A small lake surrounded by a young forest. Logging occurred in this area into the 1950's. The topography surrounding the lake is of low relief.
On the Minnesota DNR website, this lake is referred to as Jackal Lake. The lake may have been named Jackal Lake in the past. It has been called Jake Lake since at least the 1960's. Jake Lake has some northern pike in it. The lake used to be managed for brook trout and brown trout, but that didn't go well. The stream trout stocking program appears to have ended in the late 1980's.
Jake Lake has inflows from both Lux Lake and Morgan Creek via small creeks. The creek between Jake Lake and Morgan Lake can be paddled when water levels are decent (the portage is probably still easier though). Jake Lake in turn flows out to the west into Vista Lake. Vista Lake is considered the headwaters of the Brule River.
References:
Beymer, Robert, Boundary Waters Canoe Area – Volume 2 – Eastern Region (Berkeley: Wilderness Press, 2006), 100, 107, 109.
Pauly, Daniel, Exploring the Boundary Waters (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2005), 288, 292.
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PADDLING FROM THE LUX LAKE PORTAGE TO THE VISTA LAKE PORTAGE
Jake Lake as seen from the Lux Lake portage.
Heading west down Jake Lake beginning from the Lux Lake portage and finishing the route at the Vista Lake portage. Route follows the south shoreline of Jake Lake.
Approaching the Vista Lake portage. Portage to Vista Lake -or- Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
PADDLING FROM THE VISTA LAKE PORTAGE TO THE MORGAN LAKE PORTAGE
You can see down the full length of Jake Lake from this end of the Vista Lake portage. View is to the east.
Paddling from the west end of Jake Lake to the east end of the lake between the Vista Lake portage and the Morgan Lake portage.
There is a very good landing to greet you at the start of the Morgan Lake portage. If there is good water levels, it is possible to paddle the creek between Jake Lake and Morgan Lake instead. Doing this instead of the portage is usually more difficult, but also a nice change from the usual portaging. Portage to Morgan Lake -or- Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
