Near the Lake Superior shoreline, the river meanders across the flat lake plain. There are many small creeks. Small lakes are concentrated in the west. The largest lakes are Otter Lake, Roland Lake, and Lake Gerald. Acidic, well-drained sands and sandy loams, derived from local sandstone and shale.
Rock fragments are common.
Poorly drained soils are restricted to stream edges and occasional depressions between the large moraine ridges. Isolated American beech were noted in the northern hardwood forests northeast of L'Anse near Lake Superior. In moderately drained soils, eastern hemlock grew along with northern white-cedar, balsam fir, and white spruce. Most wetlands on these moraines were located along river drainages, with northern white-cedar, tamarack, and white spruce as dominants. Speckled alder also grew in thickets along streams.