Iron Lake Campground

Iron Lake Campground is a small, remote Forest Service campground in the Gunflint Ranger District of Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota. It sits within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Mining Protection Area Mineral Reserve Area, about 1.2 miles from the Crab Lake Cut-Off trail. The site has seven campsites, five of which are reservable and two first come/first served, and vault toilets are the only facility. The lake is the draw. Walleye and northern pike live in Iron Lake, and the water gives access to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The surrounding area was burned in the 2007 Ham Lake fire, and the post-fire ecology includes uncommon black-backed woodpeckers. Visitors are asked to stay on trails and roads, as burned areas can have hazards and forest renewal is fragile. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 76°F with lows near 54°F, while winter highs stay in the teens and 20s. If you plan to enter the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, you'll need a permit and must follow wilderness regulations, including group size limits. The Crab Lake Cut-Off and the Crab Lake-Main Brt trail are both within about a mile and a half. Gunflint Lake, about 3 miles away, offers more fishing, and Flour Lake Campground is roughly 10 miles off.