Searched through multiple pages of posts before I ask this... can't find any recent information....

I have a Friday-Sunday in August that just sprung free. I can't find a single permit out of Ely that would work, so I am thinking on heading to Fenske Lake Campgound and doing a couple different daytrips into the Wilderness.

Question: All the reserved sites are booked those days and I see several first come, first served sites.

Does anyone know the odds of having one of those sites open if I arrived before noon on a Friday in August? Not sure how the FFS sites fillup at that specific campground. Any opinions appreciated.

Have you looked at some of the free back country sites offered by the SNF?
There are several over by lake Jeanette. Looks like it would be a nice weekend adventure.

I live in the neighborhood of the campground and often walk a loop that includes the campground. There are often open sites and reserved sites that are suddenly canceled. Unfortunately I am rarely here on weekends. I think there is a good chance you will find a site available (#5 of the unreservable a favorite). If there are no sites available there are decent dispersed camping sites very close by. If you want to paddle to a site there are great sites on Burntside, Everett, East and West Twin, Sleeten and Tee. I have only seen campers on the Everett site (sort of a sweet site a few hundred yards north of the portage to East Twin) once in my entire existence (since 88) in the area.

There is a maintained canoe route that starts on Fenske and loops around, with backcountry sites. Check on the SNF website. You will be contending with powerboats on some of the route, but if you get to a lake with no boat ramp and portages required, might suit you!

I’d say you have a good chance. Jeanette Campground first come/first served sites are a backup. You could also head to the Jeanette backcountry sites.

All good information, thanks. It's been a few years since I toured Hegman and LIS, so I am looking forward to daytripping them each. I have 4 other permitted trips this year so I am fine with not camping in the wilderness on this one. I actually have never done a "daytripping expidition".

I will try the FF at Fenske and if that doesn't work will drive up to Jeanette. Sounds like everyone above thinks I should find something...

There are at least 3 other options in the Ely area, closer than Jeanette(although Jeanette is nice). Try Fenske first and if no luck South Kawishiwi, Birch Lake and Fall Lake are all nearby - lots of campsites between those 4 campgrounds near Ely.

lindylair: "There are at least 3 other options in the Ely area, closer than Jeanette(although Jeanette is nice). Try Fenske first and if no luck South Kawishiwi, Birch Lake and Fall Lake are all nearby - lots of campsites between those 4 campgrounds near Ely. "

Fall Lake has a good number of sites set aside as non-reservable. Great hosts as well.

I live nearby and go through the campground all the time biking and taking my elderly dog for evening car rides. I don't think you'll have any problem at noon on a Friday in August. Keep in mind that some of the sites at Fenske are specifically for tents where you walk a short distance from the car, so if you are set up for that, you will have even more options. But there are also good sites for other camping set ups.

As others mentioned there are other alternate campgrounds besides Jeanette closer to Ely, but if you are looking for a more remote backup, Jeanette is nice. There aren't services near it though, so make sure you have your food etc before driving out there.

Ho Ho: "I live nearby and go through the campground all the time biking and taking my elderly dog for evening car rides. I don't think you'll have any problem at noon on a Friday in August. Keep in mind that some of the sites at Fenske are specifically for tents where you walk a short distance from the car, so if you are set up for that, you will have even more options. But there are also good sites for other camping set ups.


As others mentioned there are other alternate campgrounds besides Jeanette closer to Ely, but if you are looking for a more remote backup, Jeanette is nice. There aren't services near it though, so make sure you have your food etc before driving out there."

Jeanette is also full, but they also have first come first serve, would you assume that they would be available also?

We arrived at Fenske one time and all the sites were full, but they let us set up a tent in the field by the picnic shelter. You can also portage in to Agassa Lake or paddle out to one of the sites on Big Lake.

Banksiana: "I live in the neighborhood of the campground and often walk a loop that includes the campground. There are often open sites and reserved sites that are suddenly canceled. Unfortunately I am rarely here on weekends. I think there is a good chance you will find a site available (#5 of the unreservable a favorite). If there are no sites available there are decent dispersed camping sites very close by. If you want to paddle to a site there are great sites on Burntside, Everett, East and West Twin, Sleeten and Tee. I have only seen campers on the Everett site (sort of a sweet site a few hundred yards north of the portage to East Twin) once in my entire existence (since 88) in the area."

Thanks for responding to my post .  Wondering about the suggestion of Everett Lake/Twin Lake. The SNF flyer/map is not very helpful.

I am actually taking a couple of my grand daughters and grandsons on this weekend now and would love to take them into East Twin or Everett.  Can you tell me if any of those sites would handle 3 tents and a total of 5 people?  Also, is there a parking lot or do you need to park at Fenske and portage into those lakes?  Any info you may have would really be appreciated.  I think it may be a bit more of a wilderness experience for the kids than an organized campground like Fenske.
If it made sense, I would camp in East Twin or Everett for the two nights-- and maybe leave the campsite and pull a daytrip into South Hegman to show them the pictographs.
Would love any thoughts or intel on those campsites on the two lakes and how to get there?

I think you will really like camping on Everett or East Twin (or West Twin). There is a small parking area (3-4 cars if people don't have trailers) on the Echo Trail where the Fenske/Everett portage crosses it. (If you are driving out from Ely and get to Everett Lake Road on the left side, you have overshot the parking by a small bit, turn around and go back on the Echo to the bottom of the hill). It's a very short portage from the parking to Everett. The portage from Everett to East Twin is just 10 rods and gravelly smooth so very easy.

You should be able to easily fit your group on most or all of the campsites on these lakes. There's the one site on Everett on the north (right) side of the southwest arm a bit before you get to the portage to East Twin. It's somewhat well hidden but it's there. On East Twin there are 3 nice campsites on the east side of the lake. I like the one that is right at the portage best among those. The one campsite on the west side of the lake is the least desirable and most cramped in this area, skip it. On West Twin both sites are decent but the one all the way at the west end is definitely the nicer one (and is frequently taken).

There are more houses on Everett than Twin Lakes but they are not near the campsite, and since there is not a public access there is little if any motor traffic. Motor boats can reach East Twin from Burntside by going up the Dead River so there will be some motor traffic from fisherpeople etc on Twin, and sometimes motor boat groups occupy the campsites, but it's very very very very very very very rare that all the campsites on the lake are taken, and generally speaking it has a near-wilderness feel to it.

If you feel like paddling some more on your layover day, the Dead River is a beautiful paddle. As mentioned it is motor accessible so you may see a motor boat or two on it but generally it's a peaceful beautiful place.