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Roads
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Water

Established Camping

Fenske Lake Campground

Fenske Lake Campground, near Ely, Minnesota, is a cozy spot that’s perfect for those looking to escape into nature. With its picturesque setting in the Superior National Forest, it’s a great base for canoe trips and exploring the nearby Boundary Waters.

The campground offers a mix of tent and RV sites, with some located right by the lake, providing stunning views and easy access for fishing or swimming. Visitors have mentioned that the sites are generally private and well-spaced, making it a peaceful retreat. One camper noted, “It was absolutely gorgeous,” highlighting the beauty of the area.

Amenities include pit toilets and drinking water, but keep in mind there are no showers or electric hookups. Campers appreciate the quiet atmosphere, with many enjoying the chance to unwind by the campfire. As one reviewer put it, “Nice and quiet and very peaceful!”

For those eager to explore, Fenske Lake is just a short drive from Ely, where you can find hiking trails and other outdoor activities. Whether you’re here for a weekend or a longer stay, Fenske Lake Campground offers a charming and serene experience in the heart of Minnesota’s wilderness.

Description

National Forest

Superior National Forest

Overview

Fenske Lake Campground offers visitors an escape to a small, remote campground with large, majestic pine trees and easy access to water. It is a popular base camp for exploring, fishing, hiking, sightseeing and backcountry canoeing in Superior National Forest and the nearby Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The campground lies approximately 10 miles outside of Ely, Minnesota.

Recreation

Because of its proximity to access points into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and its status as a Superior National Forest canoe circle route, Fenske Lake is very popular for canoeing and kayaking. Families and children enjoy exploring the short, 1-mile nature trail in the campground, as well as swimming at the grassy beach or waiting for a catch on the accessible fishing pier. Anglers can make use of the boat ramp and try their luck for bass, northern pike, crappie and sunfish.View recreation guides and maps of hiking trails and canoe routes in the national forest.

Natural Features

The facility overlooks 130-acre Fenske Lake, a small and scenic body of water surrounded by dense hardwood and pine forests in the northwoods of Minnesota. Birds and wildlife are abundant in the area. 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.

Nearby Attractions

Numerous outdoor recreation opportunities lie within Superior National Forest's 77 lake accesses, 13 fishing piers, 10 swimming beaches and 22 picnic areas. The forest is also home to three scenic byways. Campers can also explore the nearby Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Over 1-million acres in size, the Boundary Waters extends nearly 150 miles along the United States-Canada border and contains over 1,200 miles of canoe routes, 12 hiking trails and over 2,000 designated campsites. Additional sites of interest

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Location

Fenske Lake Campground is located in Minnesota

Detail location of campground

Directions

From Ely, Minnesota, travel east on State Highway 169 North (toward Winton) for about 1 mile. Turn left onto County Road 88 and travel about 2 miles. Turn right onto Echo Trail and continue about 7 miles to the campground entrance on the right.

Address

KAWISHIWI RANGER DISTRICT 1393 HIGHWAY 169
Ely, MN 55731

Coordinates

47.9952778 N
91.9138889 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.
  • Boat-In
    Sites accessible by watercraft.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Unknown
  • Verizon
    Unknown
  • AT&T
    Available
  • T-Mobile
    Unknown

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group

Features

For Campers

  • Trash
  • Phone Service
  • Reservable
  • Drinking Water
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Big Rig Friendly

Reviews

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5 Stars

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1 Star

63%
13%
25%
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4.5

out of 5

8 Reviews

Reviewed Aug. 18, 2023

Drive through a nice campground

Fenske Lake Campground, MN: (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good (70 yr olds in 17’ trailer) Overall Rating: 4 - Great place for a canoe trip, I am told. Also access close by to the boundary waters Price 2023: $10 / night w lifetime senior pass. Usage during visit: During mid week it was pretty busy. Site Privacy: pretty nice Site Spacing: pretty nice Site surface: Gravel Reservations: Yes Campground Noise: Quiet Road Noise: There may be occasional road noise in the few sites closer to the entry.
Through Traffic in campground: None Electric Hookup: No Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: No Potable Water Available: Yes Generators: Allowed Bathroom: Pit Toilets Showers: No Pull Throughs: There are ‘some pullovers’, no separation from cg road. Those in use only had a van or used as tent sites Cell Service (AT&T). We didn’t check at the campground. But, down the road we accessed via a new AT&T tower.
Setting: In the woods Weather: 70’s with a storm in the forecast Bugs: Mosquitoes are moderate. Solar: Not great for fixed panels Rig size: Some sites take large rigs. Check rec.gov for each site before making your reservation. Sites:

SiteDrive Through
Month of VisitAugust
Reviewed Oct. 6, 2022

Love the view

Love this campground and the lake

Sitegroup camp
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Fenske Lake Campground by HpM R., October 6, 2022
Reviewed Sep. 24, 2018

Sweet small convenient location for Lake Mudro entry point

This is a small campground with a few pull in and walk up sites. We had a walk up site that was on the side with the lake which was really nice. It's a short walk back and forth with your tent and other gear to the tent area and picnic/fire pit. Everything you need is really close. Pit toilets on both "sides" of the oval. Plus a very nice little shelter, picnic area and pier for fishing or if you want to go swim too. 15 minutes from Ely and 15 from Lake Mudro entry point for BWACW. Great location!

