Trails End Campground is literally at the end of the road: the Gunflint Trail ends at the U.S. Forest Service campground.
The campground, part of the Superior National Forest, is surrounded on three sides by the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and is only a few miles from Canada.
For a radio enthusiast, the obvious question is, what can you hear there?
By coincidence, I ended up spending both Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend at Trails End in 2024. I had different campsites on the two weekends, and both were among the best I’ve ever had the privilege of staying in.
I did some hiking in the area, but my main goal for each weekend was to spend as much time as possible simply enjoying the view from the site — with plenty of time for checking the radio dial, of course. (There were also spectacular night skies to enjoy!)
On FM, WKEK/89.1 (Gunflint Lake), which relays WTIP/90.7 (Grand Marais), is the only strong signal (meaning there was no strong local service at this location until WKEK signed on in 2011).
Both WIRC/89.3 (Ely) and KZJZ/106.7 (Babbitt) consistently jumped across the BWCAW with weak but listenable signals. But those were the only reliable FM signals.
The major Thunder Bay FM’s were always there but sometimes unlistenable (CBQI Atikokan was sometimes stronger than CBQT Thunder Bay but didn’t come in consistently).
The Duluth AM stations could be heard on the car radio. They could not be heard on a portable radio (a C. Crane Skywave) unless I used a Terk antenna, which is not something most campers would have.
The Gunflint Lake weather radio signal was weak but reliable at Trails End. For cell service, there was one bar of AT&T service that could receive push alerts but nothing else. There was no signal from Verizon.
Here are the FM signals heard over those two weekends. This reception was on a software-defined radio (SDR) using an Airspy Mini:
88.3 CBQT-FM Thunder Bay, ON 5/27/24 0705
88.5 KCRB Bemidji, MN 5/27/24 0803 Classical // 88.7
88.7 WMLS Grand Marais, MN 5/25/24 2100 callsign on RBDS
88.9 WOJB Reserve, WI 5/25/24 2059 callsign
89.1 WKEK Gunflint Lake, MN only strong local signal
89.3 WIRC Ely, MN weak signal but consistent
89.7 WLSN Grand Marais, MN 5/25/24 2100 callsign on RBDS
89.9 WHSA Brule, WI 5/25/24 2100 legal ID
90.1 CBQI-FM Atikokan, ON 5/25/24 2059 Atikokan ID
90.3 WHBM Park Falls, WI 5/25/24 2100 legal ID
90.7 WTIP Grand Marais, MN 5/25/24 2100 callsign on RBDS
90.9 WUWS Ashland, WI 5/25/24 2100 legal ID
90.9 WIRR Virginia-Hibbing, MN 5/27/24 0759 legal ID
91.1 WGGL Houghton, MI 5/25/24 2059 legal ID
91.3 KNBJ Bemidji, MN 5/27/24 0759 legal ID
91.3 KUWS Superior, WI 5/27/24 0801 legal ID
91.5 CKPR-FM Thunder Bay, ON 5/25/24 2101 legal ID
91.7 KAXE 5/27/24 Grand Rapids, MN 0759 mention of 89.9 Brainerd
92.1 WWPE 9/1/24 Hermantown, MN 0800 “The Squatch Rocks”
92.5 WIRN 5/27/24 Buhl, MN 0722 Morning Edition
92.9 WSCD 8/31/24 Duluth, MN 1612 Classical
93.3 WBSZ 5/25/24 Ashland, WI 2101 legal ID
93.9 WTBX Hibbing, MN 5/27/24 0740
94.3 CJSD-FM Thunder Bay, ON5/25/24
94.9 KQDS-FM Duluth, MN 9/1/24 0814
95.7 KDAL-FM Duluth, MN 9/1/24 0816 callsign on RBDS
96.5 WKLK-FM Cloquet, MN 9/1/24 0814
96.7 WJJH Ashland, WI 5/25/24
96.9 KMFY Grand Rapids, MN 5/27/24 0818 callsign
97.3 KDNW Duluth, MN 5/27/24 0724
97.9 WEVE Eveleth, MN 5/27/24 0726
98.3 WCQM Park Falls, WI 5/25/24
98.7 WGLI Hancock, MI 5/27/24 0727 ad for L’Anse, bp
99.7 WIMI Ironwood, MI 5/25/24
