SNIPE LAKE CAMPSITES: Campsite 1: (#554) - Entrance to NW bay on point Campsite 2: (#556) - Easternmost campsite on lake not far from Cross Bay Lake portage
Campsite 3: (#555) - Mid-lake along the south shoreline just west of the cliffs
Campsite 4: (#2011) - On island in the west bay of the lake
Intricate islands, many nooks and bays and tall cliffs make this a gorgeous lake indeed. The forest is mostly spruce along with some jack pine and deciduous trees mixed in. The water of Snipe Lake is darkly stained. The large bay nearest to Missing Link Lake is by far the deepest. A good campsite is the one found on the point leading out of that bay. There is an island campsite in the west bay of the lake..
Snipe Lake has routes to the north, south and east. To the north, one can portage up to Missing Link Lake. A rocky portage winds down to Cross Bay Lake on the east following the valley of a small creek. To the south, a 100 rod portage twists along and over a little creek until reaching Copper Lake.
Water flows into Snipe Lake from a number of directions. On the far west end of the lake, a creek flows into Snipe Lake from Hubbub Lake. Copper Lake's waters flow in from the south through another creek. Copper Lake is 27 feet higher than Snipe Lake, so expect portaging to that lake to be mostly uphill. The portage to Missing Link Lake involves an elevation gain of around 100 feet. Snipe Lake itself drains to the east into Cross Bay Lake, through a small creek that is easily seen along sections of the portage. There is an elevation loss of 30 feet from Snipe Lake down to Cross Bay Lake.
There are four campsites on this lake. The fishing is questionable. That's right, there are probably no fish (or very few) in this lake. Seems like too pretty of a lake to not have fish.
References:
Beymer, Robert, Boundary Waters Canoe Area – Volume 1 – Western Region (Berkeley: Wilderness Press, 2006), 60, 124, 136.
Pauly, Daniel, Exploring the Boundary Waters (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2005), 315, 326.
Click on the photos below to see the full resolution image - Use your browsers back button to close photo and return to this page.
PADDLING FROM THE MISSING LINK LAKE PORTAGE TO THE CAMPSITE ON POINT OF NORTHWEST BAY
The northwest bay of Snipe Lake from the Missing Link Lake portage.
Paddling across the north bay of Snipe Lake. During this stretch, you travel from the Missing Link Lake portage to the campsite on the point by the small island, which is at the entrance to Snipe Lakes' north bay.
This island lies just southwest of the campsite, which is found at the entrance to Snipe Lake's north bay. The north bay of this lake is by far the deepest at 90 feet. There are no lake trout in this lake (or really any other fish for that matter), so come here for the scenery and not the fishing. Visit the Campsite -or- Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
PADDLING FROM THE CAMPSITE ON POINT OF NORTHWEST BAY OVER TO THE COPPER LAKE PORTAGE
From the campsite on the point at the entrance to the northwest bay. The view is toward the north.
Beginning at the campsite on the point at the entrance to the north bay of Snipe Lake, paddle south down the long arm that connects the north bay to the central part of the lake. The route passes close to several islands and goes through a narrow channel with cliffs rising up on both sides.
Looking south down the arm that connects the northwest bay of Snipe Lake to its east-west-running southern part.
A narrow passage between islands in the north-south running arm of the lake (September 3, 2022).
Roughly the same view as above, but from several years earlier (May 12, 2016).
A small island off the point where the eastern arm of Snipe Lake connects to the main central region of the lake. Looking toward the south. To the far left, the bay where the Copper Lake portage is located is just visible.
View toward the east down Snipe Lake's long eastern arm. This view is from just north of the Copper Lake portage.
Looking directly into the south bay of the lake where the Copper Lake portage can be found.
View north from the Copper Lake portage.
The small creek flowing down from Copper Lake itself flows into Snipe Lake right next to the portage. Portage to Copper Lake -or- Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
VIEW OF SNIPE LAKE FROM THE CROSS BAY LAKE PORTAGE
View of Snipe Lake from the start of the Cross Bay Lake portage. You are looking toward the west. A beaver dam is just visible to the right of your view, which marks the start of the creek flowing from Snipe Lake down to Cross Bay Lake. Portage to Cross Bay Lake -or- Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
