Maniwaki LakeMaking Connections
MapsLinks |
Full image approximately 2 miles square |
Description
Maniwaki is a small, shallow lake on Maniwaki Creek, in the Insula basin of the Kawishiwi River drainage, 29 miles east of Ely, and 7 miles northeast of Forest Center. Crudely "T" shaped, the crossing of the T extends for nearly a mile along the northwestern side of the lake. Maniwaki has an area of just 97 acres and a maximum depth of just 10'. Maniwaki Creek enters in the southeast corner, down from Andek, almost 2 miles upstream. Hope Creek functions as the outlet to Maniwaki, exiting from the southwest end. Hope Creek below Maniwaki is not navigable and is bypassed along its northern bank by a 140 rod portage trail. Along the northeastern shore of the lake lies the mouth of Jupiter Creek, down nearly 2 miles from Jupiter Lake.At one time, a 290 rod portage ran north out of the far north end of Maniwaki to the east end of Screamer. From the west end of Screamer, another portage trail continued northward some 360 rods, over fairly rough terrain, to the south shore of Fishdance. The Independence Day windstorms of 1999 did not hit this area, so some vestiges of the trails may yet be visible. (Or, maybe not...)
Campsites
Maniwaki currently supports no established campsites, though older maps show a campsite once existed on the big point just north of the mouth of Jupiter Creek.Planning Considerations
Maniwaki is a link in the Maniwaki route, which extends south and east from Insula, up Hope Creek through North Hope, Hope, and South Hope, then up Maniwaki Creek to Maniwaki. At one time, the route continued on up Maniwaki Creek to Andek and from Andek, by way of a mile-long (320 rod) portage, to Baskatong in the upper Kawishiwi drainage. Today Maniwaki is a dead end, at the end of a long spur route up from Insula. It is clear, however, that in the past this lake had through connections east to the upper Kawishiwi country, and north to the middle reaches of that river. It is not known if these old portages can even be found today, much less used.Wildlife
Maniwaki supports populations of White Sucker (Catostomus commersoni).Notes and Comments
Maniwaki is very well situated for exploring small, remote lakes and searching for lost portages. Just getting to Maniwaki is enough for most but if you're so inclined consider bushwhacking up Jupiter Creek to Jupiter or Yoke, up Maniwaki Creek to Andek. Look for the lost Baskatong Portage out of Andek. Look for the lost Screamer Portage out of the north end of Maniwaki and, if successful, try to find its companion trail, north to Fishdance. And if you do find any of these old portages, we'd really like to hear about it. Maniwaki is on our list of "must do" trips.
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