Stay Overnight

BWCA Basecamp Near Ely

Stay close to the Boundary Waters before or after your trip, or use us as your basecamp and explore at your own pace. Bunkrooms, campsites, hot showers all just four miles from Ely on Fernberg Road. It’s a great spot for groups who want to paddle, unwind after a day on the water, or try out day trips before planning a longer Boundary Waters route.

Basecamp

Rates & Information

See the sections below for details about our bunkrooms, campsites, and overnight options. Rates depend on your outfitting package, group size, and lodging choice.

Private Bunkrooms

With Complete Outfitting $24
With Partial Outfitting $29
No Outfitting $34

2-person minimum required.

Campsites

With Complete Outfitting FREE
With Partial Outfitting $12
No Outfitting $16

BWCA Day Trips

Not everyone wants to commit to a multi-day canoe trip with portages and full camping gear. Many guests stay at Cliff Wold’s BWCA Basecamp and explore the Boundary Waters through day trips—paddle for the day, then return to your bunkroom or campsite each night.

Day-use BWCA permits are free and are available at all BWCA landings. We also have permits available at our outfitting shop in Ely.

Additional Amenities

Showers & Sauna

Hot showers included with all bunkroom and campsite stays
Post-trip showers included for outfitting package customers
Post-trip showers available for purchase for canoe-only and individual gear rentals
Men’s and women’s saunas available upon request

Check-In Information

All guests check in at our outfitting shop in Ely during normal business hours (advance reservation preferred). Payment and trip details are handled at check-in before heading to the campground.

Cliff Wold’s Outfitting Co.
1731 E Sheridan St
Ely, MN

Arriving after hours? Please let us know in advance and we’ll make arrangements to accommodate late arrivals.

Stay Awhile

Make Cliff Wold’s Your BWCA Basecamp

You can enjoy the Boundary Waters without committing to a multi-day route. Spend your days paddling from a nearby entry point of your choice, then come back each evening to your comfortable bunkroom or campsite. This is a great choice for first-time paddlers, families, or groups who want to explore new entry points and have a welcoming place to return to at night.

Tent pitched at a BWCA campsite beside a trail sign

Trusted

by Boundary Waters Paddlers SINCE 1961

    
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   toddrericson 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 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!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Andrew Lang 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 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
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Mark M 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 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.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Rod Reding 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Ryan and his team are exceptional outfitters who consistently exceed expectations to ensure an unparalleled BWCA experience.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Christopher Elgin 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 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.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Morgan Van Haaften 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 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!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Christopher Hansen 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 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.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Sam Wallace 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Highly recommend this outfitter... Had an amazing trip!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Valerie Miller 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 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 :)