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 for a full week (or more) if you’re able to dedicate that much time.
We certainly encourage it, as it gives you the chance to really rest and take time with the Lord away from “real” life.
But even a long weekend can be life-giving when you combine an unplugged location with natural beauty, great hiking and a heart for renewal.
Here’s how a do-it-yourself (DIY) hiking retreat at Okontoe can be a blessing:
Okontoe is Your Basecamp
You can start by simply hiking our camp road or taking that in combination with our new Bow Lake Trail.
Early morning is a wonderful time for a quiet walk along our road before other campers are awake and about.
It’s also the best time to see some of our local wildlife. Song birds, grouse, snowshoe hare, eagles, loons, beaver—all are common here. If you’re very blessed, you may even see some of our more elusive animals like martin, otter, bear, wolf or moose.
It’s about a mile from the Gunflint Trail, down our driveway and camp road to the Lima Grade forest service road at the back of our property. (See our Campground Map here for perspective.)
Our staff joined forces with our neighbors next door—Adventurous Christians—to make a trail around Bow Lake. We were able to finish it in 2024, but it’s still a bit rough.
If you take it, we suggest you wear sturdy hiking shoes or boots (not flip-flops), bring bug spray and keep your eyes on the orange nylon tags tied to trees to mark the trail. If it’s rained recently, there’s a good chance the trail could be wet or muddy in spots.
Allow about an hour to complete the entire loop. Or you can hike our end of the lake to The Rocks and back for a shorter out-and-back trail.
(Trail map coming soon!)
Decide How Much Hiking You Want to Do
There are many hikes along the Gunflint Trail that are between .34 and 3 miles. Then there are longer ones: 7 or 8 miles, even 15-20 miles one way.
Some of the popular ones in our area are:
- Honeymoon Bluff overlook (5-minute drive away)
- Caribou Rock Overlook (10-minute drive away)
- Magnetic Rock (20-minute drive away)
- Blueberry Hill (30-minute drive away)
You can learn all about these and more by reading 8 Short & Scenic Hikes along the Gunflint Trail.
Another option is to use your drive up and/or back home as part of your retreat to take advantage of the wonderful hikes along Highway 61.
Read 23 of the Best Hikes for Families Near Grand Marais to get a ton of great ideas.
Do you want one hike a day to leave time for rest and reflection at your campsite or cabin? Two hikes a day for more adventure?
When it’s a DIY hiking retreat, it’s totally up to you!
Consider a Retreat Theme
Deciding on a retreat theme helps to bring focus to your time here. Here are a few ideas:
- Shalom: What does it mean to be at peace and have the Lord’s blessing? This Hebrew word is so full of goodness. Do a word study with your Bible and journal.
- Nature: Choose something in nature that’s abundant here and read about it in the Bible: stars, water, trees, wildlife. Bring a sketchbook and draw or paint it.
- Wilderness: Research how God used wilderness in the Bible to draw His people apart or teach them something. Write about your findings in a notebook.
- Prayer: Maybe you want to spend extended time in prayer about something in particular, or just in praise and thanksgiving.
- What has the Lord been speaking to you about lately? Choose that as your theme.
The possibilities are endless.
Be as Unplugged as You Want to Be
Because our section of the Gunflint Trail doesn’t have cell phone signal, Okontoe is an ideal place to be unplugged. You can have a true media fast in our campsites or any of the cabins at the Retreat Center in the south end of camp.
You can spend most of your time on our property if you’d like to take full advantage of that. At the same time, you’re free to pop over to the Camp Office for a quick wi-fi check when you need to touch base at home or check the weather forecast.
Other spots on the Trail have cell service as you head further towards the end. There are fun gift shops and restaurants at many of the local lodges. There’s a wonderful little museum towards the very end of the Gunflint Trail you might enjoy.
Just remember your goal. Don’t let other activities distract you from making this a retreat if that’s why you’re here.
Solo, Duo or Group?
A solo retreat can be an amazing time, just you and the Lord. Our camp is small and quiet, yet there’s enough activity that you won’t feel totally alone.
Or you may want to come up with a friend or spouse. You can even get separate cabins or campsites (our prices are very reasonable for our area) so you can have plenty of alone time but still meet up for meals and hikes.
A DIY hiking retreat is also a great idea for small groups. There’s plenty of room to spread out for quiet times alone, then get back together for discussion, prayer, worship, meals and hiking.
If you want to bring a larger group, our Retreat Center can accommodate up to 20 people in cabins. You can rent the entire RC that includes our Dining Hall with industrial kitchen, hot and cold running water (when our camp water is on), and table seating plus an area with a wood stove and comfy seating.
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Article and photos (except where noted) by Sharon Brodin