Spirit Lake (Saskatchewan)
{{Short description|Lake in Saskatchewan, Canada}}
{{Other|Spirit Lake (disambiguation)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=April 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name = Spirit Lake
| image =
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| caption =
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| location = Porcupine Hills Provincial Park, {{flag|Saskatchewan}}
| pushpin_map= Saskatchewan#Canada
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Saskatchewan
| coords = {{coord|52.5139|-101.6845|region:CA-SK_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}}
| type =
| inflow =
| outflow = Island Creek
| catchment = Woody River
| basin_countries = {{flag|Canada}}
| length =
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| area = {{cvt|337.4|ha}}
| depth =
| max-depth = {{cvt|14.03|m}}
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| shore = {{cvt|12.6|km}}
| elevation ={{cvt|745|m}}
| islands =
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}}
Spirit Lake{{cite web |title=Spirit Lake|url=https://toponymes.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/HAJRO|website=Canadian Geographical Names Database |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=27 April 2022}} is a lake in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is located in the east-central part of the province in the Porcupine Hills and Porcupine Provincial Forest. The lake is part of the Woody River Block of Porcupine Hills Provincial Park{{cite web |title=Porcupine Hills Provincial Park |url=https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/provincialpark/3144/porcupine-hills-provincial-park#sort=relevancy |website=Tourism Saskatchewan |publisher=Government of Saskatchewan |access-date=27 April 2022}} and is situated in boreal forest{{cite web |title=Boreal Plains Ecozone |url=http://ecozones.ca/english/zone/BorealPlains/index.html |website=ecozones |access-date=27 April 2022}} surrounded by hills, other small lakes, and muskeg. Access to the lake is on the southern side from Spirit Lake Road which branches off Highway 980.{{cite web |title=Spirit Lake Fishing Map |url=http://www.gpsnauticalcharts.com/main/ca_sk_spirit_lake_sk-spirit-lake-nautical-chart.html |website=GPS Nautical Charts |publisher=Bist LLC. |access-date=27 April 2022}}
Description
Spirit Lake is a bifurcation lake meaning it has two outflows. At the southern end is a small creek that flows south out of the lake and into neighbouring Elbow Lake. The main outflow is to the north into Island Lake and then into Midnight Creek via Island Creek.{{cite web |title=Island Creek|url=https://toponymes.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/HABSE|website=Canadian Geographical Names Database |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=27 April 2022}} To the east of the lake is Spirit Mountain,{{cite web |title=Spirit Mountain|url=https://toponymes.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/HAJRP|website=Canadian Geographical Names Database |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=27 April 2022}} which rises almost {{convert|800|m}} above sea level. To the north-east of Spirit Mountain, Island Lake, and Spirit Lake is Armit Lake, which, other than the western most point, is entirely within the province of Manitoba. Armit lake, which is the largest in the Porcupine Hills, can be accessed from a rough ATV trail that begins at Spirit Lake.{{cite web |title=Armit lake |url=https://swanvalleysportfishing.com/lakes/armit-lake/#:~:text=small%20watercraft%20only.-,Access,snowmobile%20in%20the%20winter%20months |website=Swan Valley Sport Fishing Enhancement Inc. |publisher=Swan Valley Sport Fishing Enhancement Inc. |access-date=27 April 2022}}
At the southern end of Spirit Lake is a campground with lake access. There are no communities nor other amenities on the lake.
Parks and recreation
Prior to the formation of Porcupine Hills Provincial Park in 2018, the park on Smallfish Lake was part of a provincial recreation site called Woody River Recreation Site. At this site there is a small campground, boat launch, picnic area, fish cleaning station, and lake access. The ATV trail to Armit Lake begins at the campground.{{cite web |title=Spirit Lake Campground |url=https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/listings/1817/spirit-lake-campground |website=Tourism Saskatchewan |publisher=Government of Saskatchewan |access-date=27 April 2022}}{{cite web |title=Spirit Lake |url=https://sites.google.com/site/porcupinehillsparks/spirit-lake |website=Sites.Google |publisher=Google |access-date=27 April 2022}}
Fish species
Fish commonly found in the lake include walleye, perch, white sucker, and northern pike.{{cite web |title=Fishing |url=https://townofhudsonbay.com/fishing/ |website=Town of Hudson Bay |publisher=Town of Hudson Bay |access-date=27 April 2022}}