Nordhus LodgeLutsen, Minnesota
Stilla Nordhus Lodge
Spread out by day. One table by night.Nordhus is where a whole group comes together without getting in each other's way — room to scatter across eight wooded acres and five bedrooms by day, and one long table to gather around at night.
Nordhus LodgeThe Overview
Nordhus Lodge
Set on eight wooded acres above Minnesota's North Shore, Nordhus Lodge was made for the kind of trip where everyone comes together under one roof and no one feels crowded. Roughly 4,400 square feet unfold across five bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms, with generous gathering spaces for twelve — long dinners, slow mornings, and the easy rhythm of a group that has the whole place to themselves.
The lodge sits within reach of everything the North Shore is known for. Lutsen Mountains is a short drive for skiing, the gondola, and mountain biking; the Norpine trail network and Superior Hiking Trail thread through the surrounding forest; and Lake Superior's shoreline, waterfalls, and the harbor town of Grand Marais are all part of an easy day out.
Inside, a game room, a fireplace, and a deck built for evening fires give a large group room to spread out and regroup. It is a place that rewards staying put as much as heading out — equally suited to a ski weekend, a summer week on the water, or a multi-generational reunion. Nordhus Lodge is part of the Stilla collection; you book direct through the Nordhus Lodge website.
Best for
- Multi-generational family trips
- Ski weekends at Lutsen Mountains
- Hiking and Superior Hiking Trail groups
- Remote-work retreats in the woods
- North Shore summer getaways
- Reunions and friend groups up to 12
Key Facts
- Location
- Lutsen, Minnesota (North Shore)
- Sleeps
- 12 guests
- Bedrooms
- 5 bedrooms
- Bathrooms
- 3.5 bathrooms
- Size
- ~4,400 sq ft on 8 wooded acres
- Best seasons
- Winter (ski) and summer (lake & trails)
- Book
- Direct at nordhuslodge.com
Reserve Direct
Book Nordhus Lodge directly. Best available rate, one calendar, no middleman.
Check Availability01A Day Here
Twelve people, one roof, and enough room that nobody's in anyone's way.
First light
The trail starts at the edge of the yard
The Norpine Nordic system abuts the property, so in winter the first track of the day begins where the lawn ends. No loading the car, no trailhead parking. Boots on, out the door.
Morning
Ten minutes to the lift
Lutsen Mountains is about three miles up the road. Gear lives in the dedicated ski and snowboard storage rather than the hallway, which is the difference between a group of twelve leaving on time and not.
Afternoon
Everyone does something different
This is what eight wooded acres and 4,400 square feet buy you: the game room for whoever wants noise, the great room fireplace for whoever wants a book, the deck for whoever just wants the lake. Nobody has to agree on the plan.
Evening
One table
The kitchen was built to feed twelve without anyone packing cookware. That's the point of the whole house — the day scatters everybody and dinner brings them back. Three generations at one long table, and the same argument about whose turn it is to cook. It is the loudest hour of the day, and the one people describe when they get home.
After dark
The fire, and the sky
Out to the fire pit. This far up the North Shore the dark is genuinely dark, and on a clear cold night the stars do things they don't do at home. Deer come through the yard at dawn; now and then the cameras catch a bear crossing the deck.
02Plan the stay
How many nights do you need?
It's four hours from the Twin Cities and nearly two from Duluth. That drive shapes the answer — here's what each length is actually worth.
1
night
One night: we'd rather you didn't
Four-plus hours up and four-plus back for a single evening is a lot of car for very little shore.
- Day 1Arrive late afternoon, grocery stop on the way, an easy dinner at Moguls or Cascade Lodge, the fire pit and the stars.
Honestly: one night doesn't justify the drive, and a house that sleeps twelve isn't built for it. Two is the real minimum.
2
nights
Two nights: the Lutsen weekend
The classic short trip — land softly, then give the whole day to Grand Marais.
- Day 1Arrive and land softly: unload, walk the property, flights at North Shore Winery, an easy dinner, then the fire pit.
