1985 Map of Prickett Lake

About this map

Sturgeon River waters dominate this Upper Peninsula landscape as they flow northward through the Ottawa National Forest towards the Keweenaw Bay region. The hydrology of the area is defined by the impoundment at Prickett Lake, created by the Prickett Dam near the border of Houghton and Baraga counties. The topography is characterized by significant relief, most notably at Silver Mountain and the drop at Sturgeon Falls, where the river makes its way through timber-rich territory. Numerous small tributaries, including the curiously named Wiggle Creek, Cliche Creek, and Coach Creek, drain into the main river valley. This 1980s-era study captures the wild character of the Laird township area, showing a network of unimproved roads and forest trails utilized by logging interests and outdoor recreationists before modern digital mapping standardized the remote wilderness.