Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Ely, MN is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Ely is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. Find the best campgrounds near Ely, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
$28 - $120 / night
"The Fall Lake Campground is one of the most beautiful in the north woods. Sites are heavily wooded and secluded from the other sites."
"It's around the curve from other sites on the loop and has great privacy. Parking spot is down a small hill from your picnic table and fire ring but the parking is quite level."
$16 - $22 / night
"Beautiful park overall and love the proximity from Ely and Lake Vermillion. I did find bear scat near our site so be sure to practice proper bear safety precautions."
"Quiet campground with a short walk to the lake. RV and tent camping had separate areas. Restrooms and showers were clean. Close to Ely."
$20 - $60 / night
"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."
"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."
"Small set of steps brought you up to a magical place. The site was large enough for two tents. The fire pit has a grill rack attached to it. Private sites."
"We also liked the size of the sites as they gave us plenty of space to be away from the action. The sites are wooded and give you loads of privacy."
$20 - $162 / night
"and Oak Products at the South Kawishiwi Campground
Campground Review: My husband and his motorcycle buddies love riding on backroads and scenic byways in our state and National Forests in northern Minnesota"
"The campground had the feel of a being out in the wilderness with the convenience of being close to Ely. I loved camping at South Kawishiwi and will recommend it to my friends."
$19 - $89 / night
"We showed up around 8 PM on a Friday and was still able to get a spot at this nice, quiet campground. It was a very peaceful spot since the gravel leading To it is quite a few miles off the highway."
"Stayed 2 nights and kayaked close to shore out of the wind. Caught a couple of Northerns. I think other campsites are better but this was the only one available."
$35 / night
"Lake Vermilion is a large multi-purpose recreational lake at the edge of the Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area wilderness."
"Within reasonable driving distance to Ely which has the wolf center, shopping, etc
6. It has WiFi!!! This was huge for the kids - devices were ON(-‘s)
- No view of the lake
- No beach 3."
"The city of Ely is close for supplies and grocery shopping. Two large grocery stores. Friendly people throughout this town. Will camp here again."
$40 / night
"This area has great access to many lakes including the BWCA along with being close to Ely for anything you may have forgotten."
"There was a large mowed open area perfect for playing with the dogs between hikes. Clean towels provided. Would definitely recommend!"
GuideCampsite was good size and relatively private in the non electric area. Beautiful park overall and love the proximity from Ely and Lake Vermillion. I did find bear scat near our site so be sure to practice proper bear safety precautions.
TravelerThis 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!
LegendWe 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!
TravelerThe 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.
LegendNice national forest campground that seems well run, has sites with decent privacy and nice bathrooms.
Sites vary a lot in size and some are quite unlevel so luck of the draw on whether your rig can fit, but worth trying.
I'd you have a Class B, B+, or small C, try to snag Site 42. It's around the curve from other sites on the loop and has great privacy. Parking spot is down a small hill from your picnic table and fire ring but the parking is quite level.
Bathrooms only have one shower per gender but work well and have good hot water.
You can get water here but note there is no RV dump station.
Lake is on the smaller side and seemed peaceful the one day we were here. Decent boat ramp for access Swimming beach isn't much but works if you want it to.
Overall a nice tucked away campground in the forest with a lake, a short paved biking/hiking trial, decent amenities and friendly staff.
Plus it's only about 8 miles from Ely if you need provisions.
LegendLake Vermilion is a large multi-purpose recreational lake at the edge of the Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area wilderness. It is a very popular lake for fishermen, but until now there was no State Park campground available on its shores. This is a new state park campground, which just had its Grand Opening in June 2018. It is located on land adjacent to the historic Soudan Mine state park, which was a park for history tours and day use only until the park expanded and developed this campground for campers interested in lake recreation, especially a fishing-oriented vacation. With the exception of a handful or remote hike-in and boat-in dispersed campsites which are currently free of charge, the majority of campsites are drive-in and have electric hook-ups. There are also three group campsites, one hike-in with simpler facilities perfect for scout troups etc, and two others with both tent and RV sites and picnic shelters and their own bath houses.
For tent campers, the sites are large but newly cleared so still a bit rough. For RV campers or fishermen with boats and trailers, there is ample room for your vehicle and trailer. All of the sites are carved out of the woods and, though near the lake, are not within viewing distance of it. You do have to drive a bit to get to the boat landing, but it isnt far and has a great brand new ramp and docks. If you want a place to camp that is conveniently located for fishing Lake Vermilion, this is it. It is also a good place to camp if you want to bike on the Mesabi Bike trail, which goes through the park and runs from Ely to Grand Rapids. BWCA trippers will also find this to be a convenient stopove the night before or after a BWCA trip, and no doubt the brand new bathrooms and showers will be very welcome. There are a sporadic park naturalist programs here, but fewer than a lot of other state parks. There are a lot of activities and things to do in the nearby town of Ely though, https://www.ely.org/ and basic supplies located next door to the park in the village of Soudan. A visit to the historic Soudan Mine in the west of the park is quite an experience too.
Note: I visited in mid June, just as summer campers were coming to try out the park. Apparently a big wind storm camp through at the end of June causing some treefall and damage to some areas of the park. check here for updates:
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/park.html?id=spk00285#homepage
GuideWe stayed here last June with our large family. My bf and I stayed 2 nights in a cabin and tent camped 2 nights on a camp site. This area has great access to many lakes including the BWCA along with being close to Ely for anything you may have forgotten. Silver Rapids Lodge itself has a bar/restaurant right by campground along with many other amenities. Many cabins to choose from from 4-6 ppl all the way up to a 24 person cabin!! Good fishing and lots of areas to do so without a boat, if you don’t have a boat and would like to rent one SRL offers boat rentals. Small swimming area and play place for kids. Pet friendly, clean, and nice hosts.
TravelerGrew up camping here. Its beautiful with water and trees everywhere. Pet friendly, close to town, clean showers, friendly staff. The only bad thing is no water hook ups.
RangerIn my haste to make the reservation online I forgot to indicate I was a Good Sam member. I thought, no problem, I will say something when I check in to pay the balance.
The office was very busy at check in and we were in quite a hurry as we had RV service scheduled and technician waiting on us. MY fault only, I forgot to mention it. I went into the office this morning and a clerk told me there was no way to issue a refund in their system. I told the clerk if they would not refund my 10% then I would have to dispute the charge at the bank and then they would have to make an adjustment with their banking service. The clerk said, “Do what you want, but we don’t do any refunds.” I called my bank and they said, “The charges are still pending to your account, so ask them to void the transaction and start over.”
I returned to the office and suggested that, and the clerk then contacted the manager who agreed to do just that.
Sorry I made the mistake, but that is not a way to earn a return stay.
Sometimes you gotta be the squeaky wheel.
The dog park has old astroturf on it. I found that a bit strange.
They have a cute little store. Laundry takes debit snd credit cards.
Ely, Minnesota, offers a variety of pet-friendly camping options for outdoor enthusiasts looking to enjoy nature with their furry companions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Ely, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Ely, MN is Superior National Forest Fall Lake Campground with a 4.9-star rating from 35 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Ely, MN?
TheDyrt.com has all 91 dog-friendly camping locations near Ely, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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