Fenske Lake Campground and Gobee's Injury

Ely Mn, Superior National Forest

I love the Ely area; there is so much to see and do. I always ask the locals or the people just coming out of the Boundary Waters about the places to go. "If you don't ask, you will never know," someone once told me, and the person I met randomly several summers ago led me to one of the best camping spots in Minnesota.

Fenske Lake Campground is north of Ely on the Echo Trail (County Road 116), it may say 10 miles, but it took over 20 minutes to get there; I kept thinking I was lost, but eventually, a brown wooden sign appeared that lead us to our destination.

A rustic campground deep in the Superior National Forest that offers the standards, a pit toilet, running water in the summer, a small beach area, and a fishing pier. Fenske has a few campsites that can make a stay very special. I always try to book site seven, which sits fifteen feet above the lake on this enormous boulder. The area is large enough for a few tents and has a view that does not stop. You have to put in a little work for this site as it sits a hundred yards down the hill with a couple of tricky steps you could easily trip on. You will not see your neighbors here, as the sites are distanced apart; privacy for a peaceful weekend in the woods.

Note: If you want to stay here, I suggest booking the sites along the lake; the rest are less than average.

Fenske is where I realized that CERTAIN State Forest campgrounds tend to have the best campsites. State Parks tend to pack you in like a motel, pull up, unload, and stay row after row of people, which is fine. At a State Forest campground, nature is the deciding factor on where you can pitch your tent. Only certain parts of the land can allow for tents; sometimes, it can be a glorious spot; other times, it is just an open area where the forest has not taken over. Minimal land clearing is involved allowing for fewer amenities at these campgrounds. Great State Forest Campgrounds are hard to find, and I spend a lot of time researching them.

The lake is beautiful and perfect for canoeing and kayaking; it is small enough that you can still get on the water when breezy. There is a boat launch area, as motorized boats are allowed, but I have never seen one on the lake; most sites along the lake support launching your canoe from the shore. Fishing is pretty good, as my friend Micah caught a few Northern from his kayak; the lake has an extensive array of fish; black crappie, bluegill, large and smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, and yellow perch. I love watching the canoeists set out in the early morning for a paddle, the water is like glass, and you can hear the strokes breaking the water. It is pretty magical.

Staying here allows for some great Northwoods exploration; there are many hiking trails throughout the area; Bass Lake Trail is nearly 5 miles away; it is a 4-6 hour loop but can be shortened to a 2-hour hike to the falls. Also, check out Angleworm Trail, Kawishiwi Falls Trail, North Arm, and North Junction Trails, which I have heard are great for wild berry picking.

There are three State Parks that are relatively close; Bear Head Lake, Vermillion, and Soudan Mine, all with plenty of activities. The last time I was Fenske, I headed to Bear Head to hike the trails with Gobee. Unfortunately, a Storm started to close in quickly during our hike, and we began to push our pace. You could hear the thunder cracking and the wind blowing through the pines, causing them to sway violently. We were down by one of the small lakes along the trails when we heard a thunderous crack; the air turned cold, and you could FEEL the sound from where the strike hit. We were working our way up a steep rocky trail when Gobee, my athletic German Wire-Hair, tried to leap over a huge fallen Red Pine. She caught the tree mid-jump and tumbled 15 feet down a rock face; you could hear screeching and whimpering the entire fall; it felt like I was watching this in slow motion, head over tail, until her body came to rest. I ran down the hill to her as she lay there breathing heavily; the rain started coming down as I sat, checking to see if she was injured. Finally, I picked her up and carried her up this step and now slick embankment; I wanted to get her to level ground to see if she could stand. Remarkably she could take a few steps, but you could tell she was very sore. We made it about 300 yards when the rain started to come down quite hard. I could see Gobee's limping increase. I was apprehensive about her injuring herself further, so I decided to get her atop my shoulders which was an adventure in itself, and hike her the remaining 1.5 miles back to the car. Once at the car, I laid the seat down and spread the blankets out to make her comfortable as we had a 30-minute drive back to camp. She seemed in good spirits as I watched her carefully through the night.

The following day I brought Gobee to the local Ely Vet; I was worried that she could be severely injured with a fall like that; lord knows I would have been. I drove up to the clinic and saw something amazing: Vets and Techs outside meeting patients during Covid, and they had tables set up for simple check-ins and took the animals in for exams. The Doctor met me at my car and asked how he could help. I explained Gobee's fall as he carefully lifted her out of the back of the vehicle and set her up on her feet. Right away, we noticed the tremble in her back legs, and she was extremely sore to the touch. He brought her inside to give her a more thorough exam and said he would return in a few minutes with his thoughts. In no time, he returned to let me know Gobee had suffered a bad sprain and would need some serious rest. He would give her some pain meds and something extra for our drive back to Fargo. The Vet explained everything to me with care and passion; I was in amazement as other vet experiences were not this during the Covid times. Ely Vet Clinic is a special place with special people working there.

This trip had to end due to the injury of Gobee, but that was OK; Fenske Lake was incredible, and we still had a good time. Unfortunately, the injury to Gobee has changed her. She has slowed down quite a bit since this unfortunate event. There are no longer ten-mile hikes; we can make it about three miles; after that, she starts to show signs of wearing out and discomfort. Gobee is still on 90% of all my trips, but she is learning to relax and take in the scenery instead of having big adventures.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Suggested stay length: At least two to four days.

Campground: Drive-In, Walk-In, very rustic campground, no hookups.

Wi-Fi: None to Minimal.

Wood: For sale from the camp host.

Pets: Yes, must be on a leash.

Activities: Fishing, hiking, swimming, canoeing, and kayaking.

Water: 6 out of 10, I would bring my own in.

Favorite Sites: Site 7 is one of my favorite camping spots in all of Minnesota; the sites along the lake are all pretty good; some are at the top of the hill some are down by the lake. I would AVOID the sites, not on the lake.

Surrounding Area: Ely is a hub to the North and the Boundary Waters; there is plenty of places to eat and grab a drink. I love visiting all the outfitter's shops; my favorite is Piragis, with plenty of camping gear, all kinds of unique items, and even a bookstore. There are three state parks, many hiking spots, and so much more. Great place for a vacation in the woods or in and around town.

Link: Fenske Lake Campground