Gunflint Lodge’s First 100 Years: CDI’s Part in the Towering Pines Canopy Tour

Gunflint Lodge’s First 100 Years: CDI’s Part in the Towering Pines Canopy Tour

A place that keeps families coming back for generations has something worth protecting. At Gunflint Lodge in northern Minnesota, the woods, the water, and the chance to spend time together are a big part of that draw. We’re grateful that Challenge Design Innovations had the opportunity to add another way to experience this place: the Towering Pines Canopy Tour.

A recent Greater Milwaukee Today feature looks back at the lodge’s century of welcoming guests and includes the canopy tour among its outdoor experiences. As the company that designed and built Towering Pines, we were glad to see it included in the story.

A Century of Northwoods Memories

Founded in 1925, Gunflint Lodge marked its 100th anniversary in 2025. Over the years, guests have come to fish, paddle, explore, and settle into a cabin beside Gunflint Lake.

That history gives any new addition a lot to live up to. For a destination people already love, a worthwhile attraction should give guests another reason to visit while feeling at home in its surroundings.

Towering Pines offers that connection through a different view of the forest.

Towering Pines: A Different Way to See the Woods

Opened in 2012, the Towering Pines Canopy Tour takes guests through the boreal forest on eight zip lines. The guided experience lasts about two hours, with views that include Lonely Lake, Gunflint Lake, and the Canadian shoreline.

Along the route, guests travel between old-growth white pines, including trees around 200 years old. Guides share natural and historical information, giving visitors time to learn about the place they’re passing through.

There’s plenty to enjoy beyond the ride itself:

• A view of the forest from within the canopy.
• A chance to notice details you might miss from the ground.
• Time with guides who help connect the scenery to its story.

It’s the kind of experience where the setting gives the adventure its character.

What Other Outdoor Destinations Can Learn

If you’re considering a canopy tour for your resort or recreation property, Gunflint offers a useful starting point: look closely at what guests already value about your destination.

An interesting landscape can shape an experience that feels specific to your property. Forests, changes in terrain, and scenic overlooks all deserve attention during planning.

And the guided experience matters, too. A thoughtful guide can help turn a memorable view into a lasting connection with a place.

At CDI, those are conversations we enjoy having with clients as we explore what a course could bring to their property.

Thank You, Gunflint Lodge

Designing and building an attraction at a place with this much history is an opportunity we appreciate. Our work becomes a small part of the trips, traditions, and stories guests take home.

Thank you to Gunflint Lodge for trusting CDI with the Towering Pines Canopy Tour. We’re grateful to be part of your history and glad to see the lodge’s story continuing.