- Day 2Grand Marais, twenty-odd minutes up the shore — donuts, Artist's Point, the harbor shops, agates on the shore, dinner in town.
Two works if the drive doesn't scare you. In winter, swap day two for a ski day — first tracks start at the edge of the yard.
3
nights
Three nights: add the waterfalls
Our minimum recommendation. Town, water, and one day that's purely the North Shore.
- Day 1Arrive and land softly.
- Day 2Grand Marais day.
- Day 3Waterfall day southbound: Temperance River gorge, then Tettegouche's Shovel Point — or push on to Gooseberry and Split Rock. Group dinner at the lodge, shuffleboard downstairs.
Three nights is where the drive starts paying for itself.
4
nights
Four nights: add the mountain
Enough time for a proper ski or gondola day without cutting anything else.
- Day 1Arrive and land softly.
- Day 2Grand Marais day.
- Day 3Waterfall day southbound.
- Day 4The mountain — a Lutsen ski day and après at Moguls in winter; gondola, Summit Chalet lunch, the alpine slide and the Oberg loop in summer.
Four is the right length for a ski trip. Three days on the hill, one to see the shore.
5
nights
Five nights: add the Gunflint and the dark sky
The length that gets you to the edge of the Boundary Waters and gives you a real stargazing night.
- Day 1Arrive and land softly.
- Day 2Grand Marais day.
- Day 3Waterfall day southbound.
- Day 4The mountain.
- Day 5The Gunflint Trail — 57 miles to the edge of the Boundary Waters, moose eyes on, a Co-op picnic. Early dinner, then the fire pit and the sky.
Five nights is our pick. The Gunflint day and the dark-sky night are what people remember, and shorter stays always cut them first.
6
nights
Six nights: add a trail day and a slow afternoon
Room to hike properly and still have an afternoon that belongs to the house.
- Day 1Arrive and land softly.
- Day 2Grand Marais day.
- Day 3Waterfall day southbound.
- Day 4The mountain.
- Day 5The Gunflint Trail and the dark sky.
- Day 6Trail day — Oberg Mountain's summit loop or a Cascade River loop, then the game room and hot drinks. In winter, Nordic skiing from the door on the Norpine system.
Six nights is when the lodge itself starts to matter as much as the destinations.
7
nights
Seven nights: the far shore, or the slow goodbye
The full week, ending either with a big push north or a genuinely unhurried last morning.
- Day 1Arrive and land softly.
- Day 2Grand Marais day.
- Day 3Waterfall day southbound.
- Day 4The mountain.
- Day 5The Gunflint Trail and the dark sky.
- Day 6Trail day and a slow afternoon.
- Day 7The far shore — Devil's Kettle and Grand Portage High Falls, lunch in Grand Marais on the way back. Or the gentle version: one last donut run and a final Artist's Point walk.
A week is what a house this size is really for. Twelve people, seven days, and enough room that nobody's in anyone's way.
03When the weather turns
Rain days
A wet day up here isn't a write-off. Half of what people remember about this house happens indoors.
The house was built for this
The game room, the fireplace in the great room, a shuffleboard bracket, board games and hot drinks. Twelve people, 4,400 square feet, and nowhere anyone needs to be — the weather is doing you a favor.
Grand Marais in the rain
Galleries, North House Folk School, the Cook County museum, and a long lunch turn a wet day into a good one. The harbor is at its most atmospheric in weather, and the shops are twenty-odd minutes up the shore.
Waterfalls are better wet
High water is when the North Shore rivers actually perform. Temperance River gorge and Cascade River run hard after rain, and the crowds thin out. Rain gear, then the fire when you get back.
Ski weather is not rain
In winter the equivalent problem is wind holds on the lifts, not precipitation. When the mountain is on a hold, the Norpine Nordic system at the edge of the yard is sheltered in the trees and keeps running.
