Driving Directions to Homeplace 

Homeplace, one of the wilderness base camps for the Voyageur Outward Bound School, is located about 11 miles south of Ely, Minnesota off of Highway 1.  There are three common routes to get here from the Duluth area (details for each are below):

1. The first is the scenic route through Two Harbors and includes travel through wooded areas without cell service and services.  If you choose this route, make sure you have enough gas to travel about 1.5 hours after leaving Two Harbors. 
2. This route is a little longer than the first option and not as scenic, yet it has more houses, services, and cell service, in case you need help.  
3. The third option is if you want to go through the town of Ely before arriving at Homeplace. 

Homeplace’s physical address is:
Voyageur Outward Bound School
1007 Spruce Road
Ely, MN 55731

**Some GPS devices and online mapping services have trouble recognizing it, so be sure to check your directions ahead of time.

The Scenic/Quickest Route:

• Take US 61 north of Duluth for about 25 miles to Two Harbors. 
• Turn left at the Holiday gas station/Hanlees onto Highway 2 (4th Street). 
• Follow Highway 2 forever or until you hit the end of the road (about 45 miles).   There is one stop sign in about 25 miles where you take a right and then in about .3 miles you make a left.  You will still be on Highway 2 during this time.
• At the end of Highway 2, you hit a T intersection with Highway 1. Take a left. 
• Follow Highway 1 to mile marker 297, where you will take a right onto Spruce Road where there is also an Outward Bound sign. 
• Follow Spruce Road for about 2 miles and turn left at the Outward Bound school sign (also a small blue fire road number 1007). Homeplace is a couple of miles down this road.

Through Virginia/Babbitt

• Take US 53 north from Duluth to Virginia (about 60 miles)
• Continue along 53 until you see the sign for Highway 169 to Ely (about another 5 miles)
• Turn right onto Hwy 169.
• After approximately 7 miles, take a right onto Highway 21 directly across from the Silverado Saloon (blue building with flashing yellow sign). 
• After traveling for about 12 miles on Rte. 21 you’ll reach Embarrass. Continue on until you reach the outskirts of Babbitt.  A golf course will be on your right. You need to take a left to continue on Hwy 21. 
• Take Highway 21 until you see a landfill sign, half mile past this; take a right onto County Road 120 (towards Ely Airport). Continue on 120 until you hit a T junction with Highway 1. 
• Turn right on Hwy 1. Just past mile marker 297 you will see a sign for Spruce Road along with an Outward Bound School sign. Turn left here. 
• Follow Spruce Road for about 2 miles and turn left at the Outward Bound school sign (also a small blue fire road number 1007). Homeplace is a couple of miles down this road.
  
  

The Longest Route, Through the Town of Ely:

• Take US 53 north from Duluth to Virginia (about 60 miles)

• Continue along 53 until you see the sign for Highway 169 to Ely (about another 5 miles)
• Turn right onto Hwy 169. Take 169 to Ely (approximately 45 miles).
• Turn right onto Highway 1, at the Chamber of Commerce. 
• Travel about 10 miles, then turn left onto Spruce Road where there is also an Outward Bound School sign. Follow Spruce Road for about 2 miles and turn left onto VOBS road. 

When You Arrive
Parking may be limited at Homeplace due to the high number of current and former staff and trustees expected to attend.  When you arrive, please follow signs indicating where you should park.  Please continue down the gravel road to the Pieh Building (our main administration building), where registration will occur starting at 12pm on Friday, August 29th.

The reunion will end at approximately 10:00 AM on Sunday, September 1st.
Folks needing transportation to Duluth will depart Homeplace before this time, and you may miss the closing circle. These logistics are still being worked out. 

Returning to Duluth

Reunion guests requesting a shuttle will be transported to Duluth on September 1. 
Please book your departing flights any time after 1:00 PM on September 1st.

You will arrive in Duluth in time for a 1:00 PM flight.  We cannot guarantee that you will be able to make any flights or get a bus out of Duluth, MN, before 1:00 PM, so plan your itinerary accordingly.