Fenske Lake Campground

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. 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. The campground is tent-friendly; most sites do not accommodate large RVs. Sites are spaced widely apart along a large loop, all with partial to full shade, and some overlook the lake. A group campsite for 10 to 25 people is situated on a separate parking spur away from the main campground, perched high on a rock ledge overlooking the lake and offering a spectacular view. Families and groups of friends will enjoy the facility's small picnic area, and an open log shelter is available for use during inclement weather. 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 and spans 150 miles along the United States-Canada border. Numerous outdoor recreation opportunities lie within Superior National Forest's 77 lake accesses, 13 fishing piers, 10 swimming beaches and 22 picnic areas, and 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, extending nearly 150 miles along the United States-Canada border and containing over 1,200 miles of canoe routes, 12 hiking trails and over 2,000 designated campsites.