Openings · last 7 days
2
Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 2 site openings here in the last 7 days
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-232427
When Iron Lake reopens
Iron Lake's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
7
Openings · last 90 days
10
Only 10 openings in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18 – Oct 4, 2026 · of 7 monitored sites
Of the 119 tracked site-nights (Sep 18 – Oct 4, 2026): 29 open for online reservation · 62 reserved · 28 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative). Of the facility's 7 monitored sites, 6 can be reserved online and 1 are first-come, first-served.
Where the open windows are
75.6% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 29 of 119 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18 – Oct 4, 2026Not open online75.6%
Open site-nights29 / 119
Reserved (of online inventory)62 / 91
Weekday openings21
Weekend openings8
Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 21 fall on weekdays and 8 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Oct 2026September holds the most room. 19 of 91 site-nights are still open there.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 7 sites| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked night.
Best-availability sites
Most open site-nights · tracked window| Site | Open site-nights |
|---|---|
| 002 | 9 |
| 003 | 7 |
| 005 | 5 |
| 006 | 5 |
| 007 | 2 |
The 5 sites with the most open site-nights in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotNext open dateTue · Sep 22
Next open weekendFri · Sep 25
The next bookable night is Sep 22; the first open weekend starts Sep 25. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
29 open site-nights across 6 sites at Iron Lake, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 7 2-night, 3 3-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Sep 22 at site 002.
RV length. Longest recorded site here is 40 ft. 6 sites take 25 ft, 4 sites take 35 ft, 4 sites take 40 ft.
All 6 sites with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 002 | 20 ft | None | 9 | 5 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 4 |
| 003 | 40 ft | None | 7 | 4 nights | Sep 22, Sep 25, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4 |
| 005 | 30 ft | None | 5 | 2 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Oct 1, Oct 3, Oct 4 |
| 006 | 40 ft | None | 5 | 2 nights | Sep 22, Sep 25, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 4 |
| 007 | 30 ft | None | 2 | 2 nights | Sep 28, Sep 29 |
| 004 | 40 ft | None | 1 | 1 night | Sep 28 |
About Iron Lake
Overview
Iron Lake Campground is located in a dense forest along the banks of Iron Lake in far northern Minnesota. The campground is unique due to its remoteness and small size. Fishing and canoeing are its biggest draws, as the lake provides access to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
The Ham Lake Fire passed through the campground in 2007. Visitors may be surprised at how the burned area has grown back up.
Recreation
Iron Lake provides many boating opportunities. The campground offers plenty of canoeing and fishing opportunities. Walleye and northern pike fishing are usually good. Canoes, kayaks and small boats must be carried down to access the lake.
When portaging or paddling out of this lake and into another, visitors should find out if they will be entering the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Entry requires a permit (self-issued for day use) and visitors must follow wilderness regulations including group size.
**View recreation guides and maps of hiking trails and canoe routes in the national forest.
View recreation guides and maps of hiking trails and canoe routes in the national forest.
Facilities
This campground is small and simple. Sites are organized into one loop near the water. There are no electric hookups. Campsite #1 is a first-come, first-served site. Effective January 24, 2025, Campsite #6 has been added to the list of reservable campsites. It is now currently available for reservation during the same reservation season as the other reservable sites.
Vault toilets, drinking water, and a garbage canister are provided. Conveniences are available at area lodges and resorts. A campground host from the concessionaire visits here every other day, and the facility is routinely patrolled by the County Sheriff and the concessionaire.
Natural Features
Iron Lake is in a burn area, and visitors can see post-fire ecology including uncommon black-backed woodpeckers. Moose, bear, loons and other wildlife live in the area. Blueberries grow abundantly in the area and can be picked in mid to late summer.
Nearby Attractions
The BWCAW is by far the most popular nearby attraction. Over 1 million acres in size, the Boundary Waters extend 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.
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
Additional sites of interest
7 monitored sites1 FCFS siteRVs up to 40 ftNo hookups7 shadedPets OKMax party 8
Getting there
From Grand Marais, Minnesota, take Gunflint Trail (County Road 12) 36 miles north, turn left on County Road 92 and travel 2 miles on a narrow gravel road to Iron Lake Campground.
Gunflint Ranger District, Grand Marais, MN 55604(218)388-2212
BoatingCampingCanoeingFishing
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-232427 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-232427 · Iron Lake · Grand Marais MN12 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Iron Lake?
Reservations for Iron Lake are made through Recreation.gov. 75.6% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation; 29 of 119 remain open. Campsite Sniper has also detected 10 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Sep 18, 2026 16:19 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
How often do new openings appear at Iron Lake?
Campsite Sniper detected 2 site-date openings at Iron Lake in the last 7 days, 7 over 30 days and 10 over the last 90.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Iron Lake?
3 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Sep 22 at site 002. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which sites at Iron Lake fit a 35-foot RV?
4 of the 7 sites that support RV analysis have a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 40 ft.
Which month has the most availability at Iron Lake?
September 2026, with 19 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 91.
When is the next open date at Iron Lake?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Tue, Sep 22 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Sep 25. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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Watch
We run paced availability checks for Iron Lake. One watch covers every matching online-reservable site.
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When a match opens, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.
Alerts monitor online-reservable inventory only; first-come, first-served sites are not included.