There are too many indigenous names to remember and try to spell so I won't try any of those. I like the different chain names. See how many can add to this list: Lady Chain, Number Lakes, Fire Chain, Vegetable Chain, Man chain in the Q. Which am I missing?

The three letter chain, adjacent to Makwa...Fee, Vee, Cap, Roe, etc...

Neglige

I want to know the story behind Swollen Ankle Lake. Must be good to earn a name for a lake.

Savage Voyageur: "Neglige "

Lots of stories floating around about this one...

Hungry Jack always struck me as funny and one I would like to know the history behind. Of course, "Trump" and "Little Trump" were slighty odd names before, but now hilariously relevant. Probably good there's no portages into them. Half the paddlers would be building monuments there and half would be trying to burn it to the ground. :-)

djwillco: "Hungry Jack always struck me as funny and one I would like to know the history behind. Of course, "Trump" and "Little Trump" were slighty odd names before, but now hilariously relevant. Probably good there's no portages into them. Half the paddlers would be building monuments there and half would be trying to burn it to the ground. :-)"

So true.

I always liked "Tin Can Mike" lake. I wonder who Tin Can Mike was? A cook in a logging camp maybe?

Sometimes there's a sense of humor in lake names. Not in the BWCA, but I bushwhacked back to "Clear Lake" north of Myrtle lake some years back. It was so bog stained that you couldn't see the tip of your finger when you dipped it in the lake.

And I wonder how many are named by lonely guys thinking about wives or girlfriends...Agnes, Maude, Astrid to name just a few of many.

it is probably not a funny or goofy name for a lake - and I feel it will be changed in time, if possible - but I think it's up by poplar lake - just southeast - fag lake is what I saw on the map. had to have been a meaning for it, other than what most think of it now - any thoughts?

Meanwhile, in Manitoba:

In Q, located between McEwen and Saganagons, is "Wet Lake". Really? LOL

user0317: "Meanwhile, in Manitoba:
"

31 letters? I'd be curious what is means. Hopefully it's not someone's last name...can you imagine trying to teach your child how to spell it?

Lunker Lake... worst kept secret, ever.

Party Lake- my invitation must have gotten lost in the mail...

4keys: "

user0317: "Meanwhile, in Manitoba:
"

31 letters? I'd be curious what is means. Hopefully it's not someone's last name...can you imagine trying to teach your child how to spell it?
"

It means " where the wild trout are caught by fishing with hooks." Pekwachnamaykoskwaskwaypinwanik I would hate to spell this.

Goofy lake names...how about Weird Lake?

Weird is indeed a Weird name for a lake. It always made me wonder what happened there to suggest the name. Our two-night stay there was some of the best of all of our canoe-tripping experiences--so many moose! It was probably the highlight of our "Long Trip".

After a very long day on the Frost River I pulled out the map and saw that I had arrived at Whipped Lake. I remember thinking, "Yup".

4keys: "

user0317: "Meanwhile, in Manitoba:
"

31 letters? I'd be curious what is means. Hopefully it's not someone's last name...can you imagine trying to teach your child how to spell it?
"

What about putting it on your football jersey?

djwillco: "Hungry Jack always struck me as funny and one I would like to know the history behind. Of course, "Trump" and "Little Trump" were slighty odd names before, but now hilariously relevant. Probably good there's no portages into them. Half the paddlers would be building monuments there and half would be trying to burn it to the ground. :-)"

the history behind hungry jack lake , not sure of the year (early 1900's ? ) but jack lived on the lake and in the winter he would just hunker down for the winter and not commute anywhere but some of the locals would check up on him in the winter months and bring food and they would say how hungry Jack was.

Not too terribly strange - but I'm partial to Canoe lake with Paddle lake attached.

shock: "

djwillco: "Hungry Jack always struck me as funny and one I would like to know the history behind..."

the history behind hungry jack lake , not sure of the year (early 1900's ? ) but jack lived on the lake and in the winter he would just hunker down for the winter and not commute anywhere but some of the locals would check up on him in the winter months and bring food and they would say how hungry Jack was. "

The lake was named after a member of the 1873-1874 survey crew named Anderson Jackson Scott. He remained at camp on the lake's shore while the others went to re-supply at Grand Marais after they ran out of food. Bad weather delayed their return.

Gunflint Trail History.

Knoozer: " I like the different chain names. See how many can add to this list: Lady Chain, Number Lakes, Fire Chain, Vegetable Chain, Man chain in the Q. Which am I missing?"

One that always struck me is “rock of ages” lake. And I’m not sure it’s technically a chain... But it’s right next to “path” lake and “mirror” lake- which of course all have to do with some well know verses....But right next to those are “myth “lake and “superstition” lake...So who knows what they were trying to say!?!? Lol

Also. There “your lake” which is right next to “my lake”

inspector13: "

shock: "

djwillco: "Hungry Jack always struck me as funny and one I would like to know the history behind..."

the history behind hungry jack lake , not sure of the year (early 1900's ? ) but jack lived on the lake and in the winter he would just hunker down for the winter and not commute anywhere but some of the locals would check up on him in the winter months and bring food and they would say how hungry Jack was. "

The lake was named after a member of the 1873-1874 survey crew named Anderson Jackson Scott. He remained at camp on the lake's shore while the others went to re-supply at Grand Marais after they ran out of food. Bad weather delayed their return.

Gunflint Trail History.

"

i guess the story told to me , wasn't exactly correct ;) but somebody with jack in his name was hungry ;)

Cc26: "it is probably not a funny or goofy name for a lake - and I feel it will be changed in time, if possible - but I think it's up by poplar lake - just southeast - fag lake is what I saw on the map. had to have been a meaning for it, other than what most think of it now - any thoughts?"

Slang for a cigarette in British English. The Brits still use the term.

Climax Lake...

GopherAdventure: "

Savage Voyageur: "Neglige "

Lots of stories floating around about this one..."

What kind of stories? My brother says it means "neglected" in French.

GopherAdventure: "

Savage Voyageur: "Neglige "

Lots of stories floating around about this one..."

What kind of stories? How's the fishing?

outsidethebox: "

GopherAdventure: "

Savage Voyageur: "Neglige "

Lots of stories floating around about this one..."

What kind of stories? How's the fishing?
"

Not sure if it has ever been confirmed, but there is a story out there that a native woman was raped at the lake by a pair of men. Her tribe hunted the men down and hung them up by their delicate parts. Pretty sure that’s the story Savage is referring to. If you search “haunted lakes” I think that’s the thread where I first heard this story.

Tony

Cc26: "it is probably not a funny or goofy name for a lake - and I feel it will be changed in time, if possible - but I think it's up by poplar lake - just southeast - fag lake is what I saw on the map. had to have been a meaning for it, other than what most think of it now - any thoughts?"

It's just outside the BWCA, but still a bushwhack lake.
I've been there, and fished it.
Carried gallons of water out of it.
It's shaped like a penis.
When they named all the unnamed lakes, in the 70s & 80s, I can imagine the jokes going around the Forest Service room, full of older WWII vets.

Karl Lake. And my name is, uh...........Karl