White Feather Lake

Making Connections

Paddle West, 25 rods, to the Stuart River

Maps

Fisher F-16, Loon, Lac La Croix, Nina Moose Lakes
McKenzie 12, Moose River

Description

White Feather is a modest sized lake in the Stuart River drainage of the Iron Lake basin, 24 miles ESE of Crane Lake and 20 miles NNW of Ely. Roughly triangular in form, at ½ mile to a side, White Feather lies against hills to its north and east, with the broad marshy expanse of the Stuart River, into which it drains, to the west. The forests which ring White Feather had all grown up in the aftermath of the major, stand replacing fires of 1894. In the mid-1990's a large area to the east burned in what was known as the White Feather Fire (see map below). This region of the BWCA escaped damage in the 4th of July windstorms of 1999, which caused such extensive tree loss to the south and east.

The White Feather Lake Fire

Campsites

White Feather supports one established campsite, along its northern shore.

Planning Considerations

White Feather is on a short, 25 rod spur off the Stuart River route. To the east lies the Sundial Lake Primitive Management Area (PMA) and the recent burn of the White Feather Fire.

Wildlife

The broad, marshy course of the Stuart River immediately to the west of White Feather should be good moose habitat, while the recent burn off the eastern shore should be good for species known to take advantage of old burns, such as woodpeckers.

Notes and Comments

White Feather is an appealling destination for the amateur naturalist, what with the regrowth of the White Feather Fire to tromp through and the boggy breadth of the Stuart River to explore.