Planning Your Stay at The Kingfisher Lodge

The river is waiting! Here are a few things to help you plan, pack a little lighter, and know what’s waiting for you when you arrive.

Getting Here

The Kingfisher Lodge
11147 N. River Lane
Cornell, MI 49818

The paved road will turn to dirt near the end. Keep going about 300 yards and look for The Kingfisher Lodge sign on the left. There’s plenty of parking next to the house and garage, including room for RVs, campers, and ORV trailers.

Google Maps:
Link to Property in Google Maps

If you’ll be exploring around the U.P., we strongly recommend downloading an offline map before your trip. Cell service can get pretty spotty once you’re out exploring.

Check-In & Checkout

Check-in is at 10am EST. All the needed info, including your keyless door code and final arrival instructions, will be sent by message early in the morning on the day of check-in.

Keep an eye on your messages on arrival day in case we need to pass along any last-minute lodge updates or helpful notes for your stay.

When you arrive, you'll see plenty of parking on the gravel (please do not park on the grass). We have exterior lights on a timer if you’re arriving after dark, it’s a good idea to have your directions pulled up before you get close to the lodge since cell service can be spotty in the area.

Checkout is at 10:00 AM EST. Checkout instructions will be messaged to you the night before you leave — nothing complicated.

Pack Less — We’ve Got a Lot Here

Towels, soap, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and plenty of toilet paper.

Washer and dryer, detergent, and fabric softener.

Full cookware, dishes, glasses, pots and pans, griddle, blender, toaster, microwave, rice cooker, crock pot, baking basics, utensils, spices, cooking oil, salt, pepper, paper towels, foil, food storage containers, dish soap, and dishwasher pods.

Coffee and tea are provided, along with a standard coffee maker, bean grinder, and filters. Bring your favorite beans if you want something specific.

You’ll also find bug spray, first-aid basics, grill tools, lighters, and s’mores skewers at the lodge.

Checkout the home page for a complete list of amenities.

Coming With Kids?

We have a few things here so you don’t have to pack them. For infants and younger kids, the lodge has a folding high chair, baby wash tub, pack ’n play, mattress, sheets, changing station, diaper pail, and some bed rails for the twin beds. We also have some air mattresses.

Groceries & Food

If you’re planning to cook at the lodge, it’s a good idea to stock up before heading out to Cornell. Nearby options include:

• Walmart Supercenter — best bet for a full grocery run

• Frapps Meat Market — excellent steaks and meats

• Flat Rock Grocery — good for quick stops

Cooking, Grilling & Fires

The lodge has a full kitchen, a large gas grill on the deck, a gas fire pit, and a wood fire pit in the backyard. Grilling tools, lighters, and s’mores skewers are already here. If you plan to use the wood fire pit, bring your own firewood, all gas stations in the area carry some.

Hot Tub

The hot tub will be ready for you when you arrive, and we provide towels, so just bring your swimsuits. We’ll send a few simple hot tub care instructions when you arrive so everyone knows how to use it properly and keep it in great shape during your stay.

Bikes, Games & Entertainment

There’s plenty to do without leaving the property. We provide:

• 3 adult bikes

• 2 youth bikes

• Helmets and bike pump

• Cornhole

• Around 15 indoor games

• Roku TV

• Xbox

• Hot tub

• Gas and wood fire pits

Wi-Fi & Cell Service

The lodge has fast Wi-Fi, around 115 Mbps, which can handle streaming and video calls for larger groups. Verizon and AT&T generally work reasonably well in the area. We recommend enabling Wi-Fi Calling on your phone and connecting to the lodge's wi-fi when you arrive.

Bugs & Insects

The beautiful U.P. summer comes with bugs. The good news is our bug population is pretty mild compared to other regions. We do not get black flies. We do see a few ticks in May and June. And mosquitoes are usually the peskiest in June and taper off in July and hotter months. We keep bug spray, bite wipes, first-aid basics, and a Thermacell at the lodge, so you don’t need to bring much unless you have a favorite repellent.

What You May Want to Bring

A few things worth thinking about:

• Groceries and drinks

• Swimsuits

• Favorite coffee beans

• Outdoor shoes or water shoes

• Fishing gear

• Rain jacket and seasonal layers

• Firewood if you want a wood fire

• Any specialty baby gear you prefer

Follow us on Facebook

For the insider view — what’s running, what’s blooming, local happenings, and the occasional peek behind the scenes at the lodge:

https://www.facebook.com/kingfishermi

Need Help?

Not sure where to eat, fish, hike, explore, or spend a day? Just message me. We know the area well and are happy to help you plan your stay.