My son and I are putting in this Friday out of Ely and will be arriving in Ely late Thursday night. We would like to camp in a local campground or state park Thursday night. Does anyone know of a park or campground in or very close to Ely? Thanks.

I know there are closer campgrounds to Ely, but there is a beautiful little campground 30 minutes or so in Embarrass. Check it out. I think you'll like it. It's just off highway 21.

Fall Lake Campground-just outside Ely on the Fernberg Road
check this out - really close to ely adn you can make reservations so if you arrive late, you will have a site.

We stayed at the Fenske Lake Campground on the Echo Trail the night before we put in, it's a federal campground and we liked it.

Bear Head Lake State Park is also pretty close.

quote Grandma L: " Fall Lake Campground-just outside Ely on the Fernberg Road
check this out - really close to ely adn you can make reservations so if you arrive late, you will have a site."

Quite possibly the nicest campground you will ever stay at.

JD

quote jdevries: "

quote Grandma L: " Fall Lake Campground-just outside Ely on the Fernberg Road
check this out - really close to ely adn you can make reservations so if you arrive late, you will have a site."

Quite possibly the nicest campground you will ever stay at.


JD"

I agree, I'm there right now!!

I'm a big fan of cliff wolds. Great spots, showers, cheap and free wood

Here's a map of the SNF campgrounds and the details. Seems a mix of reserved and first come claiming. My only experience was Jeannette Lake and it was a great camp site.

I keep waiting for the Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park to open their all new campground but the website said this spring originally, last check said early summer, now says fall. Should be nice.

Anyone know anything about Bear Head Lake State Park? Looks nice and convenient. half hour from Ely and just 10 minutes off 169.

I stayed at Bear Head Lake in the winter once years ago and really liked it. It feels pretty remote, they advertise themselves as "Boundary Waters feel" and I guess that's about right. I've never stayed there in the summer though.

We stayed at South Kawishiwi Campground on birch lake there on Hwy 1. It's kept up by the forest service I believe, great campground

quote jdevries: "

quote Grandma L: " Fall Lake Campground-just outside Ely on the Fernberg Road
check this out - really close to ely adn you can make reservations so if you arrive late, you will have a site."

Quite possibly the nicest campground you will ever stay at.


JD"

+1

quote jdevries: "

quote Grandma L: " Fall Lake Campground-just outside Ely on the Fernberg Road
check this out - really close to ely adn you can make reservations so if you arrive late, you will have a site."

Quite possibly the nicest campground you will ever stay at.


JD"

Indeed, was just there

quote TominMpls: "I stayed at Bear Head Lake in the winter once years ago and really liked it. It feels pretty remote, they advertise themselves as "Boundary Waters feel" and I guess that's about right. I've never stayed there in the summer though."

Very nice park.

There are several great national forest campgrounds "near" Ely including Fenske, Fall, Birch, Jeanette and South Kawishiwi campgrounds. All can offer you a nice comfortable place to camp the night before your trip. Since you are getting there on a Thursday night you should have no trouble finding a spot. Weekends could be much busier.

Bear Head Lake State park is about 12-15 miles west of Ely and is a beautiful park but it is very busy and you would definitely need a reservation if you could get one. Many years ago Bear Head Lake was named America's Favorite Park and as you can imagine it gets very busy since then.

Fall and Fenske are both pretty close to Ely so more convenient for that last nights errands and dinner, or for the first morning's put in.

And don't forget, in the Superior National Forest - not within BWCAW - you can "disperse" camp for free. Might be hard arriving after dark.

Also, at least one outfitter - CCO - has a campground I've used and like.

Thanks for the input, everyone. This forum is a great resource!