Book a Camp Getaway

There’s something especially relaxing about hopping in the car and heading northward for a getaway. The best part of that trip is turning off the main highway and slowing down onto a windy, unpaved road of YMCA Family Camp. Unloading your vehicle doesn’t feel like a chore as you make your cozy cabin feel like home. This is what our Book Your Own Getaway program is all about.

Available from Labor Day through Memorial Day, Camp Northern Lights and Camp du Nord, both located near Ely, offer families and groups the opportunity to get cozy in our full-amenity cabins while having easy access to miles of lake and northwoods forest to explore. Start the weekend curled up the couch next to a woodstove and kick off your first morning with an espresso drink or a soul-warming hot cocoa from the camp store. Countless seasonal activities are available just a few steps away from each cabin.

At Camp du Nord, visitors can step out their cabin door and access more than 25 miles of incredible skiing or hiking through towering pines on the North Arm Trails. At Camp Northern Lights, stop by the Trail Center to get fitted for a fat-tire bike and head out for a spin on their designated bike trails! Both locations offer options for everyone from beginners to advanced recreationists and include accessibility for skiing, biking, snowshoeing, and hiking.

After enjoying a day in the woods, campers can rest assured that rejuvenation is in store by visiting the wood-burning sauna. Relax those muscles and melt as the soothing cedar and steam work their magic. The bravest visitors may even jump through the hole cut into the ice and plunge into Bear Island Lake (at Camp Northern Lights) or Burntside Lake (at Camp du Nord). There’s something magical about rinsing off under a sky full of winter constellations! All the laughter and adventure can conclude back at your cabin—stoke up the fireplace, get dinner going, and wind down with a puzzle or board game.

With full-amenity kitchens, bathrooms, and plenty of lounge space, the cabins available at YMCA Family Camps are perfect for making a home away from home. With lots of flexibility in cabin size, price, and duration of stay, Book Your Own Getaway is best for families looking to enjoy a unique and memorable getaway. While both camps share the mission of strengthening families and connecting to the outdoors, Camp Northern Lights and Camp du Nord each have their own unique flavor too! Be sure to check out the calendar for upcoming availability and take advantage of this beautiful wilderness retreat.

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