Black’s Cliff Resort

The Northwoods is one of my favorite places in the country, and I’ve stayed at a few places in both summer and winter. Black’s Cliff Resort is by far the gem amongst the many other good options. I have to give the credit to my girlfriend who found the place, and also the time of year, first week of June, it was so quiet and peaceful.
We stayed in the Birchwood cabin, right next door to the resort keepers place, home to the resort dog a regal golden retriever who seems to be doing very well in his professional role. The cabin was amazing, with a fireplace inside, stocked with local firewood, and a backyard fire pit. A breezeway overlooking the lake with a bed hanging from the ceiling was the perfect spot for a Sunday afternoon snooze after the drive up from Chicago.
Later in the evening, after dinner, I noticed the light fading and wandered down the stairs to one of the most thrilling sunsets I have witnessed. And I was the solo witness because not a soul was stirring on that lake in early June, and evening chill negated my girlfriends interest in the natural beauty. That night, on the soft bed, I had the best night’s sleep in at least a year.

«I need a mini-​getaway or I’m going to pull my freaking hair out!» Yes, that was me about two weeks ago, frantic and stressed at work and needing a break from the monotony of life and the depressing winter blues. My knight in shining armor came to my rescue, looking up cabins in search for a weekend escape, but somewhere nearby a good ski place. Hello, Black’s Cliff.
It was about a 5 hour drive from the Chicagoland area. Thanks to some bad driving weather, it was nighttime by the time we arrived. The winding road up to the cabins was scary, especially since it’s so secluded that there are no street lights. We finally got there and then were scared because the office was closed. Turns out, the people in charge live right across from the office, so we just called them and they came out and showed us where our cabin was.
There is no key, so make sure you leave it unlocked, though you could ask about that if you don’t feel comfortable. The cabin was beautiful. Small, but it was just the two of us so we didn’t need a ton of space. There are larger cabins for families and two other ones this size (See pics for Wildflower layout). There was a full kitchen with a stove, microwave, dishes, glasses, pots, and pans. All you really need to bring are toiletries, food, and towels. Everything else is supplied. There’s a great fireplace in the living room, with wood outside so you can make your fire whenever you please. There is also a neat porch area with a swinging bed, tables, chairs, games, etc that looks out onto the great view of trees and the lake. It was too cold to enjoy it, but it would be great in the warmer months.
Be warned, the TV is very small, so you’ll have to get closer if you want to watch a movie, or you might be better off watching it on your laptop. Also, there are not a lot of channels, so don’t expect that. Though, how much TV will you really be watching when you have the greatness of nature around you? Same goes for the wifi. Our cabin was the furthest from the office, so there was no signal. I did need to send an email while I was away, so I sat on the porch to do it where I got a better, but still weak signal. If you want to use the Internet, you can go into their office where they have a stronger signal, or into town.
Our stay was completely relaxing and just what I needed. Downtown Minocqua is not that far away, so you can go in to town when you need something. I’d advise doing your research on places to eat, though, because even though they have a binder of places in town and stuff to do, you really need to figure out what you like ahead of time. Before leaving, you need to clean up after yourself, which isn’t hard to do. Sweep, do dishes, pick up your mess, the usual.
Dogs are allowed, but there is a small fee and you have to make sure they don’t leave any hair behind. I think the offseason price was $ 120 a night, which seems pretty good considering your view and all the space you get. Just think about the crappy hotels in cities where you don’t get nearly the same experience. Last tip: they only take cash and check. Overall, we had a great time and would definitely consider coming back in the warmer months. What a find!

We stayed at Black’s Cliff Resort for a weekend snowmobiling trip (Feb 2012). The ‘Red Pine’ cabin was CLEAN and COMFORTABLE and offered all the amenities you could ask for. The cabin was very roomy and updated yet with that old cabin charm and feel.
The resort is very easy to find, just off of 51 with easy access to the Bearskin Trail. Jenny and Troy were great hosts. I’d recommend this resort to anyone!