Department of Natural Resources © 11/2009 by State of , •M • • •F VISITOR FAVORITES • Fishing pier and boat docks • Snowshoe rental • 5 camper cabins • •P • • • • • • • •4 • FEATURES F STATE PARK BEAR HEAD LAKE sporting and map stores. r available for purchase from the DNR gift shop, Public Recreation Information Maps (PRIM) are r showing federal, state and county lands with their The DNR has mapped separate areas of the state egional offices, Minnesota state parks and major ecreational facilities. L ACILITIES AND skiing trails with the Snowmobile trails that link beach Beautiful sand swimming Head Lake Guest house Dump station Boat, kayak and canoe rentals swimming beach Large picnic area with a sandy sanitation units hand-pump and pit-type Rustic group camp with a Lake #3 Boat access on Eagles Nest Boat access on Bear Head Lake One boat-accessible campsite sanitation building with electricity) a modern 73 semi-modern campsites (45 OOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION backpack sites ishing and boating on Bear icnic shelter iles of good hiking and Check it out - you'll be glad you did. ?

Park Big Island Entrance ELY 15 miles •walleye •northern pike •smallmouth bass Ruth's Island •black crappie •panfish

NITE STATE TRAIL TACO 128

Portage Trail BEAR ISLAND STATE FOREST Cub 1.0 k Lake 1.0 k Stocked with brook trout Stocked with GH1 brook trout SOUDAN UNDER- GROUND MINE STATE PARK - 8 miles 2.0 k .4 k 4.5 k

G1

1.0 k

Picnic BP5 Shelter Becky Lake PACK1

PACK3 4.5 k

PACK2 Speed limit 10 mph

•walleye Underlined site numbers PACK4 •northern pike are RESERVABLE •largemouth bass •black crappie W6 •panfish

BEAR ISLAND NOTE: This map is intended for Portage informational purposes, not for Trail navigational use. STATE FOREST

0.1.2.3.4.5 1 Miles

0.1.2.3.4.5 1 NORTH Kilometers

TRAILS FACILITIES Camper Cabins

State Trail (multi-use) Information/Office Primitive Group Camp Snowmobile Picnic Area Watercraft Campsite Hiking/Skiing Swimming Backpack Camping easy Boat Ramp Watercraft/Backpack Camping more difficult Rental House Trailer Sanitation Station

Because lands exist within the boundaries of this park most difficult Fishing Pier Private Property that are not under the jurisdiction of the D.N.R., check Public Use Prohibited with the park manager if you plan to use facilities such Hiking Only Camping (Except on designated trails) as trails and roads other than those shown. holds three other fishing lakes. Visitors enjoy lake, but what the owners did or where they were from isn’t known. GH boating, swimming, hiking, and fishing in park entrance road this remote northern park. BEAR HEAD LAKE In 1961 the Minnesota legislature created WILDLIFE: The northern forest that service area STATE PARK the park. surrounds 674 acre Bear Head Lake is home Duluth• to a variety of wildlife. Visitors often see SO EVERYONE CAN ENJOY THE PARK... white-tailed deer, red squirrel, chipmunk, • The park belongs to all Minnesotans. Red Pine loon, bald eagle and red fox. Ocassionally, Treat it with respect and consideration. Aspen Minneapolis/ grey wolf and black bear are seen. • Hunting in the park is prohibited. St. Paul • • Pets must be on a leash no longer than Birch GEOLOGY: Volcanoes and ancient seas six feet. produced the bedrock of the Bear Head • Motorized vehicles may not use park trails. sites Lake area. The bedrock—of ely greenstone Cedar 1—24 and giants range granite—was scoured and • Enjoy the animals, but do not approach White gouged by glaciers. Today, the area is or feed them. electrical Pine BEAR HEAD BEAR HEAD LAKE covered with glacial debris—rock and dirt • Do not collect rocks and plants. They make sites 25—50 STATE PARK up much of the park’s beauty. LAKE transported by glaciers from many other CAMPGROUND STATE PARK places. • Park only in designated areas. 1 • The park is closed from 10:00 P.M. until 25e 50e Underlined site numbers 2 3 FOR MORE INFORMATION Both Eagles Nest and Bear Head Lakes, 8:00 A.M. except in campgrounds. Loud 26e 4 are RESERVABLE sites 27e 48e 73 28e 49e Bear Head Lake State Park along with the park’s rolling hills, were noises or other disturbances are 51—73 23 5 9301 Bear Head Lake State Park Road prohibited after 10:00 P.M. 72e 29e 30e 6 formed from glacial action. At road cuts and 47e 46e 24 71e 31e 21 Ely, MN 55731 along the lakes, visitors can see many • Park permits are required for every 45e 22 7 70 69e 8 (218) 365-7229 different shapes and sizes of rock left by the vehicle. Purchase them at park 51 32e 43e 19 ♦ 52e 66e 44e 20 glaciers. headquarters. 68e 33e 34e 42e Department of Natural Resources • 10 mph is the speed limit for boats on 53e 67 35e 36e 41e 9 54e 40e Information Center Bear Head Lake. There are rocks and other 65e 63e 38e HISTORY: Starting in 1895, logging was the 37e 500 Lafayette Road hazards in the lake. Boat operators are 61e39e 10 major activity around Bear Head Lake. In 64e 11 St. Paul, MN 55155-4040 responsible for safe navigation. 59e 18 17 1907, the Allen and Whittenburg Company 55e62e • Information on boating, navigation, and 12 (651) 296-6157 (Metro Area) 56e 60e built a sawmill on the south side of the lake. 13 water safety is available from park staff. NORTH 1-888-646-6367 (MN Toll Free) The company logged the area for two 57e 58e • Gathering firewood disrupts the forest 15 seasons, then sold out. Next, the Tower 16 14 TDD (Telecommunications soil cycle and is not permitted. Device for Deaf) Lumber Company purchased the mill. After beach trail (651) 296-5484 (Metro Area) two years, the company discontinued 1-800-657-3929 (MN Toll Free) operations, dismantled the mill, and shipped ♦ it back to Tower. DNR Web Site: www.dnr.state.mn.us This information is available in Information / Office Dock State Parks page: www.mnstateparks.info alternative format upon request. Between 1911 and 1913 several fires swept Parking Boat Ramp the area. These fires consumed the forest Restrooms BEAR HEAD LAKE STATE PARK is inside the park boundary. Today, many old, “Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from Picnic Area programs of the Minnesota Department of Natural located 18 miles east of Tower. Take U.S. Restrooms/Showers Beach Minnesota charred pine stumps can still be seen along Resources is available to all individuals regardless of race, Highway 169 east to St. Louis County the park’s hiking trails. color, creed or religion, national origin, sex, marital status, Trailer Dump Station Water Highway 128. Take 128 south six miles to status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, age or disability. Discrimination inquires should be sent to Fish Cleaning House DEPARTMENT OF the park. Highway map index: M-7. Toilets NATURAL RESOURCES After the loggers left, little was recorded the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 500 DNR Maps about the region’s history. At one time a Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4031; or the Equal Rental House Hiking Trail Bear Head Lake State Park’s 4,000-plus acres Opportunity Office, Department of the Interior, Washington, © 11/2009 by State of Minnesota, few backwoods cabins were built on the Camper Cabin e Electrical Sites surround Bear Head Lake. The park also D.C. 20240.” Department of Natural Resources