Gibson Lake
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Nearest Entry Point: Snowbank Lake #27, 28 Fishing: MN DNR Fish Survey; Northern Pike, Walleye
Maps: Fisher F-10, F-11, F-31 Special; McKenzie #9 Lake Depth: MN DNR Lake Map; 24 feet
Fire History:
Lake Size: 37 acres
Campsites: 0 Wildlife Seen on Visit: None
Last Visited: July 25, 2015 Lake Elevation: 1455 feet
Water Clarity: MN DNR ROUTES/PORTAGES FROM GIBSON LAKE:
To Cattyman Lake: Walk the 25 rod portage (map shows 25 rods, but more like 40 rods)
To Swing Lake: Walk the 40 rod portage
To Ashigan Lake: Walk the 105 rod portage

Gibson Lake

Kawishiwi Ranger District

The portage between Gibson Lake and Cattyman Lake is the location of Cattyman Falls. Cattyman Falls is definitely worth a look, especially on a hot day.

Although this area isn't heavily traveled, Gibson Lake is sort of a crossroads. It provides an east/west connection to Swing Lake and Cattyman Lake respectively. There is also a portage on the north end of the lake that allows you to travel up to Ashigan Lake and popular Ensign Lake beyond that. There are no campsites in the immediate area. You must make the 105 rod portage to Ashigan Lake or else take two more portages going either east or west to find a place to camp.

A sluiceway dam (for moving logs) was located in the channel between Cattyman Lake and Gibson Lake. This dam was constructed by the Swallow and Hopkins Company. That company had logging operations in this area in the early 1900's (Heinselman, 1999).

References:
Beymer, Robert, Boundary Waters Canoe Area – Volume 1 – Western Region (Berkeley: Wilderness Press, 2006), 173.
Beymer, Robert, Boundary Waters Canoe Area – Volume 2 – Eastern Region (Berkeley: Wilderness Press, 2006), 183.
Heinselman, Miron, The Boundary Waters Wilderness Ecosystem (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1999), 102.
Pauly, Daniel, Exploring the Boundary Waters (Minneapolis:  University of Minnesota Press, 2005), 172.

Exploring Gibson Lake

Routes to locations on Gibson Lake are shown below:
Paddling from the Cattyman Lake portage to the Swing Lake portage

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PADDLING FROM THE CATTYMAN LAKE PORTAGE TO THE SWING LAKE PORTAGE

Gibson Lake 1
Looking to your left (to the south) along the rocky shoreline of Gibson Lake from the Cattyman Lake portage landing.



Gibson Lake isn't all that big, so it only takes you a few paddle strokes and about five minutes to make it across the lake between any of the three portage landings.


Gibson Lake 2
Your looking at most of Gibson Lake while getting stoked up for the Swing Lake portage.


Gibson Lake 3
A tranquil view of the small bay where the Swing Lake portage landing is located on Gibson Lake.

Route Connections for Gibson Lake

From Gibson Lake, you can portage to Ashigan Lake, Cattyman Lake or Swing Lake.

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