Resort & Casino

Gaming enthusiasts and fans of the great outdoors find a winning combination in northeastern Minnesota

Amid the pine forests and sky-blue waters of the Iron Range's untamed wilderness, the strains of music and tinging of slot machines signal a special breed of wild life, a type of revelry that appeals to the party animal as well as the nature lover.

Just south of the nationally famous Boundary Waters Canoe Area, Lake Vermilion offers 1,200 miles of shoreline, numerous bays, and 365 islands. Of the more than two dozen resorts rimming its shores, the most luxurious is Fortune Bay Resort & Casino, owned and operated by the native Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, who welcome guests to "Sah-Gah-Ea-Gum-Wah-Ma-Mah-Nee" (Lake of the Sunset Glow).

Located in the Pines and Mines tourism region of northeastern Minnesota, Lake Vermilion lies in an area rich in iron mining history. It lures anglers with walleye, bass, northern pike, muskie, crappie, and panfish. One TV outdoorsman called Vermilion the No. 1 walleye lake in the state. In the 1940s the National Geographic Society ranked it one of the nation's 10 most scenic lakes.

Fortune Bay, near the town of Tower, has a full-service marina with 52 docking slips that accommodate everything from fishing boats to houseboats. Rentals range from canoes and paddleboats to 16-foot outboards and 24-foot pontoons. Permits for Boundary Waters Canoe Area and fishing licenses are available at the resort.

Away from the water, Fortune Bay offers interpretive nature trails for hiking, biking, and bird-watching. Some trails lead to gold mine and fur trading sites dating back to the 1800s. The resort is connected to the state's extensive system of groomed snowmobile trails.

Wildlife here in Superior National Forest includes black bear, whitetail deer, bald eagles, otter, and timber wolves. You might even spot a moose.

Fortune Bay's RV park has 34 campsites, with access to the resort's glass-enclosed indoor pool, whirlpool, sauna, and exercise center. The resort's 115 guest rooms feature 27" color TVs, hair-dryers, and coffeemakers. Whirlpool and fireplace suites afford breathtaking views of Lake Vermilion.