2016 Map of Basswood Lake West

About this map

Superior National Forest defines this borderland landscape, where the international boundary between Minnesota and Canada threads through a labyrinth of interconnected waterways. The 2016 survey documents a critical transition point for travelers moving between Basswood Falls, Wheelbarrow Falls, and Pipestone Falls. This region is defined by ancient portage routes and seasonal trails, including the 4-Mile Portage and the Jackfish-Horse Winter trail, which connect the expansive waters of Jackfish Bay, Pipestone Bay, and Newton Lake. The map details many islands and peninsulas that have long served as navigation landmarks, such as New York Island, Gary Island, and Wegens Point. The presence of these named points and portages illustrates the persistent human geography of the Boundary Waters, where land travel is secondary to the complex river and lake networks of the Horse River and Crooked Lake.