Fenske Lake Campground

ELY, Minnesota

Minnesota

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What we do know

  • Inside Superior National Forest

    2 managing-area boundaries mapped — agency alerts for them feed this page automatically.

    Boundary data

What's missing

  • No access route mapped

    We don't yet know which road reaches this trailhead, so we can't tell you if it's gated.

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Campsite availability

Live from Recreation.gov for Fenske Lake Campground.

Book on Recreation.gov
Oct 12 – Oct 19
7 nights

We'll watch 2026-10-12 → 2026-10-19 and email you the moment something frees up. No account needed.

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Fenske Lake Campground

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About this campground

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. Facilities The campground is tent-friendly; most sites do not accommodate large RVs. Sites are spaced widely apart along a large loop. All sites have 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. The site is perched high on a rock ledge overlooking the lake, offering a spectacular view. Families and groups of friends will enjoy the facility's small picnic area. An open log shelter is available for use during inclement weather. 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 Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (218) 365-2963.

Campsite info

Sites
16
Site types
Group, Tent, Rv
Reservable
Yes
Reserve a site

Directions & GPX

Facts about this campground

When to go

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Ely, MN weather station, 5.6 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan15° high-7° low
  2. Feb23° high-5° low
  3. Mar36° high10° low
  4. Apr51° high25° low
  5. May65° high38° low
  6. Jun75° high49° low
  7. Jul79° high53° low
  8. Aug78° high52° low
  9. Sep68° high44° low
  10. Oct52° high32° low
  11. Nov34° high19° low
  12. Dec21° high3° low

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

Managed by
Forest Service

Source: USFS EDW boundaries; USGS PAD-US 4.1

Conditions

Active alerts for Superior National Forest as of Oct 10, 2026:

Source: USFS forest alerts

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)

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