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Lyle's Campfire Lamp
Lyle's Campfire Lamp
Ships within 1–2 business days
90-day money-back guarantee
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Lyle's Campfire Lamp
Built by hand in Ely, Minnesota · his last batch
A real little campfire for your living room. No match, no cord, no smoke.
Lyle Hatcher guided canoe trips in the Boundary Waters for 41 years, and for forty summers his wife Arlene sat beside his campfire every evening. When she moved into a senior residence where candles weren’t allowed, he built her a campfire she could keep on her nightstand: real fallen branches from the shoreline, a ring of stones and a warm flickering light inside. Arthritis has ended his building for good. These are his last.
Only 204 left
41
years of campfires on the lake
6
hours of handwork per lamp
0
flames, cords or smoke
“A fire is the only thing that gets eight strangers to sit still and look at the same spot. I wanted people to have that in the living room.”
— Lyle Hatcher
What arrives at your door
- One handmade campfire lamp in the size you choose (small or big)
- A built-in rechargeable battery, so it glows without a cord
- A USB charging cable
- A short instruction card
- Packed in its own box with protective foam, so every branch arrives in place
What makes Lyle’s lamp different
No. 01
Real fallen branches
Picked up along the lakeshores Lyle paddled for four decades, dried for a full summer. Bark, knots and twig stubs left on. No two lamps look alike.
No. 02
Wired tight, built to stand
The branches are stood into a teepee and wired fast. Lyle shakes every lamp before it ships. If a stick wobbles, it comes back apart.
No. 03
The stone ring
A ring of rough gray stones, just like a fire pit at a Boundary Waters campsite. It gives the lamp a wide, steady footing.
No. 04
A flame that moves
Warm amber light deep in the teepee that flickers like embers instead of blinking like a cheap bulb, and throws branch shadows across the wall.
No. 05
Rechargeable, no cord
Charge it with the USB cable in the box, then set it wherever you want the glow: nightstand, mantel, dinner table, reading chair.
No. 06
Nothing to blow out
No open flame, no wax, no soot on the ceiling. Nothing to forget in a room with kids, cats and curtains.
Pick your fire
The Small Fire
about 6¼ in tall · base about 3½–4 in
Arlene’s size. For the nightstand, the windowsill, a bookshelf or a desk.
The Big Fire
about 9¾ in tall · base about 5–5½ in
For the mantel, the coffee table or the middle of the dinner table.
Many people order one of each: the big one where the family sits, the small one by the bed.
How to use it
- Charge it first. Plug the USB cable into the lamp and into any USB charger or computer.
- Find its spot. A side table, a shelf, the mantel. No outlet needed nearby.
- Press the little brass button on the stone ring. The fire comes on and starts to flicker.
- Dim the room and let it do what a campfire does. Press again to turn it off.
Candles and LED candles vs. Lyle’s lamp
| Candle | Cheap LED candle | Lyle’s lamp | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open flame | Yes | No | No |
| Light | Warm, but smoky | Cold, blinking | Warm, flickering |
| Looks like | A candle | A plastic toy | A real little campfire |
| Cord or wick | Wick to trim | Batteries to swap | Neither, just recharge |
| Made by | A factory | A factory | One man in Ely, by hand |
Made by hand in Ely
Lyle builds every lamp in the old canoe shed behind his house on the edge of Ely, Minnesota, where the paddles used to hang. He sorts the branches by thickness, trims them, stands them into a teepee, wires it tight, sets the stone ring and tests the light. About six hours, start to finish. Arthritis in both hands means there will be no more. The shed closes on December 5. Orders keep going out after that, until the last lamp is gone.
Lyle Hatcher
“Most of the house fires I saw start small. A candle somebody forgot, a curtain that moved in a draft. I always told people: get the glow without the flame. Nothing to blow out, nothing to forget.”
Dale Whitaker, retired fire captain, 29 years on fire crews in Duluth
Perfect for
Lyle’s standard
- Built by hand from real fallen branches
- Every lamp shaken and light-tested before it ships
- Rechargeable battery and USB cable included
- Packed by hand, ships within 1–2 business days
- 90-day money-back guarantee
90 days to try it at home
Turn it on for a few weeks of evenings. If it isn’t right for you, send a short email and you get your money back. No questions, no hassle.
Good to know: Because the branches are real, every lamp looks a little different from the photos, and no two are the same. Made for indoors or a covered porch; keep it out of rain and snow. Dust it now and then with a soft, dry brush.
Product details
| Sizes | Small: about 6¼ in (16 cm) tall, base about 3½–4 in (9–10 cm) Big: about 9¾ in (24.5 cm) tall, base about 5–5½ in (13–14 cm) |
| Branches | Real branches, natural bark |
| Light | Warm, flickering LED flame |
| Power | Built-in rechargeable battery, USB charging cable included |
| Switch | Push button on the stone ring |
| In the box | Lamp, USB charging cable, instruction card |
| Shipping | Ships within 1–2 business days |
| Guarantee | 90-day money-back guarantee |
The Last Shelf
The Last Shelf
A note from Lyle:
For forty summers my wife Arlene sat beside my campfire every evening. When she moved into a residence where candles weren't allowed, I built her a little campfire she could keep on her nightstand. After she passed, I built for nearly a year in the old canoe shed behind our house in Ely. My hands are done now. On December 5, I lock the shed for the last time. These 204 lamps, 122 small and 82 big, are the last I will ever make.
They will keep shipping after December 5, until the very last one is gone.
When they're gone, they're gone.
Free Shipping
Free Shipping
Free shipping across the US
- Ships within 1–2 business days (UPS / USPS)
- Every lamp is checked and packed by hand in its own box with protective foam, so every branch arrives in place
- In the box: your campfire lamp, a USB charging cable and a short instruction card
Frequently Asked Questions
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Jolene, Lyle's daughter, personally replies to every single email – as fast as she possibly can. Whether you have a question about your order or just want to say hello to Lyle, we're here.
You can reach us:
- Mon – Fri: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (CT)
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (CT)
Email: info@backroad-goods.com
Can I return it if it’s not for me?
Can I return it if it’s not for me?
Of course. We stand behind everything in our shop 100%. If the campfire lamp doesn't win you over, just send us an email within 90 days and we'll make it right – no hassle, no headaches.