Spirit of the Wilderness
Choosing Your Boundary Waters/Quetico Canoe Trip
Canoe Rental, Guided Trips, Live Bait, Tackle & Gear
Your personal preferences, comfort and safety are all factors that you will ultimately judge the quality of your wilderness adventure into the Boundary Waters or Quetico – why leave any of this to chance.? The most important decision you will make before your trip is your choice of a Boundary Waters or Quetico outfitter. No one will give you the personal attention you need like Spirit of the Wilderness Outfitter and Bait Shop, located in Ely, Minnesota, the canoe capital of the upper Midwest.
Your personal preferences, comfort, and safety are the factors that ultimately define the quality of your wilderness adventure into the Boundary Waters or Quetico. Why leave any of this to chance? The most important decision you will make before your trip is choosing the right outfitter.
Spirit of the Wilderness Outfitter and Bait Shop is a trusted Boundary Waters outfitter located in Ely, Minnesota—the canoe capital of the upper Midwest. Offering friendly, personal service for over 25 years, since 1999, we pride ourselves on providing the attention and expertise every paddler deserves.
We are a true one-stop shop for your BWCA or Quetico wilderness adventure. Spirit of the Wilderness supplies camping and fishing gear and offers a variety of outfitting packages, including deluxe food packages, 5-day and 7-day packages, and camping equipment-only options. Our complete outfitting package includes everything you need: food, packs, tent, sleeping bags and pads, cook kit and utensils, stove with fuel, matches, TP, water filter, extra rope, camp saw, dining tarp, and fire grate for Quetico travelers.
We also sell outdoor clothing, footwear, fishing tackle, live bait, and all the camping gear you need to be fully prepared. Boundary Waters and Quetico permits must be reserved in advance, and we do handle the permit process for you. We service over 30 entry points and help simplify the reservation process.
To enhance your experience, we provide routing advice and maps tailored to your trip. Canoe rentals include lightweight kevlar canoes for easy portaging and aluminum canoes for budget-minded travelers. We also repair and recondition kevlar canoes using proper resin techniques.
Transportation services include shuttles to entry points and Minnesota airports, as well as towboat services to key wilderness access points. In the end, your adventure is judged by comfort, safety, and enjoyment—and at Spirit of the Wilderness, we help ensure your trip is truly memorable.
