Established Camping
Superior National Forest Fall Lake Campground
About
USDA Forest Service
Superior National Forest
Overview
Fall Lake Campground is located on the shores of Fall Lake and provides direct access into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). The campground opens in early May in time for walleye fishing season, making it a popular place for anglers. Others are drawn to Fall Lake for its birding, swimming, hiking and boating opportunities. Superior National Forest, located in northeastern Minnesota's arrowhead region, is comprised of 3 million acres. The forest spans 150 miles along the United States-Canada border.
Recreation
Part of Fall Lake lies within the BWCAW, while the rest of the lake is open to unrestricted boating, permits are required to enter the BWCAW. View recreation guides and maps of hiking trails and canoe routes in the national forest. Kids love the campground's swimming beach, playground and picnic area. A 1.5 mile hiking trail is also a favorite pastime for families. Anglers can try their luck for smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, crappie, perch and bluegill. Some campers might be interested in the unique opportunity to view the visitor center's display of replica artifacts found during archaeological digs within the campground and surrounding areas. There's no shortage of popular local events to attend, including the City of Ely's July 4th fireworks, the Blueberry Festival (the last full weekend in July) and the Harvest Moon Festival-mid September.
Facilities
This lake has some sites that can be reserved and some that are first-come, first-served. Many sites at Fall Lake are made to accommodate RVs including pull-through sites. Trees provide privacy between most campsites. The facility is very accessible. A store, canoe rentals, firewood and ice are available at the facility, and a campground host is on-site during the season.
Natural Features
The campground is nestled among majestic pine and abundant aspen and fir trees, providing the ultimate northwoods setting. Average summer temperatures are a pleasant 60-75 degrees. Birds and wildlife are abundant.
Nearby Attractions
Guests may want to take a day trip to the Dorothy Molter Museum, International Wolf Center, North American Bear Center, Ely-Winton History Museum or Soudan Mine. By far the most popular nearby attraction is the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Over one million acres in size, the Boundary Waters contain over 1,200 miles of canoe routes, 12 hiking trails and over 2,000 designated campsites.
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
- Boat-InSites accessible by watercraft.
Stay Connected
- WiFiGood
- VerizonFair
- AT&TUnknown
- T-MobileUnknown
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
Features
For Campers
- Market
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Firewood Available
- Phone Service
- WiFi
- Drinking Water
- Electric Hookups
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Pull-Through Sites
Had the Best Time!
We loved how private the campsites are! The people who run the campground were also super nice!
Wooded and Secluded
The Fall Lake Campground is one of the most beautiful in the north woods. Sites are heavily wooded and secluded from the other sites. The campground is a pretty good haul from Ely so you don't have a lot of traffic in and out of the campground. Fall Lake is an entry to the BWCAW so all you have to do is launch your canoe and paddle accross the lake and you are in the Boundary Waters. I have caught a lot of Northern and Small Mouth just north of the boat ramp.
Really get away !
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.
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Location
Superior National Forest Fall Lake Campground is located in Minnesota
Directions
Fall Lake is located in Northeast MN, 100 miles North of Duluth MN. From Duluth, MN, take Highway 53 north for 50 miles to Virginia, MN. Take Highway 169 northeast for 50 miles to Ely, Minnesota, travel an addition 6.5 miles to County Road 182 (Fall Lake Road). Travel north on County Road 182 for 2 miles.
Address
KAWISHIWI RANGER DISTRICT
1393 HIGHWAY 169
Ely, MN 55731
Coordinates
47.9525 N
91.7163889 W