Black River Lodge (at North Ironwood Acres) — Hotel in Ironwood Township

I recently rolled into Black River Lodge, part of North Ironwood Acres (April 24-25 2025), still debating whether I should have taken the safe motel option in Ironwood. But the moment I opened the door and was greeted by name by Brittney who with her husband Justin runs the lodge, I knew I was in the right place! She made check-in feel less like a transaction and more like being welcomed into a family cabin, just one that happens to sit on 65 acres of towering pines and quiet trails.|||Settling in -|My room—Trail’s End, king #28, wasn’t fancy, but it was spotless and thoughtfully stocked: a fridge big enough for groceries, a microwave to reheat leftovers, and a solid coffee maker for my morning coffee. The bed was comfy, clean fresh sheets and towels and a mini fireplace heater to warm me up on a chilly night in the U.P. That first night I cracked the window and listened to two owls volleying calls through the trees. By sunrise a pair of deer were nosing around just beyond the parking lot. It’s hard to beat wildlife as an alarm clock. You're not going to find this at a chain hotel in town. |||Evening rhythms -|After a day of waterfall hopping (Potawatomi falls, Sandstone falls , and Rainbow falls are all a short drive from North Ironwood Acres), I wandered the lodge’s gaming area with vintage pool tables, foosball, darts, before poking my head into the bar. Think polished Formica, plaid stools, low lighting, and the faint soundtrack of 1970s Northwoods vacations. I didn’t stay for a drink, but the vintage bar space alone felt worth the peek.|||Scattered throughout the corridors are little sitting areas with couches and board-games—perfect for reading, hanging out with family, planning the next hike, or streaming a movie on the refreshingly fast Wi-Fi (my speed test topped 100 Mbps).|||A base for real wandering -|Black River Lodge turned out to be an ideal launchpad for my adventures in the area. One afternoon I drove fifteen minutes up the road to Little Girls Point on Lake Superior, filled my pockets with agates, watched an outrageously pink sunset, and was back at the lodge before darkness and star filled skies swallowed the county road. I'm so happy I decided not to stay at the chain hotel on a busy road in town. |||Food & practical bits -|There’s no restaurant, so bring groceries or hit Ironwood’s cafés and restaurants. Community grills and picnic tables dot the property, and several condo-style units have full kitchens. My room ran about $100 a night—less than most roadside options and a lot more atmosphere and historic character. |||New Ironwood RV Campground opening in May 2025 - Stargazers U.P. Campground - Part of North Ironwood Acres -|During an after-dinner stroll I wandered into Brittany and Justin’s newest project: Stargazers Campground which they told me has a grand opening in May. Twenty-five brand-new RV sites, each with full hookups (power, water, sewer), with a small pond for fishing and paddling and the RV campground is backed up to the forest and the same trail network that reaches the Black river.|||Morning coffee & good people -|On checkout day, I found the owner Justin parked on a lobby couch with a mug of coffee. I grabbed my own cup and joined him. For fifteen unhurried minutes we traded travel stories, UP adventure lore, and a few thoughts on running a lodge in the middle of nowhere. Brittany soon drifted over with her coffee, and the three of us talked like old friends until I realized the miles were calling.|||That small moment summed up the place: no pretense, just genuine hospitality from owners who clearly pour their hearts into keeping a historic lodge alive.| ||If you’re looking for room service and turndown mints, this probably isn’t your spot. But if clean rooms, forest air, honest prices, and hosts who treat you like family sound good, steer eight miles north of Ironwood and let Black River Lodge be your base camp. I'm so glad that I decided to wonder off the path and find a hidden gem in the UP of Michigan, North Ironwood Acres is my kind of place and my...

I recently rolled into Black River Lodge, part of North Ironwood Acres (April 24-25 2025), still debating whether I should have taken the safe motel option in Ironwood. But the moment I opened the door and was greeted by name by Brittney who with her husband Justin runs the lodge, I knew I was in the right place! She made check-in feel less like a transaction and more like being welcomed into a family cabin, just one that happens to sit on 65 acres of towering pines and quiet trails.

Settling in - My room—Trail’s End, king #28, wasn’t fancy, but it was spotless and thoughtfully stocked: a fridge big enough for groceries, a microwave to reheat leftovers, and a solid coffee maker for my morning coffee. The bed was comfy, clean fresh sheets and towels and a mini fireplace heater to warm me up on a chilly night in the U.P. That first night I cracked the window and listened to two owls volleying calls through the trees. By sunrise a pair of deer were nosing around just beyond the parking lot. It’s hard to beat wildlife as an alarm clock. You're not going to find this at a chain hotel in town.

