Stokely Creek is not only a great place to ski, it's a great place to relax, to eat, and to meet interesting people. There are about 120 km of ski trails of all skill levels over varied terrain and beautiful countryside. Even with a lot of people staying at the Lodge, once you get out on the trails you're likely not to see anyone for hours on end. There are also about 20 km of snowshoe trails, which provide a quiet and challenging way to see the area. You can both ski and snowshoe to the platform on King Mountain for a spectacular view of the Lake Superior, Michigan, and northwest Ontario. Truly breathtaking.

The Lodge is charming and comfortable. I found the staff to be exceptionally helpful, friendly and ready to provide assistance whenever I needed it. I had one minor issue with my room my first night, and they immediately upgraded me to another room at the same price. The owners are gregarious and hospitable. The first day, the owner offered to take me out on a tour for a couple hours, and then took a small group of us up on the snowshoe trails on my second day. One of the best things about Stokely is the communal atmosphere, so it's very different than just staying in a hotel or at a resort. You make friends around the fire, over wine and cheese, and at meals. The food is good and plentiful, and it's great to come in off the trails and have an abundance of hot food waiting for you.

This was my first visit. Nearly everyone I'd met there had been there before, and many had been coming every year for decades. Stokely clearly has a faithful following, and now having been there, I'm sure I'll be going back!

We last cross country skied at Stokely Creek years ago, when it had different owners. We loved it then for the great scenery, beautiful trails, friendly staff, and excellent food. Now it's even better because they've gotten new bedding and put more art in bedrooms and common rooms. There's now a clubhouse where lodging guests meet each evening for appetizers.

They've added new trails, warming huts, and snowshoe trails and rentals. If you've never snowshoed before, start out on the creekside trail that borders a winding, burbling stream. After burning off calories outdoors, you can relax in one of two co-ed saunas. You can also book a regular or hot stones massage.

Staying in the main lodge has the advantage of being in the same building as the dining room, community rooms, rec room, and one sauna. The disadvantage is that it can be a bit noisier than if you stay in one of the chalets.

This is both a great place to cross-country ski and a great place to stay. There's just one problem: It's a long way from anywhere. It's located about a half hour outside of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. We're from California, so it's a trial to get there, and we never would have found it except we have relatives in Michigan who go there. We've cross-country skied a lot of places, and Stokely is by far our favorite. Once you park your car in the parking lot, they take care of you. You ski in about a quarter-mile to the lodge (they bring your bags and anyone who doesn't feel like skiing on a snowmobile). There are something like 75 miles of groomed trails, with plenty of challenging runs for experienced skiers and lots of gentle trails through spectacularly beautiful woods for those who don't want steep hills. The lodge is pretty, but simple. Sort of Scandinavian in design. The lodge rooms share bathrooms, but the chalet rooms mostly have their own baths. The food is plentiful and good (it used to be fantastic, and we keep hoping it will be again). A really wonderful place and worth the inconvenience of getting there.