Major city · United States
Meadowlands
Skip as a base: a 134-person former village on the Sax-Zim Bog edge. Go only as a half-day bog stop, or sleep 1 night if you are chasing winter owls.
Meadowlands is a near-ghost village in northern Minnesota, about an hour from Duluth and an hour from the Iron Range on US 53 and County 133. It has no hotel, no clinic and no restaurant beyond one bar and grill; what it does have is a seat inside the Sax-Zim Bog, one of the best winter birding areas in the lower 48. Treat it as a stop on a bog day, not a destination.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- USD
- Best months
- Dec–Mar for winter birds; Jun–Aug for green bog and wildflowers
- avoid Apr–May mud season (soft gravel, few birds); Jul–Aug mosquitoes and deer flies
- Airports
- DLH · MSP
- Nights
- 0–1
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
- North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
- North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
- North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
- United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
- United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
- United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
- United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Meadowlands911 ▾
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Poison control (US)1-800-222-1222
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Meadowlands, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the US dollar (USD, $).United States-wide
- SIM or eSIMAT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.United States-wide
- Tap waterTap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.United States-wide
- TippingSit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.United States-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/B. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 120 V: UK and AU 230 V-only devices need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.United States-wide
- SafetyVery low crime; the risks are cold, distance and isolation.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsFree public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations.United States-wide
- Emergency numbers911 police, fire, ambulance · 1-800-222-1222 Poison control (US)
- Sundays & holidaysFederal holidays close offices, banks and post offices; national parks stay open.United States-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportDLH Duluth International (About 1 h by car via US 53 and County 133; the closest airport with scheduled service.).
- Getting aroundA car is the only realistic option: roads are paved and gravel, the terrain is flat, and there is no local transit beyond the Arrowhead Transit route.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeCoffee or a diner breakfastUS$4–12
- BeerBurger and a beer at the village bar and grillUS$18–30
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekUS$10–25
- Budget bedCampground or state-forest site, a night, per personUS$20
- Mid-range bedBog-road cabin or rented room, a night, per roomUS$150
- High-end bedBog-road cabin or rented room, a night, per roomUS$260
A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$70 · Mid US$130 · High US$220
Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- DLH Duluth International (About 1 h by car via US 53 and County 133; the closest airport with scheduled service.) · MSP Minneapolis-St. Paul International (About 3 h by car; the usual arrival point for a Minnesota loop.)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Best
−7°C (19°F)19°F (−7°C)
Feb
Best
−4°C (25°F)25°F (−4°C)
Mar
Best
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
Apr
Avoid
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
May
Avoid
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
Jun
Best
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
Jul
Care
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
Aug
Care
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
Sep
not flagged
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
Oct
not flagged
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
Nov
not flagged
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
Dec
Best
−5°C (23°F)23°F (−5°C)
Best: Jun, Dec–Mar. Mixed: Jul–Aug. Avoid: Apr–May. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)), coolest Jan (−18°C (0°F)0°F (−18°C) low), wettest Jun (12 rain days), driest Feb (7). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Meadowlands: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
−7°C (19°F)19°F (−7°C)
−18°C (0°F)0°F (−18°C)
8 rd
Feb
−4°C (25°F)25°F (−4°C)
−16°C (3°F)3°F (−16°C)
7 rd
Mar
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
−9°C (16°F)16°F (−9°C)
8 rd
Apr
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
−1°C (30°F)30°F (−1°C)
9 rd
May
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
11 rd
Jun
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
12 rd
Jul
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
11 rd
Aug
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
10 rd
Sep
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
10 rd
Oct
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
9 rd
Nov
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
−7°C (19°F)19°F (−7°C)
8 rd
Dec
−5°C (23°F)23°F (−5°C)
−15°C (5°F)5°F (−15°C)
9 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
A car is the only realistic option: roads are paved and gravel, the terrain is flat, and there is no local transit beyond the Arrowhead Transit route. Winter tyres or four-wheel drive matter after heavy snow or a freeze. Fill the tank before you leave Duluth or Virginia.
