Maingan 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.
Have not been able to decipher the meaning or origin of the name "Maingan". This small lake is not named on some older maps, but is named on all newer maps. Maingan Lake is possibly accessible from the east via Jackfish Lake. However, as of 2002, no trace of the old portage between Jackfish Lake and Maingan Lake was found (Pauly, 2005). Coming from the west though, Maingan Lake would require three fairly long bushwhacks that may be made slightly easier by following vestiges of faint trails. These trails are remnants of portages that were formerly maintained by the U.S. Forest Service before this area became part of the designated primitive management areas scattered throughout the BWCA.
A trail (possibly a winter trail) used to run from the east end of Moosecamp Lake, up past Tick Lake and Webfoot Lake and then northward to pass between Jackfish Lake and Maingan Lake in the marsh. From there, the trail continued almost straight north to reach the south end of Thursday Bay on Crooked Lake.
The fire history of this area includes the 1894 Chad Lake/Cummings Lake/Lac La Croix/Crooked Lake complex. This was one of two large fires that affected the western part of what is now known as the BWCA during that year. Another fire affected this area way back in 1822. This burn is known as the Hook Lake/Hegman Lake/Crooked Lake complex (Heinselman, 1999).
References:
Pauly, Daniel, Exploring the Boundary Waters (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2005), 157.
Approach to Maingan Lake
From Pakwene Lake, look for a faint trail heading southeast from the south end of the lake. This trail starts near the old campsite which used to exist on Pakwene Lake. Whether any trace of that campsite exists, remains to be discovered by some adventurous paddlers.
Bushwhack to Maingan Lake
Coming from Jackfish Lake, follow the small creek upstream that flows into Jackfish Lake on its far western end. This creek may be navigable in places, especially in spring if the water levels are high. The creek traverses peat bog for most of the distance, except for a few brief stretches where the forest closes in. It is about a quarter mile between Maingan Lake and Jackfish Lake and the creek runs almost due east-west.
Exploring Maingan Lake
Maingan Lake is probably just a pass through lake for most bushwhackers. There are some rocks and maybe small cliffs on the lakes northwest shoreline. The west end of the lake grades into peat bog; similarly the east end of the lake abuts peat bog too. The north center of the lake has yet a third spur of peat bog adjacent to it. One could hope that all this marsh, combined with this lakes remoteness, should improve the odds of a moose sighting.
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