North Hegman Lake is often visited because it is the location of a spectacular cliff that contains probably the best example of Native American pictographs in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
Besides the pictographs, North Hegman Lake and the other lakes around it all have above average scenic value, even for the BWCA.
All these lakes contain reasonable populations of the most common BWCA fish species (except lake trout).
North Hegman Lake can have quite a bit of traffic during nice weekends. This is because a lot of people come to visit this lake using day permit; they are here to see the pictographs. There are no campsites on North Hegman Lake. You will need to get one of the two campsites on South Hegman Lake early; otherwise you must do the roughly 180 rod portage over to Little Bass Lake and camp at one of its campsites.
There channel into Trease Lake is plenty wide and deep, so there is no issue moving between these two lakes. If you pass through this channel in mid-summer, you can see many pitcher plants growing along the boggy shoreline. These plants are Minnesota natives and are a type of carnivorous plant.
North Hegman Lake is two feet higher in elevation than South Hegman Lake. The water from North Hegman Lake flows into South Hegman Lake through a very short creek near the portage between these lakes.
Many stands of pine around North Hegman Lake and South Hegman Lake date back to 1822. That year was notable for a large fire of at least 48,000 acres that swept through this area (Heinselman, 1999).
References:
Beymer, Robert, Boundary Waters Canoe Area – Volume 1 – Western Region (Berkeley: Wilderness Press, 2006), 130, 133.
Heinselman, Miron, The Boundary Waters Wilderness Ecosystem (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1999), 44, 57.
Pauly, Daniel, Exploring the Boundary Waters (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2005), 132.
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PADDLING FROM THE SOUTH HEGMAN LAKE PORTAGE TO THE LITTLE BASS LAKE PORTAGE
Following the eastern shoreline of North Hegman Lake heading northbound from the portage. The shoreline then bends to the east and then southeast as you follow it to the Little Bass Lake portage (July 11, 2023).
PADDLING FROM THE LITTLE BASS LAKE PORTAGE TO TREASE LAKE
Stay along the eastern shoreline of North Hegman Lake, heading generally northbound, from the Little Bass Lake portage until reaching the channel leading into Trease Lake. Just before entering the channel, visit the pictographs on the impressive cliffs along the west side of the lake (July 11, 2023).
PADDLING FROM THE SOUTH HEGMAN LAKE PORTAGE TO TREASE LAKE
Standing on the portage between North Hegman Lake and South Hegman Lake. You are looking north at North Hegman Lake. A small creek flows out of North Hegman Lake into South Hegman Lake just behind you over your left shoulder (July 11, 2023).
Older photo similar to the one shown above (April 29, 2016).
Paddling up the west shore of North Hegman Lake. You begin at the South Hegman Lake portage and make it to the small island on the west side of the south arm of North Hegman Lake. Near the upper end of North Hegman Lake, you come upon this striking cliff formation shortly before reaching the channel leading into Trease Lake. This line of cliffs is roughly 275 feet in length. They range from about 20 to 40 feet high varying quite a bit along the length (April 29, 2016).
You pass by this small island on the west side of the southern most arm of North Hegman Lake. A tiny pine clings to its barren surface (April 29, 2016).
Looking toward the north point (marked by cliffs) from the southern bay of North Hegman Lake (April 29, 2016).
This dead and bleached pine leans out over North Hegman Lake from the east point of the east/west channel that connects the north and south halves of North Hegman Lake (April 29, 2016).
Large boulders (glacial erratics) dot North Hegman Lake near the north end of the lake's largest island (April 29, 2016).
This is your view as you approach the south end of the cliff containing the Hegman Lake pictographs. The pictographs are centered around that black (door-like) marking right near the middle of your view. The channel to Trease Lake is visible to far right in the distance. Here is a close up view of this cliff and the Native American pictographs (April 29, 2016).
PADDLING FROM TREASE LAKE TO THE SOUTH HEGMAN LAKE PORTAGE
Pictograph cliff on North Hegman Lake, just south of the channel to Trease Lake (April 29, 2016).
Paddling North Hegman Lake from the pictograph site, which is near the channel to Trease Lake, to the South Hegman Lake portage (July 11, 2023).
Older video footage of this section (April 29, 2016).
The south end of North Hegman Lake near dusk. View is of the west shoreline (April 29, 2016).
