Every Lake
Big Sandy Lake
An Aitkin County lake that was a fur-trade crossroads long before it was a resort.
- 15 ft · first step
- 30 ft
- 46 ft
- 61 ft
- 76 ft
- 91 ft · bottom
About Big Sandy Lake
Big Sandy Lake sits in Aitkin County in north-central Minnesota, about nine miles north of the town of McGregor, covering roughly 6,500 acres with 57 miles of shoreline and 25 islands. Its outlet feeds the Mississippi River, and the site was a major fur-trade crossroads in the early 1800s, with the American Fur Company running a post here that made it one of the busiest inland trading points in the region. Today the lake is known for walleye and muskie fishing, with resorts and campgrounds scattered along its wooded, irregular shoreline.
- 6 shore towns named, with a star on each
- 81 roads engraved around the shore, 8 of them labeled
- 6 depth layers, each step engraved with its depth in feet
- Compass rose, title block with coordinates, max depth and area; keyhole hanger on the back
Turn it in your hands
Live 3D of the actual cut files — drag to orbit, pinch to zoom. Every road you see is engraved on the real thing.
Viewer not showing? Open it full screen.
Big Sandy Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a Big Sandy Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 15 ft, 30 ft, 46 ft, 61 ft, 76 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 91 ft. The lake covers about 12.7 square miles, and 81 shore roads are engraved around it. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Big Sandy Lake map for the wall — or a gift
Most of these go to a cabin wall, a lake house entry, or a home office; a lot are gifts — the family that has been on Big Sandy Lake for three generations, the retirement move, the first boat. The 12-inch is the desk-and-shelf size; the 24- and 30-inch boards read across a room. Add a line under the title and star your place on the shore, and it becomes the map of your Big Sandy Lake.
Big Sandy Lake map — the details
How big is the map?
Four sizes: 12, 17, 24 and 30 inches on the long side, from $149. Every size is cut from the same depth data of Big Sandy Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Big Sandy Lake is cut layer by layer from published bathymetric soundings — each layer of birch is a depth contour, so the shape of the bottom is the real one, not decorative.
Can I add my own place on it?
Yes. At checkout you can add a line under the title (a family name, a cabin name, a year) and star the spot on the shore that matters to you.
How long does it take?
Made to order in Waterford, Pennsylvania and shipped in 7–10 days; shipping is free in the lower 48.
Can you make a lake that isn't listed?
Any lake in the United States — we hold depth data for 104,419 of them. Search for yours; if it isn't built yet we build it when you order.
- 6 depth layers down to 91 ft
- 12.7 square miles of water
- 81 shore roads engraved, 8 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
