ELLA HALL LAKE CAMPSITES:
Campsite 1: (#1750) - Just east of Mud Lake portage on the point - Appeared abandoned in 2018
So you may have visited this lake in the past or plan to in the future. But did you ever wonder why the lake is named Ella Hall Lake? It turns out this is an obscure but interesting bit of Minnesota history dating back to the latter part of the 1800's. This is when the area that is now the BWCA was just starting to see its first European settlers. The lake is named Ella Hall for a 15 year old girl who died here back in 1885. The exact cause of her death is a bit of a mystery, but Ella Hall's grave is located on this lake. The Ojibwe who lived in the area referred to Ella as "Annie", so the lake is on occasion referred to as "Annie Hall Lake".
There are five campsites indicated on the map for this lake, but only four could be located and one of those four is in an abandoned state. This lake sees a lot of campers, because it is easy to get a lot of gear out to this lake. Because the lake is located along the Four Mile Portage, portage wheels are allowed, which eliminates much of the drudgery of carrying your gear out here.
Ella Hall Lake is nearly landlocked; there is a tiny creek flowing out the far east end of the lake through the wetland in that area.
Fishing on the lake can be pretty good for northern pike.
The remains of an old pier or dock-like structure are found on the north shore in the western end of the lake.
A short railroad spur was built in either 1899 or 1900 that connected the northeast end of Fall Lake directly to Ella Hall Lake (Heinselman, 1999).
Old 7.5 minute topographic maps show that Ella Hall Lake had another portage near the northeast corner of the lake that extended to the north/northeast until intersecting the Four Mile Portage (Long Portage), about 100 rods before that portage reaches Basswood Lake.
The portage to Mud Lake is not heavily used and is moderately overgrown. The portage into Ella Hall Lake from the Four Mile Portage is well worn and easily passable. A recent windstorm in the area decimated many of the trees along this portage (2018). This portage begins very near to Muskeg Lake. However, Muskeg Lake is not easily accessible because of said windstorm (probably the July 2016 storm) which destroyed the short portage down to the lake. You can still reach Muskeg Lake with a bit of bushwhacking (maybe 10 rods). Walk down the Four Mile Portage a bit, to find an easier access point for Muskeg Lake.
References:
Heinselman, Miron, The Boundary Waters Wilderness Ecosystem (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1999), 101.
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PADDLING FROM THE MUD LAKE PORTAGE TO SMALL ISLAND AT EAST END OF LAKE
A beaver lodge a short ways east of the Mud Lake portage.
Beginning at the Mud Lake portage, paddle along the south shoreline of Ella Hall Lake until arriving at the small island in the far eastern end of the lake.
The south shoreline of Ella Hall Lake. This is near the middle point of the lake. View is to the east/northeast. Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
PADDLING FROM EAST END OF LAKE TO WEST END WHERE PORTAGE TO THE FOUR MILE PORTAGE IS LOCATED
This stretch of paddling begins on the east end of Ella Hall Lake. You paddle all the way to the west end of the lake, generally staying near the north shoreline. The trip ends at the portage from Ella Hall Lake that leads out to the Four Mile Portage (very near to Muskeg Lake).
This is a view to the west, looking at a small point extending off the north side of the largest island in Ella Hall Lake.
A beaver lodge which is located in the northwest corner of Ella Hall Lake.
The remains of an old dock or pier along the north shore, in the western end of the lake.
A shallow bay in the west end of Ella Hall Lake. Portage to the Four Mile Portage -or- Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
Route Connections for Ella Hall Lake
From Ella Lake, you can portage to Mud Lake and the Four Mile Portage (and arrive near Muskeg Lake). Portage does not extend to Muskeg Lake anymore as it was destroyed by windstorm (as of 2018). The Four Mile Portage connects Fall Lake and Basswood Lake. You can use portage wheels on the Four Mile Portage portage.
