Boundary Waters Canoe Outfitting MADE EASY IN

Ely, Minnesota

Since 1961 graphic

We offer complete and partial outfitting, canoe rentals, custom-packed meals, transportation, and trip planning to help your group arrive ready for the Boundary Waters.

FIND THE RIGHT

Outfitting Package

Whether you want a fully outfitted trip or just a few essentials, we make it simple to get out on the water.

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Paddler in the bow of a canoe on a narrow Boundary Waters river

COMPLETE
 OUTFITTING

Our easiest and most popular option includes trip planning, canoes, gear, meals, and transportation support in one package.

Tent pitched at a BWCA campsite beside a trail sign

PARTIAL OUTFITTING

Bring what you have and let us provide the rest. Choose from our Canoe & Food, Canoe & Gear, and Deluxe Food Package options.

Canoe and gear at a misty BWCA campsite landing

Canoes & Gear
A La Carte

Already know what you need? Pick and choose canoes or gear à la carte for your Boundary Waters trip.

Sunset silhouetting pine trees over a BWCA lake

Overnight

ACCOMMODATIONS

Rest up before or after your canoe trip, or use Cliff Wold’s as your BWCA basecamp for day paddles near Ely. It’s a great way to ease into canoe country or add an extra night to your trip.

WHY

Paddle

WITH US?

Our goal is simple: help you plan a safe, enjoyable Boundary Waters trip with the right level of support for your group.

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Ely Outfitting Since 1961

One of Ely’s longest-running BWCA outfitters, serving paddlers for generations.

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Route &
Planning Help

Get help managing permits, routes, timing, and trip details.

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Canoes &
Gear

Choose the canoe, packs, and camping equipment you need for your Boundary Waters trip.

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Flexible Trip Support

Start with Complete Outfitting or choose only the services you need.

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Local BWCA Knowledge

Work with people who know the area and help groups get prepared.

Custom-packed BWCA meals from Cliff Wold's Outfitting Co on a rustic camp table

CUSTOM PACKED

Meals

Our custom-packed meals are portioned for your group and organized by meal, so camp cooking is easier to manage. We handle the at-home food prep and packing, with fresh foods early in the trip and freeze-dried meats and vegetables for the days ahead.

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Packed for Your Group
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner meal label icons for custom-packed BWCA meals
Organized by
Meal
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Choose Your Own Menu

