Missinaibi Lake

Missinaibi Lake
Pictographs on Fairy Point
Missinaibi Lake
Location	Sudbury District, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates	48°20′N 83°45′W / 48.333°N 83.750°W / 48.333; -83.750
Primary inflows	Little Missinaibi River
Primary outflows	Missinaibi River
Basin countries	Canada
Surface area	11.71 km2 (4.52 sq mi)
Average depth	19 m (62 ft)
Max. depth	94 m (308 ft)
Surface elevation	319 m (1,047 ft)

Missinaibi Lake (Cree: masinâpôy sâkahikan, ᒪᓯᓈᐴᔾ ᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ) is a lake in Ontario, Canada,^[1] about 60 kilometres (37 mi) north of Chapleau. It is the source of the Missinaibi River, which drains the lake at the northeastern point and flows northeastward into the Moose River.^[2]

Together with the Missinaibi River, Brunswick River, Brunswick Lake, Little Missinaibi River, and Little Missinaibi Lake, the shores and waters of the lake are part of the Missinaibi Provincial Park. The lake is also in the middle of the Chapleau Crown Game Preserve.^[3]

The lake is named after the river of the same name, (masinâpôy sîpiy, ᒪᓯᓈᐴᔾ ᓰᐱᔾ) meaning "pictured waters" in the Cree language which is thought to refer to the pictographs found on rock faces along the river.^[4] There are several sites around the lake where such aboriginal rock paintings are found. In particular, there are more than 100 rock paintings on a cliff face at Fairy Point, depicting Mishipeshu, caribou, bear, fox, and canoes among others.^[3][5]

The lake is accessible at Barclay Bay via Barclay Bay Road (a 88 km-long (55 mi) gravel road^[5]) from Chapleau, where there is a boat launch and campground.^[3]