Our modern and safe vehicles transport you and your canoes and camping equipment between Ely, MN and your entry point.

Ground Shuttles

Ely MN Canoe Shuttle Service
If your canoe trip starts and ends at the same place, it is typical to cartop your canoe using our free tie down supplies. However, if you prefer, we can drive you and your canoes and camping equipment to your BWCAW entry point. You can either leave your personal vehicle in town, or follow the shuttle vehicle to the entry point and leave it there. Our shuttle vehicle then picks you up at the time specified before your trip launched.

If your canoe trip ends at a different place than you started, you have two options. First, you can leave your personal vehicle in town and we will drive you to your entry point and then pick you up at the exit point and time specified before your trip launched. Second, you can do a “chase shuttle.” With a chase shuttle, you follow our shuttle vehicle to your exit point and leave your vehicle there with the equipment to tie canoes on top of it. We then shuttle you to your entry point, you paddle back to your car at the exit point, and cartop your canoe back to town. A chase shuttle allows you more flexibility because you do not have to meet a pickup shuttle at a specific predetermined meeting time. Chase shuttle pricing may be less than the cost of two shuttles if the entry point and exit point are along the same shuttle route.

Entry #
Entry Name
Price per shuttle with at least one canoe rental
1
Trout Lake (Lake Vermilion Moccasin Pt. drop-off)
105
4
Crab Lake (Burntside Lake drop-off)
40
6
Slim Lake
60
7
Big Lake
75
9 & 14
Little Indian Sioux River, N. or S.
105
12
Little Vermilion Lake (Crane Lake drop-off)
195
16 & 8
Moose River N./Portage River N. & Moose River South
100
19
Stuart River
80
20
Angleworm
65
22 & 23
Mudro Lake
70
24
Fall Lake
45
25
Moose Lake
60
26
Wood Lake
50
27
Snowbank Lake
60
29
Kawishiwi River North
45
30
Lake One
60
31
Farm Lake
40
32
South Kawishiwi
70
33
Little Gabbro Lake

75

34
Island River
110
35
Isabella Lake
120
36
Hog Creek
195
37
Kawishiwi Lake
205
75
Little Isabella River
80
77
S. Hegman Lake
60
84
Snake River
80
Ely Airport
35

 

Motorboat Tows

Riding in a towboat

A motorboat tow is available when starting your trip from a limited number of entry points. Your canoes go upside down on top of a motorboat. You sit under them in the motorboat, and are dropped off at your destination. Scheduled return motorboat tows are nonrefundable once your trip launches.

Description
Price per person with at least one canoe rental
Moose Lake to Prairie Portage or Birch Lake Portage
$39 (2 person min.)
Moose Lake to Ensign Lake (Splash Lake Portage)
$39 (2 person min.)
Moose Lake to Washington Island of Basswood Lake
$77 (3 person min.) plus portage fees*
Burntside Lake to Crab Lake Portage
$31 (2 person min.)

*2023 portage fees were $19 per watercraft each way across Prairie Portage. This includes canoes and the towboat. 2024 portage fees are expected to be similar.