Trusted

by Boundary Waters Paddlers SINCE 1961

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toddrericson profile picture
toddrericson
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We just finished our 4-day trip in the BWCA outfitted by Cliff Wold. They were fantastic! Exceptionally friendly and helpful! We appreciated their knowledge of our route, recommendations for paddle time and campsites. Their gear is exceptional - 3-person canoe, packs, kitchen supplies. Packs and canoe appear to be quite new. As expected, kitchen gear has some wear, but clean and very functional - no complaints. Our tarp had a bunch of pin holes, I'm guessing from campfire sparks. It leaked a little, but sufficed for the one night of rain. We especially appreciated the fresh food for the first few days - eggs, ham, chicken, bacon, etc. The dried dinners were excellent tasting. The generous portions, food packaging and instructions were impeccable (apparently a big thank you to Amy, Ryan's wife!). I could not give a HIGHER RECOMMENDATION to Ryan, Nate, Brennan, and Amy! Thank you for making our trip great and memorable!
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Andrew Lang profile picture
Andrew Lang
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Wow. My husband used Cliff Wold’s over 20 years ago when he was a teen. When planning our trip this year he reached out to them and it was clear our outfitter would be Cliff Wold’s again. From the beginning the experience was amazing. They helped us plan our first route (affected by the fires this year), then reached out promptly when a permit became available for an alternate route that still hit each of our boxes for our first trip together. Every time we reached out with questions the staff was responsive, informative, and so kind and friendly. We had a lot of questions! Upon arrival they had everything ready to go. We opted to stay at their campsite overnight and have an early drive into Snowbank. They suggested places to eat, where to obtain firewood for our night at their campsite, and even adjusted our invoice because we brought some gluten-free foods from home. They took their time explaining the gear, what was included, what wasn’t, and how to stay safe in the BWCA. We felt fully prepared. I can’t remember the name of the guy that checked us in, but wow did he do a great job! The driver to Snowbank was friendly, helpful, and even slowed down so we could see a wolf walking along the roadside. During our trip we felt the gear provided was exceptional. We had all the cooking equipment we could need, the food provided was very good and easy to make, the tent and sleeping pads & bags were clean and warm for the cold night temps, and all additional items (dittty bag) had everything we needed. Upon departure at Lake 1, the driver was prompt, helpful with gear, and greeted us with cold refreshments! We enjoyed chatting about what happened in the NFL while we were away for 8 days. After we were dropped off we realized we left out fishing rods and IDs in the van. We visited the office to reclaim our items but also to thank the staff again and purchase some t-shirts to commemorate our amazing trip. We chatted with the owner and felt his love and passion for what he does. All-in-all, we will visit again and there isn’t a question who we will choose for outfitting. Thanks, guys! We had a trip of a lifetime thanks to your knowledge and kindness. - The Langs from Tx
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Mark M profile picture
Mark M
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Ryan and his friendly crew always make us feel welcome and that we’re in good hands. We’ve outfitted with Cliff Wold’s for over ten years now, and are always impressed with the level of service we get, their attention to details, and top notch gear. You can be confident your trip will go smoothly working with this outfitter.
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Rod Reding profile picture
Rod Reding
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Ryan and his team are exceptional outfitters who consistently exceed expectations to ensure an unparalleled BWCA experience.
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Christopher Elgin profile picture
Christopher Elgin
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Cliff Wold's provided us with the full package. All of the gear, meals, and planning for our trip in to the boundary waters. The gear was clean (some brand new) and functional. Food was great at the start, though the cured meats got redundant at the end. The staff were great. We had car troubles and they took on extra responsibility to take care of us. Thanks for making this a great experience.
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Morgan Van Haaften profile picture
Morgan Van Haaften
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We had a great experience with Cliff Wold’s Outfitters for our recent Boundary Waters trip! From the beginning, everything was organized and made the whole process easy. Ryan annd his team were incredibly helpful, knowledgeable, and great to work with. He made sure we had everything we needed and felt prepared before heading into the BWCA. The equipment was in great shape, the service was excellent, and you can tell they genuinely care about making sure people have a great trip. Having a reliable outfitter made such a difference and allowed us to just enjoy the experience without worrying about the details. We will absolutely continue to use Cliff Wold’s for our Boundary Waters trips and would recommend them to anyone planning an adventure in the Ely area. Thank you for helping make our trip such a memorable one!
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Christopher Hansen profile picture
Christopher Hansen
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Great experience, highly recommend. I spoke to the team several times before the trip and they were able to give us pointers and planning tips that played a big role in us having an unforgettable trip.
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Sam Wallace profile picture
Sam Wallace
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Highly recommend this outfitter... Had an amazing trip!
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Valerie Miller profile picture
Valerie Miller
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I’ve rented through Cliff Wold’s with other groups several times but this was my first time as a group leader and I was nervous. Ryan & Nate were very helpful on the phone the day before, getting our permit switched at the last minute due to some bad weather, and Ryan took extra time to show me how to strap the canoe to our car on our way in. Great group of people, I can’t recommend Cliff Wold’s enough! See you next summer :)
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WE HELP YOU PLAN WITH

Confidence

Not sure where to start? You don’t need to be an expert, that’s our job. Routes, permits, packing, fishing, ask us anything before your group heads out.

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TRIP PLANNING AND ROUTE SUGGESTIONS

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FISHING INFORMATION

Ready

TO START YOUR TRIP?

Tell us your dates and group size, and we’ll take it from there.