Location

Getting here is easy. See below for detailed driving directions.

Address: 8450 Vermilion Drive Cook, MN 55723

 

Directions

  1. 35W North from Twin Cities to the CLOQUET EXIT

  2. Exit and TAKE Highway #33 through Cloquet ALL THE WAY TO Highway # 53 (they join together)

  3. Take 53 North to Cook.

  4. Once you are in Cook, Turn right on #24 (just after you enter Cook, across the street from ZUP’s good grocery store).

  5. Go 2 blocks through the town of Cook and there’s a slight curve to the right and then left over the railroad tracks.

  6. Stay on 24, past Spring Bay Resort, Moosebirds (convenience store, ICE CREAM CONES, souvenirs. sweatshirts), and the Landing Restaurant

  7. Continue UNTIL THE PAVEMENT ENDS. We are about 7 miles from The Landing RESTAURANT. Do not turn on the road that LEADS to Vermilion Dam.

  8. After the pavement ends, continue for about 4.5 miles. You pass the intersection with Kennedy Road, which goes to the left to the Elbow Lake Lodge. Stay straight ahead on the gravel road.

  9. Go past Holmes Road which goes to the left. You eventually will see a nice stand of jack pine/ red pine trees on both sides. The forest then will change and an area on the left will appear where there is a lot of younger aspen regeneration. Just before the top of a large hill, you will see a sign on your left which says “Life of Riley Resort – 3 miles.”

  10. At the bottom of that hill, which is about 200 yards, turn right where there are four red fire number signs on a post. Our fire number is 8450. There is a Vintage Vermilion sign. This is the first road off No. 24 to the right, after Kennedy Road. It looks like a forest road and that is what it is.

  11. Immediately, you will see a yellow sign on the right which states that this is a MN minimum maintenance road. Drive slowly. The “driveway” is 1.5 miles long.

  12. Keep going straight ahead, south, past one driveway to the left. Do not turn. Continue straight ahead, under the power line, Do not turn right at the power line. Go straight ahead thru the tall gate posts.

  13. About 200 feet past the gate, you will see the road taking off to the left, with a red directional arrow. Turn left and follow that road to the resort. If you have a trailer and want to launch a boat, continue straight ahead down the hill and along the lakeshore until you get to our launch. Cell service is available. Our caretaker, Aleks’, number is 216-712-2404 . He will be happy to back your trailer and help you launch your boat. He knows what he is doing. He used to drive trucks!