A gray 4x4 Sprinter with a roof rack on a two-track through a wildflower meadow, cloud sitting on the mountains behind.

Forest Service campground

Fall Lake

Forest Service campground in Superior National Forest, Lake County, Minnesota. 1,337 feet. 4.2 miles from Winton.

Managed by
Forest Service Superior National Forest
Elevation
1,337 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
62 50 standard electric, 9 tent only non-electric, 2 group standard electric
Longest rig
40 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
Electric
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Lake County

Overview

Fall Lake Campground is located on the shores of Fall Lake and provides direct access into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). The campground opens in early May in time for walleye fishing season, making it a popular place for anglers. Others are drawn to Fall Lake for its birding, swimming, hiking and boating opportunities.

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.

Recreation

Part of Fall Lake lies within the BWCAW, while the rest of the lake is open to unrestricted boating, permits are required to enter the BWCAW. View recreation guides and maps of hiking trails and canoe routes in the national forest.

Kids love the campground's swimming beach, playground and picnic area. A 1.5 mile hiking trail is also a favorite pastime for families. Anglers can try their luck for smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, crappie, perch and bluegill.

Some campers might be interested in the unique opportunity to view the visitor center's display of replica artifacts found during archaeological digs within the campground and surrounding areas.

There's no shortage of popular local events to attend, including the City of Ely's July 4th fireworks, the Blueberry Festival (the last full weekend in July) and the Harvest Moon Festival-mid September.

Facilities

This lake has some sites that can be reserved and some that are first-come, first-served. Many sites at Fall Lake are made to accommodate RVs including pull-through sites. Trees provide privacy between most campsites. The facility is very accessible.

A store, canoe rentals, firewood and ice are available at the facility, and a campground host is on-site during the season.

Natural Features

The campground is nestled among majestic pine and abundant aspen and fir trees, providing the ultimate northwoods setting. Average summer temperatures are a pleasant 60-75 degrees. Birds and wildlife are abundant.

Nearby Attractions

Guests may want to take a day trip to the Dorothy Molter Museum, International Wolf Center, North American Bear Center, Ely-Winton History Museum or Soudan Mine.

By far the most popular nearby attraction is the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness . Over one million acres in size, the Boundary Waters contain over 1,200 miles of canoe routes, 12 hiking trails and over 2,000 designated campsites.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • boating
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • picnicking
  • swimming site
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Fall Lake

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated September 2, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.