Keith Morris – Growing up on the Gunflint Trail

Keith Morris is an artist, builder, woodworker, writer, master paddler, and woodsman, as well as an inventor holding two patents that improve transporting a kayak.

Generations of his family have lived on the Gunflint Trail since 1915, arriving from Iowa to flourish in the North Woods through mastery of outdoors skills, grit, and gumption.

Whether running a tourist business, hunting, fishing, paddling, skiing, cutting lake ice, building log houses, or flying airplane support in the wilderness, the Morris family’s Gunflint Trail life is as creative and inspiring as Keith’s spectacular illustrations and engaging essays on trail life as he has lived it, from 1950s to 2026. His family has operated on Poplar Lake since 1915, offering early flying services and running Nor’wester Lodge, which gave Morris a unique upbringing in the remote northern Minnesota wilderness.

Keith has famously paddled 100 miles in a single day and, on one occasion, was tracked by a wolf pack deep in the Boundary Waters.

This presentation will be held at the Chik-Wauk Nature Center.

All presentations are family-friendly and free to the public.
Donations are always appreciated. Take your time driving up the Gunflint Trail National Scenic Byway!

Presentations are sponsored by Visit Cook County and the GTHS Gift Club!