Evening rhythms - After a day of waterfall hopping (Potawatomi falls, Sandstone falls , and Rainbow falls are all a short drive from North Ironwood Acres), I wandered the lodge’s gaming area with vintage pool tables, foosball, darts, before poking my head into the bar. Think polished Formica, plaid stools, low lighting, and the faint soundtrack of 1970s Northwoods vacations. I didn’t stay for a drink, but the vintage bar space alone felt worth the peek.

Scattered throughout the corridors are little sitting areas with couches and board-games—perfect for reading, hanging out with family, planning the next hike, or streaming a movie on the refreshingly fast Wi-Fi (my speed test topped 100 Mbps).

A base for real wandering - Black River Lodge turned out to be an ideal launchpad for my adventures in the area. One afternoon I drove fifteen minutes up the road to Little Girls Point on Lake Superior, filled my pockets with agates, watched an outrageously pink sunset, and was back at the lodge before darkness and star filled skies swallowed the county road. I'm so happy I decided not to stay at the chain hotel on a busy road in town.

Food & practical bits - There’s no restaurant, so bring groceries or hit Ironwood’s cafés and restaurants. Community grills and picnic tables dot the property, and several condo-style units have full kitchens. My room ran about $100 a night—less than most roadside options and a lot more atmosphere and historic character.

New Ironwood RV Campground opening in May 2025 - Stargazers U.P. Campground - Part of North Ironwood Acres - During an after-dinner stroll I wandered into Brittany and Justin’s newest project: Stargazers Campground which they told me has a grand opening in May. Twenty-five brand-new RV sites, each with full hookups (power, water, sewer), with a small pond for fishing and paddling and the RV campground is backed up to the forest and the same trail network that reaches the Black river.

Morning coffee & good people - On checkout day, I found the owner Justin parked on a lobby couch with a mug of coffee. I grabbed my own cup and joined him. For fifteen unhurried minutes we traded travel stories, UP adventure lore, and a few thoughts on running a lodge in the middle of nowhere. Brittany soon drifted over with her coffee, and the three of us talked like old friends until I realized the miles were calling.

That small moment summed up the place: no pretense, just genuine hospitality from owners who clearly pour their hearts into keeping a historic lodge alive.

If you’re looking for room service and turndown mints, this probably isn’t your spot. But if clean rooms, forest air, honest prices, and hosts who treat you like family sound good, steer eight miles north of Ironwood and let Black River Lodge be your base camp. I'm so glad that I decided to wonder off the path and find a hidden gem in the UP of Michigan, North Ironwood Acres is my kind of place and my...

First year review: Cutest little place! Outdated townhomes but it didn’t matter to us. Plenty of space. We had 2 adults and 5 kids with PLENTY of space for all of us. We’ll be back next year :)

Update on how the second year went: Unacceptable experience our second time there. During our second stay, we had terrible encounterS with Brittany, who was unprofessional and rude. Her husband, on the other hand, was kind and pleasant. Brittany was horrible to us well before this occurred: We accidentally burnt a pie crust while playing games in the common area, which caused smoke in our townhouse. Instead of checking if we were okay, Brittany’s first comment was, ‘Can this like never happen again? This is a really big deal because the fire alarms might go off.’ Brittany, you’re just wrong. A lot of business owners would have handled it seriously yet in a pleasant way. No, I don’t expect you to be happy. But I do expect you to care more about the safety of your guests than your bottom line. We didn’t take advantage of you 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

Here’s the problem, Brittany: the fire alarms aren’t operational—a massive safety concern that the property has yet to address. THAT IS NOT SAFE. There wasn’t even a carbon monoxide detector in sight. If the alarms worked, there would’ve been significantly less smoke in the first place Her tone and attitude made an innocent mistake feel like a crime, even though there was no damage!

If you’re traveling with kids, beware. Brittany is hyper-controlling and unkind. For example, when our kids were playing pickleball, she nitpicked about beanbags they used as markers not being put back immediately, even going up to them to make passive-aggressive remarks like, ‘I guess we are just leaving stuff out.’ How about being a little kinder to guests? That wasn’t us taken advantage of you, that was our kids being kids.

It says in the paperwork that basic housekeeping is provided (see picture)… it isn’t. You have to go ask for more TP and clean towels!

Also, Brittany: Stop having your 12 year old son man the bar and sell alcohol. I’m sure that’s all types of illegal.

On top of all this, the appliances and furnishings are outdated—everything feels like it’s 30 years old and poorly maintained. Do yourself a favor and stay somewhere else. This place is neither safe nor welcoming, especially...