Sinneeg 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.
While this is a good sized lake, there is very little information on it. Cannot even deduce what the name Sinneeg means. Surprisingly though, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has done survey work on this lake, so at least they have been here.
The known fires in this region were the 1894 fires (possibly two of them) that are known as the Oriniack/Sioux River/Lac La Croix/Crooked Lake complex and the Chad/Cummings/Lac La Croix/Crooked Lake complex. In 1875 the Mule Creek/Sterling Lake/Sunday Lake/Crooked Lake complex burned much of the area. Eleven years prior to that, in 1864, the Little Indian Sioux River/Lac La Croix/Crooked Lake complex burned here. The oldest fire known to affect the area occurred in 1822 and is referred to as the Hook Lake/Hegman Lake/Crooked Lake complex.
Approach to Sinneeg Lake
There appears to be three directions in which to approach Sinneeg Lake. The first is coming up (from the north) Sinneeg Creek from Crooked Lake. Another way is to follow a creek/valley that connects Sinneeg Lake to Thunder Lake which lies to its southwest. The creek does not actually connect the lakes, but the valley does. Lastly, a third way is to come from Wagosh Lake by bushwhacking, peat bog walking and creek following your way to Sinneeg Lake. None of these ways will be easy. Would hazard to guess that coming in from Thunder Lake would be the easiest. Paddling and bushwhacking up Sinneeg Creek though would probably be the most interesting.
Bushwhack to Sinneeg Lake
Sinneeg Creek: Check out the Sinneeg Creek page for details on that route.
From Thunder Lake: On the eastern most point of Thunder Lake, paddlers can enter a small creek that heads to the northeast in the direction of Sinneeg Lake. Don't expect to sit in your canoe too long as this creek quickly disappears as it is soaked up by a large peat bog that you soon must traverse. Out the north end of this peat bog, two small (possible hard to recognize from the ground) valleys converge. One valley goes north, the other northeast. Head to the northeast. You will need to thrash and crash for about 60 rods through the forest on a heading of northeast. Eventually, the trees will open up and you should see a small pond. Another larger pond lies beyond this first pond. Finally, a creek flows the second larger pond and makes its way into the south end of Sinneeg Lake. A GPS or very good orienteering skills will be important on this route.
The last option is to come in from Wagosh Lake. From basically where the campsite is located on the west shore of Wagosh Lake, head directly west into the woods, past the biffy behind the camp, and make your way perhaps 60 rods until you see sunlight shining down on a large peat bog. Bog walk/bounce to the very southwestern end of this peat bog, a distance of at least 70 rods. There may be a very small creek starting here but at the least, there is a valley to follow towards the southwest. You will soon come to marsh with some open water. Go around to the west side of this open water and continue west through scrubby, short forest in what was once probably a peat bog. Another 30 rods and the forest disappears to the southwest as yet another peat bog appears. Here you will certainly find a small creek leading to the southwest. Continue to follow this creek. It will slowing become more navigable as it makes a right hook to the north. From here, you are probably able to paddle the rest of the way into Sinneeg Lake.
Exploring Sinneeg Lake
A difficult lake to get to. There is a Minnesota DNR benchmark placed on the southwest shore of the lake in a small bay. The benchmark is placed in a hole on top of a boulder in that area. The water survey elevation was 12 inches below top the hole when survey was done on August 7, 1982. There is a sunken island about five feet below the surface out in the middle of the lake that is probably worth tossing a lure over.
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