Bear Head Lake State Park

About this park

Bear Head Lake State Park, created by the Minnesota legislature in 1961, protects 3,013 acres of genuine Northwoods wilderness just south of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness near Ely, sharing much of that famous region's remote, lake-dotted character while still offering road access and modern camping facilities. Stands of white and red pine tower over birch, aspen, and fir across a landscape of ancient volcanic bedrock, Ely greenstone and Giants Range granite, scoured and shaped by glaciers that also carved the park's namesake 674-acre Bear Head Lake and neighboring Eagle Nest Lakes. The park functions as genuine wildlife habitat rather than just a scenic backdrop, with black bear, moose, and timber wolves all present alongside more commonly spotted white-tailed deer, red squirrels, and snowshoe hares; birdwatchers have logged more than 100 species here, including loons, warblers, and nesting bald eagles. Before becoming parkland, the area around Bear Head Lake supported active logging through the early 1900s, including a sawmill on the lake's south shore that operated until 1911, after which a series of forest fires between 1911 and 1913 reshaped much of the landscape visitors see today. Miles of shoreline open to canoeing, a swimming beach, and fishing for walleye, bass, crappie, and trout make Bear Head Lake a complete northern lake destination, and trails connecting to the Taconite State Trail extend the park's reach for snowmobilers, skiers, and hikers well beyond its own boundaries. A rentable three-bedroom guest house gives visitors wanting more comfort than a tent a year-round lodging option inside this otherwise remote and rustic park.