Burntside Lake is a 7139 acres (28.9 km²) lake

Lake

A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...

 located 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Ely, Minnesota

Ely, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,724 people, 1,912 households, and 916 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,369.5 people per square mile . There were 1,912 housing units at an average density of 703.2 per square mile...

, in St. Louis County, Minnesota

St. Louis County, Minnesota

St. Louis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 200,226. Its county seat is Duluth. It is the largest county by total area in Minnesota, and the second largest in the United States east of the Mississippi River; in land area alone, after Aroostook...

. Its western boundary adjoins the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness , is a wilderness area within the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota under the administration of the U.S. Forest Service...

 on Tamarack Creek.

Native fish include Bluegill

Bluegill

The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...

, Golden Shiner

Golden shiner

The golden shiner is a cyprinid fish native to eastern North America. It is the sole member of its genus. Much used as a bait fish, it is probably the most widely pond-cultured fish in the United States.-Description:...

, Green Sunfish

Green sunfish

The green sunfish is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. A panfish popular with anglers, the green sunfish is also kept as an aquarium fish by hobbyists. They are usually caught by accident, while fishing for other game fish...

, Lake Trout

Lake trout

Lake trout is a freshwater char living mainly in lakes in northern North America. Other names for it include mackinaw, lake char , touladi, togue, and grey trout. In Lake Superior, they can also be variously known as siscowet, paperbellies and leans...

, Lake Whitefish

Lake whitefish

The lake whitefish , also called the Sault whitefish or gizzard fish, is a species of freshwater whitefish from North America. Lake whitefish are found throughout much of Canada and parts of the northern United States, including all of the Great Lakes. A valuable commercial fish, they are also...

, Northern Pike

Northern Pike

The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...

, Rainbow Smelt

Rainbow smelt

The rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax, is an anadromous species of fish of the family Osmeridae. The distribution of Osmerus mordax is circumpolar. The rainbow smelt was introduced to the Great Lakes, and from there has made its way to various other places. Walleye, trout, and other larger fish prey on...

, Rock Bass

Rock bass

The rock bass , also known as the rock perch, goggle-eye, or red eye is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. They are similar in appearance to smallmouth bass but are usually quite a bit smaller...

, Shorthead Redhorse

Shorthead redhorse

-Introduction:The Shorthead Redhorse is a wide-ranging species in North America that needs to be monitored throughout its range. The Shorthead Redhorse is native to central and eastern North America. However, its range has expanded to include areas like the Hudson estuary and Grayson County, Texas...

, Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...

, Walleye

Walleye

Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...

, White Sucker

White Sucker

The White Sucker is a bottom-feeding freshwater fish inhabiting North America from Labrador in the north to Georgia and New Mexico in the south. It is a long, round-bodied fish with a dark green, grey, copper, brown, or black back and sides and a light underbelly. When fullgrown, it is between 12...

 and Yellow Perch

Yellow perch

The yellow perch is a species of perch found in the United States and Canada, where it is often referred to by the shortform perch. Yellow perch look similar to the European perch, but are paler and more yellowish, with less red in the fins. They have six to eight dark, vertical bars on their sides...

.

On its shores are two resorts with original hand-scribed log cabins built in the early 1900s and operating continuously since then: historic Burntside Lodge

Burntside Lodge

Burntside Lodge is a resort located on Burntside Lake several miles out of Ely, Minnesota. The resort has been in operation for nearly one hundred years.- Founding :...

 (1913) and Camp Van Vac (1918). The YMCA's Camp Widjiwagan

Camp Widjiwagan

Camp Widjiwagan is a YMCA camp based on Lake Burntside near Ely, Minnesota.-Mission:The mission of Camp Widjiwagan is "to develop, in young people, respect for self, community, and the environment, through wilderness adventure and environmental education." Although the Camp is under the purview of...

is also located on the lake's shore.

Burntside Lake's more than 100 islands include
Beach;
Bear;
Berry; Blueberry;
Brownell;
Burnt;
Burntside Islands (Snellman and Pine), which are SNAs (Scientific and Natural Areas, gifted by the Nature Conservancy) held by the DNR;
Gem;
Dollar;
Evans;
Half Dollar;
Honeymoon;
Indian;
Lockhart;
Long, recently acquired by the Trust for Public Land;
Lost Girl;
Miller;
Oliver;
Picnic;
Porkchop;
Ripple;
Snake;
State;
Sumpter;
Waters; and many more.