▁are ▁three ▁compet ing ▁theories ▁on ▁the ▁origin ▁of ▁the ▁" S nake ▁Lake " ▁name . ▁The ▁first ▁pos its ▁that ▁local ▁tra ppers ▁frequently ▁saw ▁g arter ▁sn akes ▁ ▁on ▁the ▁la kes h ore . ▁The ▁second ▁arg ues ▁that ▁the ▁northern ▁pi ke ▁in ▁the ▁lake ▁rarely ▁exceed ed ▁three ▁to ▁four ▁pounds , ▁and ▁their ▁long ▁sin uous ▁bodies ▁res emble d ▁those ▁of ▁sn akes . ▁The ▁third ▁theory ▁suggests ▁early ▁visitors ▁to ▁the ▁lake ▁encountered ▁very ▁large ▁le ech es , ▁which ▁res emble d ▁sn akes . ▁The ▁lake ▁is ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁Z ig - Z ag ▁Lake . ▁ ▁L akes ▁of ▁Lak eland ▁Provin cial ▁Rec re ation ▁Area ▁Iron wood ▁Lake ▁is ▁a ▁medium - s ized ▁lake ▁in ▁the ▁sout heast ▁corner ▁of ▁the ▁recre ation ▁area . ▁The ▁name ▁Iron wood ▁is ▁not ▁of ▁local ▁origin . ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁official ▁naming ▁of ▁Iron wood ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁it ▁was ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁Rock y ▁Island ▁Lake . ▁C ree ▁names ▁for ▁the ▁lake ▁included ▁Kam ist ig w ap sk as ik ▁S aga he gan ▁meaning ▁Little ▁St ony ▁Island ▁Lake ▁or ▁Ch ip ay ▁S aga he gan , ▁meaning ▁S ke leton ▁Lake . ▁Near by ▁Hel ena , ▁Hor ne , ▁and ▁French man ▁L akes ▁empty ▁into ▁Iron wood , ▁which ▁itself ▁em pt ies ▁into ▁Rich ▁Lake ▁and ▁then ▁into ▁the ▁Be aver ▁River . ▁Iron wood ▁Lake