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Boat launchpaddling

Sandy Point Public Water Access Site

Minnesota

About

Sandy Point Public Water Access Site is a boat launch in the Kawishiwi Ranger District of Superior National Forest, about 0.7 miles from Ely, Minnesota. The land is managed by the Minnesota DNR Division of Parks and Trails. Summer is the most comfortable time to get on the water. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Ely show July highs around 79°F with lows near 53°F, while January highs average only about 15°F. The launch sits close to several other outdoor spots. Trezona Trail, a cross-country ski route, is just 0.3 miles away, and the Mesabi Range Trail is about a mile off. Paddlers can also look to the Circle Route, roughly 4 miles away, and Fall Lake campground is about 7 miles from the site.

Launch Details

Managed by

Minnesota DNR Division of Parks and Trails

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Location

Ely

Minnesota

Data © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). View or edit on OpenStreetMap.

Facts about this place

When to go

Best time to go: May–Sep. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 65–79°F and lows of 38–53°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Ely, MN weather station, 0.6 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

Nearest town
Ely, Minnesota · 0.7 mi

Source: USFS EDW boundaries; USGS GNIS populated places

Conditions

Active alerts for Superior National Forest as of Oct 9, 2026:

Source: USFS forest alerts

Nearby

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

Is Sandy Point Public Water Access Site open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Superior National Forest. It doesn't name Sandy Point Public Water Access Site, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Superior National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Sandy Point Public Water Access Site

Best months: August–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

  1. Jan

    15° / -7°

    11 wet

  2. Feb

    23° / -5°

    9 wet

  3. Mar

    36° / 10°

    9 wet

  4. Apr

    51° / 25°

    10 wet

  5. May

    65° / 38°

    13 wet

  6. Jun

    75° / 49°

    14 wet

  7. Jul

    79° / 53°

    13 wet

  8. Aug

    78° / 52°

    12 wet

  9. Sep

    68° / 44°

    12 wet

  10. Oct

    52° / 32°

    14 wet

  11. Nov

    34° / 19°

    11 wet

  12. Dec

    21° / 3°

    11 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Ely, MN, 0.6 mi away at 1,382 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Closures we've recorded since August 2026

  • Forest-wide Fire Restrictions

    Superior National Forest · Order dated July 12, 2026; seen Aug 23, 2026 → lifted Aug 25, 2026 · Forest Service

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors