Superior National Forest Fall Lake Campground

This campground is fantastic! It’s really away from it all! We were very happy with our campsite, #17. We didn’t really have anyone next us on either side. There was plenty of space , trees & privacy from the next neighbor. The site was large , very very clean & neat & had the cleanest fire pit we’ve seen in a long time! We had our camper at the site , it’s about 25ft & there was more than enough room . There was even a little nook that a tent could’ve easily set up camp too! We stayed over the 4th of July weekend & it wasn’t rowdy at all. There’s a beach within the campground that was also very neat & clean . People going back & forth to the beach was about the only foot traffic we encountered near our site but it was totally manageable & we had plenty of privacy. We walked around the grounds & many of the sites have unique & roomy layouts. This is one of the only campgrounds we’ve been to lately that has a lot of sites we would’ve been content staying in. And we’re very picky about privacy. The hosts are also incredibly nice!! You can tell they truly have a vested interest in the grounds & actually enjoy what they do! They’re around if you need anything without being intrusive. The campground is about 8 miles outside of the cute little town of Ely. There’s now much else supply wise except venturing into Ely. Plenty of souvenirs for the tourist in you & a few spots for groceries. But be warned, it gets a little spendy so come prepared! There are also many other state parks & lakes nearby to explore if you’re looking for a day trip. Mosquitos at our site were definitely hanging out but oddly they left us alone.

This is our second time camping here, the first time being in June a few years ago. Fall camping is a different ballgame! The colors are beautiful, the campground is quieter (at least during the week) and this particular campground is more like a state park than the other more rustic campgrounds that the Forest Service runs in the area. There are several loops of campsites, totaling 64 sites,  plus two group camp centers, so there are a lot of options. Although many sites are set up for RV's, there are numerous tent-only campites, and they are some of the nicest. While you can reserve some of the sites on line ahea of time, the majority of sites are actually First Come/ First Served, and you have no way of knowing if any are actually available before you get there. We arrived early on a Friday afternoon in September, and there were only a handful of sites left--and withon a half hour, severl more folks came in and all the sites were taken. The campground has a boat access, fishing areas, playground, beach, numerous side trails accessing the lake in quiet places, a campground store, and paved as well as forest trails. A plus is that they have added several new bathroom and showers houses throughout the campground, so there is plenty of access, plus they are beautifully clean. There is just a short drive into Ely for shops and cafes, or out of town to access hiking trails or lakes and rivers at the edge of the Boundary Waters. Highly recommnded!

We always look for rec.gov sites with the national Park Pass for seniors it's inexpensive & usually they are nice. We stayed in Site #63 with electric hook up. When you enter the park where the office/small store is that's where you fill with water. Our site was big with a picnic table, fire pit & a path to the lake. Our friends camped in site # 62 it was big yet had a weird tree stump in a bad place. They marked it with a night light and a flag. 

The boat ramp was near the loop we were in so very easy access to the water. You can keep you boat or kayak next to the boat ramp. We kayaked out to the Boundry Waters Canoe Area and fished. We stopped & looked at several boat in campsites that are booked through Fall lake CG they are really nice and private. There are lots of lakes to pick & choose from for kayaking and boating. Clean restrooms, nice hot showers. The sites are cleaned and raked the campground is well maintained. They sell Ice & wood and a few small items in the store/office. 

The best sites are #63, 62, (10 is a pull through)   for Campers or tents and nice walk in sites #26 has a private beach, 59, 6029,35 are waterfront walk in sites.

There  is no dump station you drive into Ely it's at the Ely Chamber of Commerce (6 miles away) for a donation. There are free brochures here too and coupon books. Only other downfall was the camphost is across from site 63 and they start early. It's quiet till they come back about 7:30 am (were still sleeping) & back in their golf cart. Beep, Beep you know what I mean. I wanted to say something but they left for a week so it was quiet early mornings. They should make them a little pull through path for the cart. 

This campground was so quiet, great sites, most have a path to the lake and they have great hike in sites too. There's lots of parking at the parking lot for boaters & hikers. The swim beach is at the end of the park and it has a playground in front of it. 

It was so interesting to watch boats portage going from one lake to another. People canoe & boat to the Canadian border from there. We didn't catch many fish it was warmer than normal the bite was off. Got a few small Northern Pikes and a small bass. We did see a big Eagles nest with several Eagles, saw loons, deer and other birds. 

We walked the path behind our site to the water & would swim & float on floats in the lake. Great way to relax & cool off. We took cocktails & just floated & enjoyed. 

