White Iron Lake Webcam – Resort Beach Near Ely, Minnesota

The White Iron Lake Webcam looks down a gravel lane at White Iron Beach Resort to the open water of White Iron Lake, about 8 kilometers (5 miles) east of Ely in northeastern Minnesota. Log cabins with green metal roofs line the left of the frame, a playground with a rainbow-striped fort roof fills the right, and the shore between them holds the resort’s docks, boat lifts and a basketball hoop. Beyond, the lake stretches out to a low wooded shore inside the Superior National Forest. The resort refreshes the picture every 30 seconds, so it follows the light, the clouds and the surface of the lake through the day. Over a year the scene runs from open summer water, when the rental boats go out, to a frozen white lake in midwinter, with the docks hauled up onto the bank in between.

About White Iron Lake

White Iron Lake covers 3,246 acres (1,314 hectares) and reaches a maximum depth of 47 feet (14 meters), according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, which places it inside the Superior National Forest. A Lake County water plan gives its average depth as 19 feet (5.8 meters) and files it in the Lower Kawishiwi River subwatershed. Kawishiwi comes from an Ojibwe name meaning “the river full of beavers’ houses”. The resort presents the lake as an easy starting point for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which Ely’s tourism office describes as over one million acres (more than 400,000 hectares) of forest and waterways.

The camera belongs to White Iron Beach Resort, a family fishing resort at 13471 White Iron Beach that has kept a webcam page on its website since December 2013, under the name White Iron Beach Webcam. It rents 26 cabins, from fully remodeled to luxury, and the largest sleep up to 14 people. Much of what the resort lists is in shot: the sandy beach, the playground, the basketball hoop and the docks. It also has a shallow swimming area for children, volleyball, a game room and a new private pickleball court, along with boat, motor and pontoon rentals and free use of canoes, kayaks and paddle boats.

Ely itself grew out of iron mining. Miners incorporated the town as Florence in 1888, the year the railroad arrived and the Chandler Mine opened, and it was renamed after Samuel B. Ely, a Michigan promoter of Vermilion Range ore. The Pioneer Mine, the most productive in town, closed in 1967. Today Ely has 3,268 residents (2020 census) and sits at 437 meters (1,434 feet) above sea level.

Weather and Climate at White Iron Lake

Winters here are long and severe. NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals for Ely give a January average high of -9.3°C (15.2°F) and an average low of -21.6°C (-6.9°F), and the town gets about 164 centimeters (64.6 inches) of snow a year. Ely recorded -46°C (-50°F) on February 13, 2021. In the depth of winter the lake typically freezes over, snow settles on the cabin roofs and the playground, and the resort closes for the season. At this latitude the midday sun climbs only about 19 degrees above the horizon at the winter solstice, so the light stays low across the frame even at noon in December.

Summer is mild by comparison. July averages a high of 26.1°C (78.9°F) and a low of 11.8°C (53.3°F), the season when the docks are back in the water and the beach and boats are in use. Spring brings the slow break-up of the ice and the return of the docks, while autumn turns the trees around the shore before they drop their leaves. By November the branches over the cabins are bare, the dock sections sit on the bank, and the lake can look gray and wind-ruffled under heavy cloud.

Things to Do Near White Iron Lake

On the water, the resort pitches the lake at anglers chasing walleye, crappie, bass and northern pike, and its canoes and kayaks are the simplest way to explore the shoreline. Ely has nearly 20 entry points into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and the Kawishiwi Wilderness Station, across from the International Wolf Center, is the Superior National Forest’s information point for trips into the area. Ely’s tourism office also features camping at Bear Head Lake State Park.

Two of Ely’s main attractions are animal centers. The International Wolf Center on Highway 169 combines exhibits on the wolf in nature and culture with a resident pack watched through large windows. The nonprofit North American Bear Center keeps live black bears on a forested habitat of 1 hectare (2.5 acres), with indoor and outdoor viewing areas. The Dorothy Molter Museum, east of Ely on Highway 169, is built from the original cabins of the “Root Beer Lady”, who lived for decades on Knife Lake, far from the nearest road, and sold homemade root beer to passing canoeists. The resort also points guests to the Soudan Underground Mine near Tower, and Ely is a trail town on the Mesabi Trail for cycling.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

More lakes and shorelines across northern Minnesota:

• Lake Bemidji Webcam
• International Falls Webcam
• Grand Marais Harbor Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is White Iron Lake located?

White Iron Lake is in northeastern Minnesota, about 8 kilometers (5 miles) east of Ely and inside the Superior National Forest. Duluth lies roughly 125 kilometers (78 miles) to the south in a straight line.

What can you see on the White Iron Lake Webcam?

The camera looks across the grounds of White Iron Beach Resort and down a gravel lane to the lake. Log cabins sit on the left, a playground and a small wooden shed on the right, and the docks, boat lifts and a basketball hoop stand along the shore, with the far wooded shore on the horizon.

How often does the White Iron Lake Webcam update?

The resort updates the image every 30 seconds, and the player on this page reloads it automatically, so there is no need to refresh. The clearest views come between sunrise and sunset.

What is the weather like at White Iron Lake?

Expect cold, snowy winters and mild summers. Ely averages a January high of -9.3°C (15.2°F) and a July high of 26.1°C (78.9°F), with about 164 centimeters (64.6 inches) of snow a year.

How big and deep is White Iron Lake?

The Minnesota DNR lists the lake at 3,246 acres (1,314 hectares) with a maximum depth of 47 feet (14 meters). Its average depth is about 19 feet (5.8 meters).

What fish can you catch in White Iron Lake?

White Iron Beach Resort promotes the lake for walleye, crappie, bass and northern pike, and rents boats, motors and pontoons for fishing trips.

Is White Iron Lake close to the Boundary Waters?

Yes. The resort is a short drive from Ely, which has nearly 20 entry points into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and its canoes are meant for exactly those trips.

Source: White Iron Beach Resort