[6] Several early explorers travelled through Reindeer Lake, including David Thompson, who set up a fur-trade post on the west shore in 1796, called Bedford House.

[7] At the southern end of the lake, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) west of Southend, is Norvil Olson Campground (56°20′10″N 103°16′57″W / 56.3360°N 103.2825°W / 56.3360; -103.2825), which is a provincial recreation site.

[13][14] Fishing is an important industry in the area and sport-fishermen are drawn by its clear and deep waters.

[15] Fish species include walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, lake trout, Arctic grayling, lake whitefish, cisco, round whitefish, burbot, white sucker, goldeye, and longnose sucker.

[16] Reindeer Lake was a featured Santa Cam location from the start of the 2002 NORAD Tracks Santa tracking season to the end of the 2011 season when NORAD opted to switch to a regional format the next year instead of the individual profiling of cities they had been doing.