The town of Ely is about 6 miles away it's a small town with a lot of canoe outfitters, fishing shops, liquor stores, some eats & by far the best Ice cream I ever had from Northern Expressions. The line can be out the door & down the street it's that good. There was a few places to eat we didn't like the Chinese place at all Oriental Orchid it was the worst we ever had. It took a 1/2 hour to get our food we called it in got there in 30 min. and it was at least 30 more once we arrived. We went to the International Wolf center spent a few hours there it was just ok. We did see a few wolves and learned a little.  

The Northern Market makes their own sausage it's good we stocked up on different ones. Nice little grocery store there is a Zups grocery store too. 

We did eat at the Grand Lodge it was good. It's probably 8 miles from the campground.

The campground is ideal...has plenty of sites to choose from. Some are reservable and others are not, and yes there will be a line at the office in the morning. The ideal sites are the waterfront sites as you don't have to rack your boat every day. You can leave your boat down by the rocks and walk up the stairs to your site. I stayed in site 23...it was right on the corner before the beach parking lot. The parking are was below the tent pad and fire ring. This was the case in many sites. The camper sits below the fire ring and any extra tents you might need. Talked to many people here who stay for a week but actually only use it as a base camp while they are out in the boundary waters. One couple I met said they stay for 2 weeks (the max) and canoe for a couple days then come back for a shower and resupply then go out again. The campground is super clean....and the hosts (which are numerous) are very good at what they do. This might be the most welcoming campground in the United States. 

It is nicely located near ely so if you need something you get can get back into town pretty easily...or if you just want Custard...I'd recommend. The town certainly goes dormant in the winter months, but in the summer months it is full of people. 

The fishing, boating, and paddling here give you plenty of options. It is right on the border of the boundary waters so you will need to get a permit. Day permits for non motorized are free and can be done at the camp check in or via paper at the boat landing area. The camp store is only open certain hours so if they are closed just go to the boat landing to get the permit filled out.

Ranger Review: Brunton Outdoor products at Fall Lake USFS campground in the Superior National Forest, Minnesota

Just got back from over a week in the Superior National Forest, and have reviews of both the USFS campground at Fall Lake, and also a Product Review of some gear used for nature study and navigation during the week!

Campground review:

The Fall Lake campground is one of the largest and nicest run by the US Forest Service in the Ely area. It is right at the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) wilderness, as Fall Lake is actually an entry point to the roadless motor-less BWCA. A stay at Fall lake is a great stop for a night just before launching your canoe onto a BWCA wilderness adventure, or a great destination camping spot in and of itself if you want a less rustic or remote National Forest camping experience with day trips into the wilderness and surrounding area.

The campground has large woodsy campsites that are secluded and well maintained, many set away from the lake but some right on the lake featuring their own individual canoe landings and swimming spots. Picnic tables, fire grates and tent pads are located at each site, and some have electric hookups and room for trailers. The lake is large and good for angling, boating or paddle sports, but there are also bike trails and hiking trails in the area. There is also a day-use area on a side bay, with beach and playground in the picnic area. Unlike many smaller Forest Service campgrounds in the Superior NF, this one has a small visitors center with a little store. It is also an easy run to Ely for supplies or a variety of village or outdoor activities. This would be a really ideal camping spot for a family, and also for a solo camper who wants a nice private "edge of the wilderness" retreat without being completely alone in the wilderness. Highly recommended!

Product Review

While at Fall Lake, I had a chance to do a Ranger review of a number of items from Brunton Outdoors https://www.brunton.com/ that are good for navigation and/or nature study. First, I tried out two different hand held monocular pocket spotting scopes. One, the Brunton Echo 10-30 x 21 Monocular Scope, is great for long distance bird watching or nature observation, with a magnification of 21 and zoom of 10-30 . Having occasionally had opportunity in the past to use use a colleague’s very expensive high tech professional spotting scope , I would have to say that I was extremely impressed by the quality of this scope which has high quality visuals for a naturalist, while being a fraction of the cost and much more portable. It comes with a case, lenscap, and attachment for a tripod. You really do best to use a tripod with it to steady the image if zooming in to the fullest. I was able to zoom right in to view an eagle on its nest in a tree several hundred feet away. as well as a loon on its nest on an island about 1/4 mile away. I think this scope is a great tool for the outdoor naturalist to get a close up look at bird and animal species for the purpose of ID at a distance. While I was using the scope for nature study, you could also use it for canoe trekking and trying to find the location of a distant portage up ahead along the shore. The only slight drawback is that the lens cap and tripod screw both could be easily lost; they are small and could use some kind of tether to the scope.

