DIY Hiking Retreats for Spiritual Renewal and Growth

three hikers sit at an overlook of a lake at sunrise

Being a quiet campground with no cell service, Okontoe is an ideal basecamp for a DIY hiking retreat. Not just for the hiking, but to focus on your life with Jesus. Hiking just happens to be a great way to do that! Our area—the Gunflint Trail—has enough hiking trails to keep you busy every day … Read more

How to Fully Enjoy Your Unplugged Time Away

black dog sits on a paddleboard with paddler on a very calm Bow Lake

Does camping without cell service scare you? It shouldn’t. Here’s how to enjoy your “no-phone” time away! Here at Okontoe you don’t need to worry about not having cell service. In fact, most of our guests find they absolutely love their “forced” media fast. It’s really not that unusual for wilderness campgrounds to be off … Read more

Every Season in the North Woods Has Its Positives

paddle boarding on Bow Lake

No matter when during the camping season you come, our area has its beauty—and also some reasons why you may want to choose a different time! It depends on what you’re looking for and how you want to spend your time. We’ll take each month from May to October to let you know what to … Read more

Okontoe’s Own Mini Canoe Trip to Shoko Lake

Want a mini canoe trip right from Okontoe’s canoe launch? We have access to three small lakes that are linked by short portages. Part of your stay at Okontoe includes free use of our canoes. One of the activities our guests love to do is paddle over to Shoko Lake to fish, swim or simply … Read more

The Restful Missionary (in Real Life)

Two people sitting around campfire

Okontoe seeks to be a place of rest for everyone, but we especially want to be a refuge for people in ministry. But rest can be hard—especially for missionaries and pastors. So we asked Diane Williams to share some insights with us. Diane works with Youth With a Mission to provide Member Care for missionary … Read more