Bakekana Lake
Have not yet visited this Primitive Management Area lake. The information displayed on this page are notes used for planning a future trip to this area. Use the information on this page at your own risk.
Old maps (60’s and 70’s) used to show a connector trail that reached down from the Kekekabic Trail to the long north arm of Bakekana Lake. The Kekekabic Trail lies just over a quarter mile north/northeast of the north tip of Bakekana Lake. A lot of this area was heavily impacted by the 1999 Independence Day Windstorm, so things may be hard to sort out from the ground.
In 1875, a large fire complex called the Alice Lake/Ogishkemuncie Lake/Tuscarora Lake/Cherokee Lake Complex burned the area around all those major lakes. It probably started near Lake Insula or the Hog Lake area.
There was another large fire in this area around 1863-1864. This fire is known as the North Kawishiwi River/Alice Lake/Cypress Lake/Saganaga Lake Complex. Like the fire that burned this area in 1875, it began south of the current BWCAW's southern boundary.
Approach to Bakekana Lake
For starters, head to the back of a small bay on the east side of the long north arm of Wisini Lake and head up the rather long creek that flows in there.
Bushwhack to Bakekana Lake
A creek connects Bakekana Lake to Wisini Lake. Follow this creek the entire distance of about 275 rods. Good sections of this creek are passable in a canoe. Other sections you will have to bushwhack around obstructions. The creek passes through several small ponds along its route. Estimate that about 60% of the route is able to be paddled. This will be difficult work for most.
Exploring Bakekana Lake
Some of the shoreline, particularly the west end, was affected by the 1999 windstorm. The remainder of Bakekana Lake presents a beautiful forested shoreline. A careful search of the north tip in the north arm of the lake, might reveal the old trail that used to provide access to this lake from the Kekekabic Trail.
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