By comparison, I also tried out the Brunton Echo Pocket Scope, a slightly smaller water resistant scope that features a 7 x magnification and a zoom of 18. While not as powerful a scope as the one above, it is still great at zooming in fairly well on critters or portages at a distance. A distinct advantage is that it has crisp close-up focus at one foot distance, thus being able to serve as a macro lens or almost like a dissecting scope for close-up examination of grains on rocks, veins on leaves, anatomy of insects, etc. It also has a handy wrist carrier, and has a brightly colored water resistant rubber coating that is great for use on the water.

Personally, as an outdoor naturalist, I would purchase both, for their unique special attributes. If you are only casually interested in nature study, and want to use something like this more for navigation while boating or canoeing, you might want to start with the less expensive Pocket Scope, and maybe work your way up later if you want something more powerful.

I also reviewed the Brunton Locker Compass, a trekkers pocket compass that also includes a hidden compartment designed to hold a few things like keys, spare matches, and some bandaids. Very handy indeed! I compared the compass to another orienteering compass I already had, this was easy to use and the results were accurate and true. The hidden compartment is small and sensible and a really nice added feature! If you dont already have a general outdoor compass for hikes and canoe trips, I would recommend this one because of its dual purpose.

Last but not least, I tried out Bruntons pocket sized "Lost Hiker" kit that actually fits right into your wallet. It comes in a little pouch the size of a credit card, and includes a card magnifying glass, mirror, survival instructions, and a tiny flat compass. The magnifying glass of course works as a magnifying glass, but more importantly can focus sunlight onto tinder to start a fire. Does it work? I was skeptical--but in seconds it actually started a small fire in my fire grate. I was impressed! Very handy, and very portable! The mirror, obviously, would serve well to flash sunlight at passing search and rescue teams if you needed to signal where you are, and while it is thin and portable, it is also strong and break-resistant. If you get lost in the woods and havent been rescued yet, you can also check it to see how bad you look :) As for the flat mini compass, the instructions said to float it on the surface of water in a cup, or in your cupped hands; it is a bit tricky at first to place it right on the surface without breaking the water's surface tension, which you need for the compass to read properly. A few tries got it to work, however, and amazingly this tiny little compass got a pretty accurate reading and would indeed help you strike off in the right direction is you didnt have an orienteering compass . Given that this little kit is so small and so handy and so darn helpful, there is no reason not to get one, and every reason to have one with you on any outdoor trip. A few bucks well spent if you ever get lost!

Overall, Brunton has quality products for both the casual or serious outdoor trekker or scientist. Highly recommended! https://www.brunton.com/

By far this was our favorite campground of the summer. The campground is fairly small, has plenty of towering trees for shade and privacy, and sits right on Fall Lake. Fall Lake is a popular place for anglers and those looking to adventure into the boundary waters. The park will accommodate anything from tents to large RVs and is well worth a visit in our opinions. In fact, plan on staying the maximum two weeks … pretty sure you will like it as much as we did.

About half of the sites are reservable with the others being walk-ups. We booked three nights because we didn’t want to drive the RV all the way up into the northwoods of Minnesota and not get a campsite. Especially, since we were there in August during the busy summer season. While we liked our first site (which was a pull-thru), it was booked after our stay so we started scouting other sites. Walk-up site #39 caught our eyes and as luck was on our side it was going to be vacant the morning we were due to check out. That morning we headed to the office fifteen minutes before they opened to get in line hoping to book the sites. We scored the site and booked it for the maximum two weeks.

In our opinions, the walk-up sites are the most desirable because they have direct access to the water. Our site had steps that led down to the lake where we kept our kayaks on the bank so we didn’t have to rack them on the car every time we used them. Even if you don’t have one of these sites there are other public pathways leading to the lake for easy access. Our site was pretty close to the boat ramp which is a busy place so it was a big noisy – especially in the early morning hours but we didn’t mind.

The bathrooms and showers (which are free) are some of the cleanest we have found. They were cleaned daily and the camp hosts returned many times during the day to check for cleanliness and make sure they were stocked with paper products. You have to use a keypad to enter the bathroom which ensures only campers are allowed in. Water pressure in the shower was great and the water was hot. There was no dial to adjust how hot you wanted the water and our shower was almost too hot to use but that was better than being cold. There was a potable water spigot outside which made it easy to fill up our water jugs.

The park has two group camp areas that are ideal for multiple campers and are very private. They have their own bathhouse, pavilion, large grassy common area, grills, and water access. We would definitely rent one of these sites if we came back with three or four friends.

