Grand Marais is one of the principle gateways to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, via the Gunflint Trail (http://www.gunflint-trail.com/), which starts in the middle of town and heads up and back into the woods. The Gunflint Trail is 65 miles 105 km of blacktop winding through very beautiful woods and lakes, with numerous resorts and cabins along the way. Deer, bear, and moose are often seen along or on the road at all hours, so keep the right foot light on the pedal. At resorts, or from outfitters, canoes and kayaks are available by the day or week, along with complete or partial outfitting and even guides, for day-to-week-long canoe trips. The BWCAW is one of only a few areas in the U.S. where you can canoe back into a significant true wilderness for weeks at a time, and it adjoins the Quetico Wilderness of Ontario; if you want, you can canoe all the way to Hudson's Bay.
