lakeside complex just six miles from Ely."