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1970 Map of Balsam

Name: 1970 Topographic Map of Balsam
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Savanna Portage State Park dominates this Aitkin County landscape, preserving the continental divide where the West Savanna River and East Savanna River flow toward the Mississippi and Lake Superior respectively. This 1970 field-checked survey reveals a complex network of glacial kettle lakes, including Glacier Lake, Wakefield Lake, and Wolf Lake, interspersed with extensive marshlands and peat bogs. The small settlement of Balsam and the Chapel in the Pines serve as focal points for the few developed areas within the larger Savanna State Forest.

A network of Winter Trails and Snowmobile Trails crisscross the terrain, reflecting the area's seasonal recreational use and limited year-round road access. To the southwest, the margin of the Big Sandy Lake Normal Res Pool is visible, showing the elevation of this significant reservoir. The mapping also identifies early infrastructure such as the Park Headquarters and scattered Gravel Pits used for local road maintenance.