Shire in the Woods

Just stayed in the Loft. Quiet, clean, cozy cabin.
Took several walks on well maintained trails. Being fall, the colors were beautiful.
Owners were so kind and friendly attending to anything we needed.
Thank you, Mike.
Jane C. and Pat J.

Very pretty, very nice. Friendly and very caring staff. They have and continue to work hard to make sure you have a pleasant stay and an enjoyable experience. And on top of maintaining that, they care for rescued horses, endangered birds and are very genuine, down to earth people. I highly recommend this little piece of heaven in the woods!

What a wonderful place for a retreat. The quiet and peace was simply wonderful, and it’s not too far from the cities. That meant we could spend more of our time relaxing and less driving! We stayed in the Woodlands, and it was just incredible. The building was clean, it was full of supplies, and felt secluded. I particularly loved all the animals on the grounds—sweet Sam (pictures) came out to see us on the dock one night. We will be back, and we can’t wait!

Beautiful trails with lots of room to roam. Loved the swings. Participated in a forest therapy immersion!

If you need a low key place to get away, this is the right place. I have stayed here many times, all during autumn and winter. The cabins have what you need, just bring your food, comfortable clothes, and a book. I always loving walking the easy trails on the property, the pond trail is my favorite. I feel so refreshed after my little weekend getaways.

Had a really lovely stay back in September. Wonderful atmosphere, cozy cabins, and nice staff. My friend and I enjoyed exploring the different trails and relaxing in the hammocks they had along the way. The family had just finished a lantern lit trail for the evenings. We are definitely looking forward to visiting again in the future. Seems like a great place to hole up in the winter.

Friendly staff, great cabin getaway, even though there are other guests at other cabins it’s almost like you’re there alone with your group, only time we saw anyone else was while hiking. The place was clean, well stocked with great amenities. We stayed at the cedar house and it was fantastic, my only problem was that with COVID 19 the animal attractions were closed but that has nothing to do with the way the place is run or the staff, just the reality of the world we live in right now.

I went here on a personal meditation retreat and fell in love. The grounds and walking trails are beautiful. The owners are reserved but very friendly. I stayed in the Meadows cottage. It was clean, well kept, and had a wonderful wood burning fireplace. The shower was a bit small but had good water pressure and the bed was really comfy. I'll for sure be back and will be recommending it to others.

EDIT to add: I want to make it very clear that none of the less-than-positive comments should in any way deter people from staying here. It's beautiful and worth going out of your way.

I spent three nights at their Woodlands cabin. It was as good as the pictures and better. I didn't walk the trails and only left the cabin once to drive to Sturgeon Lake for some supplies at Dollar General. However, just being in the cabin with the big window view of the woods was more than enough for me. It was quiet, serene, well maintained, and accommodating. I went there to get away and be with myself and got exactly that.

Description of what I found (not good or bad): The refrigerator is a larger dorm-style fridge. No oven. The loft in is amazing. I spent a lot of time there reading. The bed is comfortable with adequate pillows. I didn't use the in-cabin fire place. AC works great. Large sink, smaller microwave, two burner stove, basic spice selection (salt, pepper, and a couple odds and ends). Several games and puzzles. Rotating fan (I brought my own box fan). CD player. Well-lit. Very clean and smells nice.

I would gladly, and sincerely hope to, visit this place again.

Three considerations for those staying here:
1) Somehow a few mosquitos will work their way into the cabin at night. I tried to find the source and suspected the accordion barriers for the air conditioner. I covered them with some plastic wrap, via masking tape, but somehow a couple still made it into the cabin the subsequent two evenings. I had not left the cabin during that time so they didn't come through the front door.
2) The Wi-Fi is poor to unusable at times. I doubt most people are going there to enjoy the comforts of Internet. However, if you plan to do remote work, consider getting a cellular repeater. I have T-Mobile which was about as good as the Wi-Fi (so, not good). Other carriers might have better reception. The Wi-Fi is managed through a signal extender by the window. You might get better access by using an ethernet cable and plugging it into the signal extender. This bypasses any mediums which disrupt Wi-Fi. I didn't have a cable with me and was unable to test.
3) Lots of deer flies. Not much you can do about that.