99.9 WUSZ Hibbing, MN 5/27/24 0820 “Radio USA”
100.5 WSCN Cloquet, MN 5/27/24 0728 Morning Edition
101.1 WUPY Ontonagon, MI 5/27/24 0728
101.7 CBQ-FM Thunder Bay, ON 5/27/24 0705
102.5 KDKE Superior, WI 5/27/24 0820 Ad for Minong
102.9 KMFG Nashwauk, MN 9/1/24 0819 “Life 97-3”
103.3 WDSE-FM Duluth, MN 5/27/24 0729 “The North”
104.3 KZIO Two Harbors, MN 9/1/24 0820
105.1 KKCB Duluth, MN 5/27/24 0824 “ B105”
105.3 CKTG-FM Thunder Bay, ON 5/25/24
105.5 KBAJ Deer River, MN 8/31/24 1617 “J105”
105.9 WEGZ Washburn, WI 5/25/24
106.3 WMFG-FM (now KQDX) Hibbing, MN 5/27/24 0731 KQ morning show, bp
106.7 KZJZ Babbitt, MN weak signal but consistent
107.7 KBMX Proctor, MN 5/27/24 0732 (barely perceptible)
I feel it’s important to again point out that only WKEK, WIRC, and KZJZ were listenable at all times. Other stations faded in and out and many only came in very briefly.
This reception was not nearly as impressive as what I heard more recently at Lake Vermilion State Park. It’s likely that during warmer weather, atmospheric enhancement would have also brought many of the signals heard at Lake Vermilion to Trails End.
On AM, these stations were listenable on the car radio. They could also be heard on a C. Crane Skywave with an external Terk antenna, but not without the Terk antenna:
560 WEBC Duluth, MN
610 KDAL Duluth, MN
650 WNMT Nashwauk, MN
710 WDSM Superior, WI
850 WQRM Duluth, MN
Many nighttime AM skywave signals were also logged using a SDR with an AirSpy HF+. As you an see, most of these loggings are from the same two hours, which is because they were logged after the camping trip using the magic of SDR IQ recordings.
670 WSCR Chicago, IL 5/26/24 2200 Cubs baseball
700 WLW Cincinnati, OH 5/26/24 2159 Legal ID
720 WGN Chicago, IL 5/26/24 2203 callsign
780 WBBM Chicago, IL 5/26/24 2205 callsign
860 CJBC Toronto, ON 5/26/24 2205 Ici Premiere
870 KPRM Park Rapids, MN 5/26/24 2203 Legal ID
890 WLS Chicago, IL 5/26/24 2200 Legal ID
910 WFDF Flint, MI 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
920 CFRY Portage la Prairie, MB 5/26/24 2201 Legal ID
930 WKBM Sandwich, IL 5/26/24 2200 Relevant Radio
950 WWJ Detroit, MI 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
950 CFAM Altona, MB 5/26/24 2200 “Dedicated to the communities of southern Manitoba, CFAM AM950”
960 WSBT South Bend, IN 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
970 WZAM Ishpeming, MI 5/25/24 2201 Legal ID
970 WDAY Fargo, ND 5/26/24 2200 Legal ID
980 WCUB Two Rivers, WI 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
990 CBW Winnipeg, MB 5/26/24 2159 Legal ID
1000 WMVP Chicago, IL 5/25/24 2157 Legal ID
1020 KDKA Pittsburgh, PA 5/25/24 2204 Legal ID
1030 WBZ Boston, MA 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1040 WHO Des Moines, IA 5/25/24 2158 Legal ID
1060 KYW Philadelphia, PA 5/25/24 2159 Legal ID
1070 WTSO Madison, WI 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID “1070 The Game”
1080 WNWI Oak Lawn, IL 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1100 WTAM Cleveland, OH 5/26/24 2200 Legal ID
1110 KFAB Omaha, NE 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1120 KMOX St. Louis, MO 5/25/24 2204 Cardinals postgame
1130 KTLK Minneapolis, MN 5/26/24 2200 Legal ID
1130 WISN Milwaukee, WI 5/26/24 2200 Legal ID
1150 WHBY Kimberly, WI 5/25/24 2205 callsign
1160 WYLL Chicago, IL 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1170 WWVA Wheeling, WV 5/26/24 2200 Legal ID
1180 KYES Rockville, MN 5/26/24 2205 Relevant Radio // WLOL
