Openings · last 7 days
6
Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 6 site openings here in the last 7 days
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-233841
When Birch Lake Campground reopens
Birch Lake Campground'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
7
Only 7 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 – Sep 26, 2026 · of 32 monitored sites
Of the 279 tracked site-nights (Sep 18 – Sep 26, 2026): 65 open for online reservation · 63 reserved · 151 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative). Of the facility's 32 monitored sites, 21 can be reserved online and 10 are first-come, first-served (1 closed).
Where the open windows are
76.7% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 65 of 279 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18 – Sep 26, 2026Not open online76.7%
Open site-nights65 / 279
Reserved (of online inventory)63 / 128
Weekday openings45
Weekend openings20
Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 45 fall on weekdays and 20 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Sep 2026September holds the most room. 65 of 279 site-nights are still open there.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 31 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 |
|---|---|
| 001 | 5 |
| 013 | 5 |
| 017 | 5 |
| 023 | 5 |
| 028 | 5 |
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
65 open site-nights across 19 sites at Birch Lake Campground, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 15 2-night, 12 3-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Sep 22 at site 001.
RV length. Longest recorded site here is 66 ft. 27 sites take 25 ft, 26 sites take 35 ft, 23 sites take 40 ft. 2 sites of 31 have no recorded maximum and are not counted.
All 19 sites with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | 45 ft | None | 5 | 5 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26 |
| 013 | 50 ft | None | 5 | 5 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26 |
| 017 | 40 ft | None | 5 | 5 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26 |
| 023 | 50 ft | None | 5 | 5 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26 |
| 028 | 48 ft | None | 5 | 5 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26 |
| 030 | 57 ft | None | 5 | 5 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26 |
| 031 | 36 ft | None | 5 | 5 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26 |
| Popple Cabin | Not recorded | None | 5 | 5 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26 |
| Tamarak Cabin | Not recorded | None | 5 | 5 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26 |
| 019 | 39 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24 |
| 021 | 48 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24 |
| 026 | 54 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24 |
| 029 | 30 ft | None | 3 | 2 nights | Sep 22, Sep 25, Sep 26 |
| 024 | 49 ft | None | 2 | 2 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23 |
| 025 | 14 ft | None | 2 | 2 nights | Sep 22, Sep 23 |
| 014 | 66 ft | None | 1 | 1 night | Sep 22 |
| 020 | 55 ft | None | 1 | 1 night | Sep 22 |
| 027 | 48 ft | None | 1 | 1 night | Sep 24 |
| 032 | 21 ft | None | 1 | 1 night | Sep 22 |
About Birch Lake Campground
Overview
Birch Lake Campground is located in Superior National Forest near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, about 13 miles from Ely, Minnesota. It is an ideal place to relax while enjoying fishing, boating and other recreational activities.
Recreation
Fishing, boating and canoeing are popular on Birch Lake. Anglers can use the boat ramp or try their luck from shore to catch northern pike, perch, crappie and walleye. There are no horsepower limitations for boats on the lake.
The shoreline is inviting for campers interested in canoeing. Families also enjoy berry picking during the summer and early fall months.
View recreation guides and maps of hiking trails and canoe routes in the national forest.
Facilities
The campground features shaded campsites, each with a picnic table, tent pad and campfire ring with grill. Campsites are organized into two loops, all near the water and well-separated by dense forest. The north loop also has a group site to accommodate up to 45 people with eight back-in parking spurs and an open play area. The south loop has two camper cabins. These cabins are two room cabins with two sets of bunk beds (4 beds) in the back bedroom, and a main area with a table, chairs, and futon in the front room. The cabins sleep up to 6 persons and offer the indoor/outdoor camping experience with a front porch. A heater is provided for those cooler Minnesota nights. Please note: guests must supply their own linens and supplies; no electricity, water or indoor kitchen. Vault toilets and a hand pump for drinking water are provided, and firewood is available for purchase.
Natural Features
Birch Lake covers 7,628 acres and is one of a series of lakes in the area. The campground lies in aspen and birch forest. Birds and wildlife are abundant.
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.
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.
32 monitored sites10 FCFS sitesRVs up to 66 ftNo hookups29 shadedWaterfrontLakefrontPets OKFire pitsMax party 45
Getting there
From Ely, Minnesota, travel about 8 miles south on State Highway 1 toward Lake Superior, until Forest Road 429 (Little Lake Road). Turn right on Forest Road 429 and continue 4 miles to the campground entrance road. Turn left onto the campground road and continue 1 mile to the campground.
Kawishiwi Ranger District, Ely, MN 55731KAWISHIWI RANGER DISTRICT: 218-365-7600, CONCESSIONAIRE (SUMMER): 218-365-2963
BikingBoatingCampingFishingHikingHuntingSwimming SiteWildlife Viewing
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-233841 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-233841 · Birch Lake Campground · Ely MN12 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Birch Lake Campground?
Reservations for Birch Lake Campground are made through Recreation.gov. 76.7% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation; 65 of 279 remain open. Campsite Sniper has also detected 7 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 14:17 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 Birch Lake Campground?
Campsite Sniper detected 6 site-date openings at Birch Lake Campground in the last 7 days, 7 over 30 days and 7 over the last 90.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Birch Lake Campground?
12 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 001. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which sites at Birch Lake Campground fit a 35-foot RV?
26 of the 31 sites that support RV analysis have a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 66 ft. 29 of those 31 sites have a recorded maximum length and 2 do not; they are not counted as fitting.
Which month has the most availability at Birch Lake Campground?
September 2026, with 65 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 279.
When is the next open date at Birch Lake Campground?
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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