Shire in the Woods was the perfect tranquil getaway when I needed it most. The communication for booking was prompt and accommodating, and the cabin I stayed in was more than I could've asked for, for an incredibly reasonable price. I made good use of the wood burning fireplace in my cabin, the outdoor fire pit, and found relaxation and rejuvenation feeding the horses, watching the chickens in their coop, booking massage therapy, and swinging in the hammock. I brought my yoga mat, guitar, bike, and never wanted to leave! The cabins are spaced out generously and very private. I hope to go back for a more communal event, as the cabins and the Octagon have multiple beds to spare. Though mine was a personal retreat, this would be the ideal spot for a small group of people to retreat together! Finally, the family that runs the Shire is so great - they're respectful of their guests' privacy, available to serve and accommodate, bring supplies by the cabins or loaning out gear, and delightful to converse with. They are committed to their mission and I found many kindred spirits among the staffing.

We had our wedding at the Shire. The owner and all staff were welcoming and friendly. There are good vibes all over this place. We had an amazing time and the cabins were cozy, the animals are adorable and the scenery is beautiful. Everyone loved this place and it was a great weekend for everyone to get away and celebrate love. Thank you Michael!

What an absolutely magical place! They have managed to capture the essence of the Shire at a metaphysical level. To truly experience the Shire in the Woods you have to feel it...get out...walk deep within & look close...

Do not be mislead by it's humble first impression. The cabins are adorable, clean, kitchens are nice, bathrooms are good and the spiral staircases are to die for! The boardwalk over an actual beaver dam is an amazing experience! I've only seen one a single time....but you can see their mudslides are well used!

The bee garden in full bloom is an intense, humbling experience... It's deep magic... I don't want to spoil it all for you!

Been there several times...most seasons.. I'd say if you want a gaurnteed mind blowing experience go when it's full bloom...when the hummingbirds, most flowers, fungi, bees etc etc are all at their peak is the best. If the sun is shining you'll have epic time in any direction you choose to wander.

Winter is a totally legit trip. Always click the box to have firewood already at the cabin. There's plenty of great kindling. The wood is perfectly split & cured birch... I like to go outside and get a coffee mug of fresh snow. The trials are still a blast to hike. No bugs!

But yeah... it's MN... skeeters be thick. Go when it's been hot and dry fit days! Bugs love fresh rain, stagnant water, warm mushy earth.... Otherwise deal with it as you would any other camping or lake trip.

The hour drive over to Cuyuna bike & hiking trails (CCRSA) was SO worth it. I was on a cheap "mountain bike" & I use that term loosely.... and went on even a few blue trails. The green trails are a lot of fun too! Ate our packed lunch and made a great day of it. Lake Mille Lacs is right nextdoor.

... it's just as fun to get lost in the woods right outside your cabin though.

Check it out!

My husband and I stayed here for our anniversary weekend for the past 2 years. We love The Woodlands! It's so cozy, beautiful, peaceful and has all the comfortd of home! The wood burning fireplace was so wonderful on those cold evenings! We took walks through the quiet woods. Highly recommended!!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

My partner and I had our wedding at the Shire, and it was perfect! Most guests stayed on site and Michael+crew were the most wonderful hosts. The cabins, event tent, bbqs, bonfire, and grounds were pristine, the island ceremony absolutely unforgettable. Thank you Shire!! We will be back!

Perfect escape in the woods with everything you could ever need up North! Layout gave plenty of privacy and space to roam. It magically snowed a couple inches overnight and made this property very picturesque. My wife and I will definitely be back to check out the other cabins on this property. Very well managed and safely ran. Get up to this spot!

Great retreat space. My husband and I stayed with another couple in the tree lodge. Great house, great staff, great grounds. We would love to be back with the kids. It is rustic, but we enjoyed the solitude and used the octagon house for yoga. Loved our time there!

This was an awesome place for us to host a reception. The owner is very kind and most helpful. All of my family and friends asked how we found it and I believe many of them will come back for little vacations of their own! I highly recommend this location for the outdoor lovers. Its backed up against state forest and there are miles of trails to walk. The quaint and cozy cabins are a joy to stay in.

A small getaway, quiet and off the beaten path. Staff was pleasant and everything was as advertised. No complaints

Nice place. We were here for a wedding, so we had all of the cabins (& campers/tents).
They did a nice job of setting up & tearing down, (did require extra $ for dogs off-leash). Cabins were decent & grounds were nice.

I just spent four days bunkered up in a cabin on the coldest days in history. I was cozy warm, and had a incredible experience! It was beautiful, peaceful, and everything I was looking for. I didn't venture out into nature too much as I hate the cold, but I look forward to going back and checkin it all out. The octagon was a huge surprise of wonderfulness. It was filled with everything you would ever need for a personal and/or spiritual retreat. they have it all set up perfectly! I highly recommend the Shire for anyone looking to get away from the rush of life. I also recommend disconnecting from technology. People said they could hear a difference in my voice when I got home. :)