1190 WOWO Fort Wayne, IN 5/26/24 2200 Legal ID
1200 WMUZ Taylor, MI 5/25/24 2202 “The all new AM 1200, also streaming online at WMUZam1200.com”
1200 KFNW West Fargo, ND 5/26/24 2200 Legal ID
1240 WOBT Rhinelander, WI 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1240 WMFG Hibbing, MN 5/26/24 2200 Legal ID
1250 KBRF Fergus Falls, MN 5/25/24 2205 Fergus Falls ads
1260 WLAK Amery, WI 5/25/24 2158 “Civic Media network”
1270 WWWI Baxter, MN 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1280 WWTC Minneapolis, MN 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1290 WHIO Dayton, OH 5/25/24 2205 callsign
1290 WZTI Greenfield, WI 5/26/24 2200 “The Fonz”
1300 WOOD Grand Rapids, MI 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1300 KGLO Mason City, IA 5/26/24 2200 callsign
1310 WIBA Madison, WI 5/25/24 2205 callsign
1310 KNOX Grand Forks, ND 5/26/24 2206 callsign
1320 WILS Lansing, MI 5/25/24 2200 “1320wils.com”, 2205 callsign
1320 KOZY Grand Rapids, MN 5/25/24 2202 Legal ID
1330 WLOL Minneapolis, MN 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1330 WHBL Sheboygan, WI 5/26/24 2200 callsign
1340 KROC Rochester, MN 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1340 WAGN Menominee, MI 5/25/24 2205 “W__N 1340 AM and 100.1 FM”
1360 WTAQ Green Bay, WI 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1370 WSPD Toledo, OH 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1380 WBEL South Beloit, IL 5/25/24 2159 “The Beat 92-3 and 98-9”
1380 KLIZ Brainerd, MN 5/25/24 2200 “Brainerd-Baxter…The Fan”
1400 WBIZ Eau Claire, WI 5/25/24 2159 “98-7 The Fan…. Eau Claire”
1400 WCCY Houghton, MI 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1410 WIZM La Crosse, WI 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1420 KTOE Mankato, MN 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1430 CHKT Toronto, ON 5/25/24 2201 Legal ID
1450 KNSI St. Cloud, MN 5/25/24 2200 callsign
1460 KXNO Des Moines, IA 5/25/24 2158 Des Moines ads
1470 WMBD Peoria, IL 5/25/24 2159 Peoria ad
1470 KMNQ Brooklyn Park, MN 5/25/24 2200 ID for KMNV
1480 WLMV Madison, WI 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1490 WOSH Oshkosh, WI 5/25/24 2205 callsign
1500 KSTP St. Paul, MN 5/25/24 2200 Minnesota UFC soccer
1510 WLAC Nashville, TN 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1520 KOLM Rochester, MN 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1530 WCKY Cincinnati, OH 5/25/24 2201 Legal ID
1540 KXEL Waterloo, IA 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1550 CBEF Windsor 5/25/24 2200 Ici Premiere with Windsor ID
1560 WGLB Elm Grove, WI 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1570 WLKD Minocqua, WI 5/25/24 2203 “The Lake,” Eagle River ad
1580 CKDO Oshawa, ON 5/25/24 2204 callsign
1590 WGBW Denmark, WI 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1610 CHHA Toronto, ON 5/25/24 2159 callsign
1630 KCJJ Iowa City, IA 5/25/24 2158 callsign
1640 WSJP Port Washington, WI 5/25/24 2200 Relevant Radio with mention of 100.1
1660 KQWB West Fargo, ND 5/25/24 2204 Legal ID
1670 WOZN Madison, WI 5/25/24 2200 Legal ID
1690 WVON Berwyn, IL 5/25/24 2204 Legal ID
Reception of these AM skywave signals was not a surprise because they are heard commonly in the region every night (all and more have been heard from my home in Superior, WI). For more on that, visit my 2019 article, Living History: Long-Distance Signals from ‘Golden Age of Radio’ Still On Air.