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Sax-Zim Bog feeding stations
goDoor to door: 10–30 min from the village
Drive the bog roads from Meadowlands; Mueller's and Abramson's stations are minutes away
Go at first light in winter; the stations are the reliable birding stop.
Duluth
goDoor to door: About 1 h
US 53 south, then County 133 east
The nearest full-service town: food, beds, hospitals, Lake Superior.
Virginia and the Iron Range
goDoor to door: About 1 h
County 133 east to US 53 north
Mining-land towns, motels and a fuel stop before a bog morning.
Boundary Waters Canoe Area
overnightDoor to door: 2–2.5 h
US 53 north to Ely, then an outfitter
Permit country: plan a night, not a day return.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Meadowlands village
No hotel or motel in the village. Lodging is rented cabins and rooms on the surrounding bog roads; book ahead in winter.
Duluth
About 1 h east. Full range of hotels; the practical base if you want a bed and a restaurant.
Virginia and the Iron Range
About 1 h north via US 53. Motels and chain hotels; handy for an early bog start.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- US$60–100 excl. bed
- Mid
- US$100–170 excl. bed
- High
- US$170+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Bog-road cabin or rented room1 × 1 night × US$150 | US$150 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$130 | US$260 |
| Rental car, one day1 × US$70 | US$70 |
| Fuel, Duluth round trip1 × US$30 · check | US$30 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15 | US$30 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | US$54 |
| Trip total≈ US$297 per person per day, bed included | US$594 |
check availability; winter weekends book out
2026 estimate in US dollars; there is no hotel in the village, so the bed line assumes a cabin or a Duluth motel. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee or a diner breakfast | US$4–12 |
| Burger and a beer at the village bar and grill | US$18–30 |
| Gallon of fuelcheck | US$3.00–3.60 |
| Campground night, state forestcheck | US$15–30 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | US$10–25 |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- No hospital or clinic in Meadowlands; the nearest hospitals are in Duluth, about 1 h away.
- Cell coverage is patchy on the bog roads: download offline maps before you turn off US 53.
- Winter cold is the real hazard: −20 °C (−4 °F) mornings are normal, and help is an hour away.Winter cold is the real hazard: −4 °F (−20 °C) mornings are normal, and help is an hour away.
- Gravel roads turn soft and rutted in spring thaw; do not take a low-clearance car far in.
- Hunting seasons in autumn: wear high-visibility orange if you walk the bog trails.
Emergency numbers
- Police, fire, ambulance
- 911
- Poison control (US)
- 1-800-222-1222
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
MeadowlandsMeadowlands
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
Meadowlands, MN 55765To this address, please
Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Poison control (US)1-800-222-1222
Embassy
No consulates in the village; nearest are in Minneapolis-St. Paul (check).
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Duluth → Meadowlands by car: about 1 h, roughly US$5–8 of fuel (check)
- Arrowhead Transit bus, Virginia route: check the current schedule and fare
- Rental car, one day: US$45–110 plus fuel (check)
Say or show
- Duluth, about an hour away — Where is the nearest hospital?
- Ask before a winter bog morning — Is the road plowed?
No clinic, no hotel and one bar and grill in the village: carry what you need.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Meadowlands. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Dec–Mar for winter birds; Jun–Aug for green bog and wildflowers · avoid Apr–May mud season (soft gravel, few birds); Jul–Aug mosquitoes and deer flies · month by month →
- 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for DLH and MSP: last sensible drive times, winter road risk, Duluth overnight rung.
- Bog-day fixture: sunrise arrival, feeding-station stops, warm-up and food anchor in Duluth or Virginia.
- Place pages for the Sax-Zim Bog feeding stations and the village bar with verified winter hours.
- Winter and hostile-weather fixtures so cold-weather gates can go green.
Sources
- officialExplore Minnesota — Sax-Zim Bog
- officialMinnesota DNR — Sax-Zim Bog
- officialArrowhead Transit
- secondaryWikivoyage: Meadowlands, revision 5280297 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Ask about Meadowlands
Loading…