Reserve Direct
Check availability & book
Book Nordhus Lodge directly with us — best available rate, one calendar, no platform middleman.
The lifts open around the end of November, and the ski weekends that matter go first — holiday weeks and school breaks are usually spoken for by early autumn. Midweek stays open up much later.
The quiet stretch
Once the colour has gone and before the lifts spin, the North Shore empties out entirely. The trails have no leaves blocking the view, the waterfalls still run, and you can park in Grand Marais on a Saturday. It is the cheapest, easiest window to get everyone under one roof.
Come back to the same week
Tell us before you leave and we will hold the same week for you next year, before the calendar opens to anyone else. It is how a stay turns into the week your family takes.
A booking site can’t do this for you — it doesn’t know you’ll be back. We do. Book direct, and the week you loved is yours to keep.
Experience Highlights
What makes a stay here
- Lake Superior views and North Shore forest setting
- Eight private wooded acres
- Game room for evenings in
- Fireplace and fire pit for gathering
- Genuinely dark skies — stars over the lake, and the northern lights in season
- Characterful, curated details guests remember — branded Nordhus mugs, an antler chandelier, an agate fireplace hearth
- Expansive deck for outdoor meals
- Minutes from Lutsen Mountains skiing and the gondola
- Near the Norpine Trail System and Superior Hiking Trail
- Easy day trips to Grand Marais and Lake Superior
Amenities Snapshot
- Sleeps 12
- 5 bedrooms
- 3.5 bathrooms
- Game room
- Fireplace
- Fire pit
- Large deck
- Lake views
- Trail access
- Near Lutsen skiing
- Dedicated ski & snowboard storage
- Custom branded cornhole
- Full kitchen
- Work-friendly Wi-Fi
Amenities, in depth
- Black granite countertops and hickory cabinetry
- Electric cooktop and oven, dishwasher, and stainless appliances
- A second fridge in the garage for guest use
- Coffee both ways — a full Keurig and a drip maker
- Breakfast nook with seating for the group
- A gas grill outside for summer nights
Sleeping Arrangements
5 bedrooms · sleeps 12
Basement bedroom
Basement
- King bed
Main-floor bedroom
Main floor
- King bed
Main-floor bedroom
Main floor
- King bed
Upstairs bedroom
Upstairs
- King bed
Upstairs bedroom
Upstairs
- Four twin beds
Getting Here
Nordhus Lodge is easy to reach for a long weekend or a full week. Here's how it sits relative to the region's gateways and attractions.
From major cities
- Twin Citiesabout 4 to 4.5 hours (246 mi)
- Duluth, MNabout 1 hour 45 minutes (92 mi)
Nearest airports
- Duluth International (DLH)about 1 hour 50 minutes (95 mi) — the closest
- Minneapolis–St. Paul (MSP)about 4 to 4.5 hours — the nearest major hub
Nearby
- Lutsen Mountains (ski base)about 10 minutes (3 mi)
- Norpine Nordic trailsat the edge of the property — roughly an eighth of a mile
- Tofte (Coho, Bluefin)about 10 to 12 minutes (9–10 mi)
- Grand Maraisabout 20 to 25 minutes (18 mi)
- Gunflint Trail startabout 25 minutes (19 mi)
Highway 61 out of Duluth is the decompression chamber: ninety-odd miles of big water on your right. Add a couple of minutes for the final gravel stretch. The honest winter reality: the lodge sits on a privately maintained, winding gravel road, and 4WD or AWD is strongly recommended in season. The road is plowed through the winter, and there is parking for several vehicles at the lodge, including the garage.
Before You Go
- Lutsen Mountains snow report →
Check conditions before a ski day in season.
- Superior Hiking Trail conditions →
Reroutes, closures and bridge status before a trail day.
- Minnesota DNR fall color finder →
Where the color actually is, updated weekly in autumn.
- National Weather Service — Duluth →
The forecast that actually covers the North Shore.
