2016 Map of Bird Lake

About this map

Superior National Forest defines the character of this Minnesota landscape, where the Saint Louis River snakes through dense woodland and marshy lowlands. The water-rich terrain is punctuated by significant bodies of water including Bird Lake and Little Lillian Lake, along with the headwaters of numerous small streams such as Shiver Cr and Bum Cr. This 2016 survey illustrates a region largely managed for natural preservation, yet the influence of local industry and access is evident in the specialized naming of the road network. A complex series of service routes, notably those identified as the Moose Line Spur 791 and various sections of the St. Louis River-Hw Section A, suggest a history of resource management and timber extraction. The presence of routes like Pelto Road and Jenkins Hwy provides specific touchpoints for local historians interested in the infrastructure of the Mesabi Range periphery.