Site6
Month of VisitSeptember
Reviewed Jul. 7, 2018

A little worse for the wear--storm damage at Fenske Lake

I have camped here many times over the years, and always liked it as a small quiet Forest Service campground great for camping with younger kids. It is not far out of Ely, close to hiking trails like the BassLake or Angleworm Trail, and is a good place for a weekend camping trip, or for a stopover on the Echo Trail before launching a canoe trip into the BWCA. So, I was looking forward to my return.

Unfortunately, the campground sustained a lot of damage from a windstorm not long ago, and the recovery has been slow. Many of the tall old pines are gone now, so most of the campsites are no longer secluded from each other. There are piles of woody debris everywhere, or piles recently burned by Forest Service crews, which gives a barren sad feeling to much of the campground. There are still a number of lakeside campsites that are in pretty good shape, but overall the campground has lost a lot of the appeal it used to have and it may be a while til it recovers from the storm damage.

There is a group campsite for the campground, though it is located on the west shore of Fenske Lake overlooking the main campground. This group campsite seems untouched by the storm and is still in pristine woodsy condition, and on a nice bluff overlooking the lake near the boat access. If you are going to camp at Fenske, it would be worth it to get a group together and reserve the group site! It is really the preferred ption here, and I would give the group site a 5 star rating.

SiteLakeside campsite 11 is still in good shape
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Fenske Lake Campground by Janet R., July 7, 2018
  • Review photo of Fenske Lake Campground by Janet R., July 7, 2018
  • Review photo of Fenske Lake Campground by Janet R., July 7, 2018
  • (8) View All
Reviewed Aug. 1, 2017

Second time

Went back to fenske this time with canoe to hop on lake and portage to other sites. This campground is perfect for just that!!! There was even littles coves down by lake to leave your canoe like your own personal water garage!!! Nice and quiet and very peaceful!!!

Month of VisitJuly
Reviewed Jul. 31, 2017

Quiet

This place was a gem!!! A storm came through week before and knocked down trees so they had firewood chopped everywhere free of charge!!! We got last spot and loved how secluded and quiet it was! Def will be coming back more and more! Ely is beautiful!!!!

Month of VisitSeptember
Reviewed Jul. 6, 2017

Lakeview

We have come back to this campground several times! Pretty secluded, about 30 mins from Ely, MN. This first time we just happened upon it and we were lucky to get the last available spot! Even having a site with no Lakeview was very nice. Next time we made sure to snag a site along the lake! It was absolutely gorgeous, can't remember which site but we had to walk down a few stairs to our site which was positioned among some trees with a giant rock you could climb out on with a PERFECT view of the lake! I would recommend seeing the sunrise out on one of the many boulders they have along the lake, and star gazing from their dock!! We brought a canoe and portaged from the lake we were on to a few others!

Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Fenske Lake Campground by Anne G., July 6, 2017
Reviewed May. 26, 2017

Spur of the moment day trip

We did not camp here but we explored the area as we heard from multiple people that it was a wonderful place. Our first impression was how private and secluded it was. Wich didn't surprise me to much since we were in northern mn

The sites looked very spacious and yet still close to the bathrooms and the trails. Bathrooms were well kept and tidy.

Overall this campground seemed like a wonderfull place to set up camp for a week and I plan on heading back soon to do so.

Month of VisitMarch
  • Review photo of Fenske Lake Campground by Conor P., May 26, 2017
  • Review photo of Fenske Lake Campground by Conor P., May 26, 2017

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How much does it cost to camp at Fenske Lake Campground?

    Camping at Fenske Lake Campground can cost between $55.00 and $60.00 depending on the site.

  • What is the max vehicle length at Fenske Lake Campground?

    Fenske Lake Campground allows vehicles up to 80 feet.

  • Are fires allowed at Fenske Lake Campground?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Fenske Lake Campground, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

  • Does Fenske Lake Campground have wifi?

    No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Fenske Lake Campground does not have wifi.

  • Is there cell phone reception at Fenske Lake Campground?

    According to campers on TheDyrt.com, Verizon signal is unknown, AT&T is available, and T-Mobile is unknown.

  • How hard is it to get a campsite at Fenske Lake Campground?

    Some campers book as far as 6 months in advance, so on high-demand weekends it can be very difficult to get a campsite at Fenske Lake Campground. If you want to get a last-minute campsite at Fenske Lake Campground, try setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts

  • Why is it so hard to get a campsite at Fenske Lake Campground?

    There are 16 campsites at Fenske Lake Campground and over 80 million Americans who camp! Try snagging a cancellation by setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts