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1973 Map of Ross Lake

Name: 1973 Topographic Map of Ross Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

Birchdale State Wildlife Management Area and its neighbors dominate this pocket of the Minnesota lake country, illustrating a landscape dedicated to conservation and public land management in the early 1970s. The map reveals an intricate network of glacial lakes and wetlands along the Crow Wing and Aitkin county line, where bodies of water like Little Pine Lake and Ross Lake are connected by seasonal flows such as Mud Brook.

Evidence of human activity is limited to a few scattered gravel operations and a network of unimproved roads and a Jeep Trail that cut through the dense vegetation. The hydrography, compiled by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, highlights significant fishing and recreation spots including Stark Lake and Moulton Lake, both of which feature Public Access points. This survey preserves the character of the north woods before more intensive modern development, emphasizing the vast marshlands of the Upper Dean State Wildlife Management Area.