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Fenske Lake Campground

Superior National Forest, Minnesota

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As of September 2026, Fenske Lake Campground is a campground in Superior National Forest, Minnesota with 11 campsites. Fenske Lake Campground is booked through Recreation.gov.

PermitSnag checks Fenske Lake Campground for availability and tells alert holders when a site opens up.
Fenske Lake Campground is located at 47.9953° N, 91.9139° W.

people allowed on 10 of 11 sites: 9
people allowed on the largest site: 25

Fenske Lake Campground reservations and next available dates

September 2026

October 2026

open, tap to book on Recreation.govsold outin your alert

Stay and booking rules

Group bookings open: 12 Months
Taxes apply
Maximum consecutive stay: 14 consecutive days
Minimum stay: 1 consecutive nights
Book up to: 6 Months
Tribal discount available

Published by Recreation.gov for Fenske Lake Campground, read on September 29, 2026.

Campsites at Fenske Lake Campground

26789101112131416

Standard 10
Group 1
Accessible 3

What an RV fits

20 ft2 sites
32 ft2 sites
36 ft1 site
45 ft1 site
80 ft1 site

Amenities

potable water

At a glance: Setting: Forest.

Things to do: fishing, boating, swimming, hiking, wildlife, photography.

All sites at Fenske Lake Campground, as listed by Recreation.gov

Every site is in the FENSKE LAKE CAMPGROUND loop.

Site	Type	Sleeps	Max RV	Access
002	Standard	9	80 ft	-
006	Standard	9	-	-
007	Standard	9	-	-
008	Standard	9	32 ft	-
009	Standard	9	36 ft	Accessible
010	Standard	9	-	-
011	Standard	9	-	-
012	Standard	9	32 ft	-
013	Standard	9	20 ft	-
014	Standard	9	20 ft	Accessible
016	Group	25	45 ft	Accessible

About Fenske Lake 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.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (218) 365-2963.

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

Rules and notices at Fenske Lake Campground

Recreation.gov does not date these notices. We last read them on September 29, 2026. Check Fenske Lake Campground on Recreation.gov

Notices from Recreation.gov

Beach and picnic area open from 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. daily; no lifeguards on duty at the beach.

Off-road and all-terrain vehicles not allowed.

During the walk-in season please contact the Superior National Forest for information.

Please Note: One RV with tow vehicle per single site or one vehicle per tent site. Most sites can accommodate 1 extra vehicle that is not included with the reservation fee. Extra vehicle will be charged a per night fee and collected at the campground if you did not pay for the Extra Vehicle Add On.

Reserved Sites will be held until check out time (NOON) the day following your arrival date. Sites must be occupied by the checkout time of that following day to hold a reservation or the site will be forfeited and released to other guests. Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.

Refunds: Refund requests made through www.recreation.gov will be charged a $10 processing fee. This fee is retained by the reservation service contractor along with the non-refundable reservation fee. All requests for the return of the non-refundable reservation fee and the cancellation fee will be declined by the campground concessionaire as they did not receive these fees (these are the fees retained by the reservation contractor, a different entity).

Don't move firewood: To limit the spread of invasive tree-killing pests, firewood from outside the area is not permitted. Some states have quarantines and may confiscate your firewood. Please help protect our forests from invasive species by obtaining your firewood at or near your camping destination and burning it on-site. Visit dontmovefirewood.org for more information.

Click here to learn more about Superior National Forest. Superior National Forest

Recreation.gov permit and campground cancellations →

Fenske Lake Campground FAQ

How hard is it to get a campsite at Fenske Lake Campground?

Fenske Lake Campground is rated "Hard to Book" based on historical demand. This campground is popular and often books out weeks in advance. Your best strategy is to monitor cancellations.

How do I find last-minute availability at Fenske Lake Campground?

Cancellations happen frequently at Fenske Lake Campground, especially 1-2 weeks before check-in dates. PermitSnag monitors availability 24/7 and sends instant alerts when sites open up due to cancellations. This is often the best way to snag popular campsites.

How many campsites does Fenske Lake Campground have?

Fenske Lake Campground has 11 campsites.