Bear Island Lake is a lake which is about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Ely in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The lake measures 2,351 acres (9.51 km²), or about 2 miles (3.2 km) by 4 miles (6.4 km). In addition to Bear Island, which is by far the largest and sits right in the middle of the lake, there are at least 20 other islands in the lake. The shoreline of the natural glacial lake is about two-thirds state and national forest, including Bear Island State Forest.