The story behind the name
Nordhus is a name we built from the Norwegian nord (north) and hus (house) — "north house." It felt right for a lodge on Minnesota's North Shore, a coast settled in no small part by Scandinavian families who knew something about long winters and warm rooms.
The name is a small nod to that heritage and to what the house is for: a gathering place in the north, built to hold everyone who makes the drive up.
A Note from the Owners
We chose this stretch of the North Shore for the quiet. Eight wooded acres, the lake in the distance, and enough room inside for three generations to spread out and still find each other at dinner. Mornings start slow here — coffee on the deck, watching the woods wake up.
The days fill themselves: Lutsen Mountains in winter, the trails and Grand Marais in summer, the fire pit every night in between. We keep Nordhus the way we'd want to find it — warm, uncluttered, ready for a real gathering. It's where our own family slows down, and we're glad to share it.
The family behind the Stilla collection — we own, stay in, and personally curate every home.
Plan Your Stay
Read the Nordhus Lodge Guest Guide
How the home works and the destination around it — the guide we'd hand you on arrival.
Location
Lutsen, Minnesota
Nearby
- Lutsen Mountains (skiing, gondola, mountain biking)
- Superior Hiking Trail
- Norpine Trail System
- Lake Superior shoreline and waterfalls
- Grand Marais harbor town and galleries
- Cascade River and Temperance River State Parks
Location Context
Where you'll be
Nordhus Lodge anchors the North Shore region. Explore the destination guides below to plan your days.
Best available value
No platform service fees — reserve on the property's official site.
No middleman
Book with the people who care for the home, not a third party.
Property-specific support
Clear communication before, during, and after your stay.
Verified, curated homes
Each home is selected and held to the Stilla collection standard.
There was just the right amount of space for 12 people to have privacy when needed, but it also felt so cozy. We will definitely be back.
The layout was perfect for our large group, the views were stunning, and there were lots of thoughtful touches. One of the best experiences I've ever had.
This kitchen was fully stocked with nice cookware, dishes, seasonings and oils, and coffee. I would recommend this house 1000/10.
We've stayed in several houses in the area over the years, and this is definitely one of our favorites — great views and location.
Guest Reviews
More from our guests
“There was just the right amount of space for 12 people to have privacy when needed, but it also felt so cozy. The kids and big kids loved exploring the forest outside and playing games in the basement. We will definitely be back.”
“I've stayed at several Airbnbs and most lack decent kitchen basics. This kitchen was fully stocked with nice cookware, dishes, even kids' plates and cups, seasonings and oils, and coffee. Games, activities, comfortable beds — I would recommend this house 1000/10.”
“The layout was perfect for our large group, the views were stunning, and there were lots of thoughtful touches — from robes to a dart board! One of the best experiences I've ever had.”
“Two families, five adults and six children, and we had plenty of space. Huge ceilings, sunrise over Lake Superior from the top deck, a cozy living room with a fireplace, star gazing and s'mores around the fire. Everyone loved this place.”
“We've stayed in several houses in the area over the years, and this is definitely one of our favorites — great views and location.”
“We went skiing at Lutsen, and this was the perfect home to stay at — beautiful, spacious, clean, and only five minutes from the resort. Our family had a great time.”
“The lodge was a perfect space for a North Shore weekend. So much for kids to play, spacious bedrooms, a kitchen with everything you'd need, and the fire pit was a hit. The perfect spot to experience autumn in Minnesota.”
“Beautifully maintained and matched the listing description accurately. All essential amenities thoughtfully provided, contributing to a comfortable and seamless experience. I would gladly return.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Nordhus Lodge is in Lutsen, Minnesota, on the North Shore of Lake Superior — close to Lutsen Mountains and roughly a half-hour from Grand Marais.
Related Guides
- Best Things to Do Near Grand Marais, MN
- Where to Stay Near Lutsen MountainsComing soon
- Family Weekend Guide to Lutsen, Minnesota
- Lake Superior Vacation Rental Guide
- Best Luxury Vacation Rentals on Minnesota's North Shore