One day, I walked the Stub Lake Trail that left from the campground but was really disappointed. It is in an area with lots of blow down so there was not much shade or interesting scenery. More interesting trails are located about 15 minutes away at Bass Lake which are longer and more scenic with water access. We loved the town of Ely especially the Tuesday Farmers Market and the restaurant Insula. If you are interested in renting outdoor gear there are many outfitters in town ready to assist or you can also rent canoes for $20/day at the campground office. Don't miss the International Wolf Center, the North American Bear Center and the Dorthy Molter Museum. All are really interesting and definitely worth the price of admission.

We camped here in an RV and the only thing that could have made our experience better is if there were full hook-ups. But, since the bathrooms were clean we didn't mind. There is a water fill-up station by the camp office and a dump station in town at the Chamber of Commerce.

Fall Creek Campground, on Fall Lake, is just about the last place you can stay in modern convenience (relatively speaking), before you hit the Boundary Waters, where amenities don't exist. It has everything you need in a campground, and more! Great for the family, or simply an overnight before a bigger adventure. And while I was here, I got a chance to test out my new Lily Trotter Socks!

Campground Review

We've been to this campground before, but this time, "our site" wasn't available. You know, the one you ALWAYS go to because it's "the best one". So, we had a different experience this time. This one was an "electric" spot, for an RV or such, but worked just as well as a tent pad. And yes, they do have "tent only" sites, but they were all booked this time. Very popular camp.

We were at site #8. There isn't a site that is very far from the lake, and this held true for #8 as well. The whole campground is like a big oval that is connected from one side to the other by small cut-across paths. Each cut-across has a bathroom (guarded by a keypad that you receive the code to when you check-in). That makes them just a little bit nicer, since random folks can't just happen through and take showers and such. And yes...there are showers! Rather large stalls that are pretty clean. Not like the old fashioned shower stalls with curtains that pools have in the locker rooms. This is a nice, bigger stall with a door.

Our site was near a watering spot, with potable water. So super easy to "fill up" before bed time or before you head into the BWCA. And something I've never seen before...a fire bucket! They are located at most water sources. How smart! Each site has a very well maintained and fairly large fire ring with a a grate on a pivot that you can swing out of the way. The tent pad was a tiny bit off-kilter, but then again, this was really an RV site, so I'm not complaining. Just a note. And just at the end of the campground was a lovely little playground (truly...very nice play-set rooted on sand) and a little beach with a roped off swimming area. There were even some benches for the adults to rest on. Perfect! Very pleased with this campground, every time we visit.

Product Review

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products. At Fall Lake (and at other times during my trip), I tested a pair of awesome compression socks from Lily Trotters. I received two pairs in size S/M, but only tested one at this campground. To be honest, they are so awesome, I didn't want to get the second pair dirty quite yet :) The Totally Solid Black were just that...absolutely, totally solid, in more ways than one! Here are some observations:

1. First, I must note, that my feet are on the small side (size 6.5). Most women's socks are too big. They have excess room in the toes and "stretch" out and bunch up in my shoes. So I have a very hard time finding anything that fits properly. Being compression socks, I knew they would be tighter fitting, so I was very excited to try them on! They fit like a glove, and I loved it! No bunching, no stretching, no falling down. They are the first "tall" sock that I've ever put on my foot that didn't fall down during the day. They truly do compress, but not in a bad way. My legs felt "livelier" and "rested" while I was wearing them.
2. The top band absolutely didn't cut into my leg. I have shorter legs, so sometimes, the bands hit right below my knee and cut in. Although these hit me in the same spot, they caused no problems, at all, during my wear. And they are very stretchy!
3. I also put them on, later in the trip, during portages. I know that's not their intended use, but I can absolutely see these being a great asset to a long sitting session in a canoe, and then on the portages themselves. They seems to dry quickly and didn't really feel wet, even when they were.
4. I'm absolutely certain they'd be fantastic while hiking too. Can't wait to try them out in that fashion! As "compressed" as they are against my feet, I'm guessing they'd be great to help prevent blisters and alleviate friction. (they did prevent the normal rub spot/blister spot I have when wearing my water shoes)
5. I believe that all their socks are identical, except for the color (oh...they do come in two different sizes), so the only difficult thing about ordering them is choosing which fancy pattern you want!

Oh, and one more note. I am a pastry chef, so I'm on my feet about 10 hours a day. I wore these to work, recently, on what was an incredibly demanding day. Up and down the stairs, all over the kitchen and they didn't falter once. My normal socks "shift and twist" inside my Danish clogs, but these never needed adjustment, not even once. Awesome!