Photo: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
Swim, fish and paddle a Northwoods lake near Ely with Boundary Waters scenery, then sleep in a heated camper cabin any time of year.
9301 Bear Head State Park Rd, Ely, MN 55731 · Ely, MN
Bear Head Lake State Park surrounds the 670-acre Bear Head Lake and several smaller lakes south of Ely, with the same pine and hardwood scenery as the Boundary Waters but with road access and modern facilities. You can swim from the beach, paddle the shore, and fish for walleye, bass, crappie and trout; two lakes are set aside for trout. The park rents five heated camper cabins and a guesthouse that sleeps 10 year round, and in winter has 5.5 miles of groomed ski trails.
The closest stops to Bear Head Lake State Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.
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