1970 Map of Mountain Ash Lake

About this map

Hill River State Forest covers a significant portion of this northern Minnesota landscape, where the boundary between Itasca and Aitkin Counties cuts through a dense network of water bodies and wetlands. The terrain is characterized by a high concentration of named lakes, including the central Mountain Ash Lake and the elongated Hill Lake to the south. Transportation in the 1960s and 1970s relied on a mix of primary roads and traditional routes like the Winter Trail in the northwest corner, which avoids the many marshy lowlands surrounding Smith Creek. Small-scale industrial activity is evidenced by scattered Gravel Pits and a Sandpit, while the presence of a Roadside Park near Hennessey Lake indicates the area's role in local recreation and travel. The map provides a detailed view of the shoreline and bathymetry for several lakes, compiled from Minnesota Department of Conservation charts.