Snow? When have we prayed for snow up north? Well, this year Mother Nature has given us an interesting winter season! Snow machines are ready and waiting anxiously for inches or perhaps feet of good snow to bring their machines out. As of this writing there is about a one inch dusting on the ground. Lake of the Woods itself is trying very hard to freeze up so that anxious anglers can visit this renowned fishery.

When the ice is safe, resort owners and snowmobile clubs are out staking out trails going across the ice to the islands to the north. It’s about 40 miles one way so one has to be quite prepared as they travel with their machines.

Snowmobiling the Lake of the Woods area, some of the best trails in the state.  Enjoy hundreds of miles of connected groomed trails. Our trails are true wilderness trails, as there is less than 5 miles of ditch riding on our trail system. Trails go as far up as the Northwest Angle, as far west as Warroad, south to Waskish and as far east as Big Falls and north up to International Falls.

To the west our trail system hooks up to the Roseau County groomed trails, as well as Kittson County groomed trails and on into North Dakota. To the south we hook up to Beltrami Island State Forest Trails, as well as hundreds of miles of logging trails.

Northwest Angle and Island areas are accessible from Lake of the Woods or the Can-Am Trail by snowmobile. To the east, the Northern Connection hooks up to the  groomed Voyageur Trail West and Arrowhead Trail. Our area is unique by having Lake of the Woods and Rainy River, which both provide ample ice riding.

This area is very fortunate to have two dealers offering two very famous brands of snow machines. These machines are not only durable but are set up with some of the most impressive features for pleasurable riding.

We are also fortunate to have two great snowmobile clubs who not only ride for fun, but work very hard at maintaining trails and bridges before the season starts and grooming many many miles of trails throughout the season.

Lake of the Woods Drifters Snowmobile Club is located in Lake of the Woods County. They are a very active club and have their own website at www.lakeofthewoodsdrifters.org and FaceBook page at www.facebook.com/lakeofthewoodsdrifters. You can also contact them at lakeofthewoodsdrifters@gmail.com. Each of those sites will provide you with great current information about the trails and great photos that the club has taken. The Northern Connection Trail is very famous as it was carved out of the forest area going east and south of Baudette.

Lake of the Woods Drifters is a non-profit community organization that welcomes members at any time. They also own and maintain shelters throughout the trails to warm up or stop to have lunch and fellowship on the ride. The Club produces a greatmap which is available through the club. There are over 273 miles of groomed trails to offer adventure through this winter wonderland.

Further north in Lake of the Woods County at the northernmost part of the United States you will find the home of the Northwest Angle Edge Rider Snowmobile Club. Their website is: www.nwaedgeriders.org. There you will find information about the club, about trail conditions, club events, and even places to stay at Angle Inlet. Their FaceBook page is  www.facebook.com/NorthwestAngleEdgeRiders.

This snow club proudly proclaims they groom over 172 miles of trail during the season. As of 12.15.2020 they state that they are “chomping at the bit” to get out onto the frozen waters of Lake of the Woods and travel many many miles over the frozen waters. This Snow Club stakes trails and produces a great snow map of trails throughout the lake, up to Oak and Flag Island and even into the Canadian part of the lake. The map even features depths of the lake which even open water anglers find very helpful. You may contact them for a free map or also contact Lake of the Woods Tourism for one.

For more information see our website at: www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com/snowmobiling.

For lodging information see: www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com/lodging

See our FaceBook page at: www.facebook.com/lakeofthewoodsmn

You can also download the official Snowmobile Regulations at the MN DNR Website.

There is a brand new Detailed Map of the NW Angle!  It is the northernmost point of the contiguous United States, it is where the 14,552 islands of Lake of the Woods begin, it has 15 lodging facilities who cater to anglers and the area is full of walleyes.   And now, it has a brand new map to discover all of it’s key locations and points of interest.

Local resident and explorer, Joe Laurin, led the way on this project, working with Lake of the Woods County.  With help from a specially formed NW Angle Committee, and the feedback from resorts, residents and other area stakeholders, the map went through multiple revisions and is now complete.

We believe this is a great resource for visitors to the Angle.  It lays out in good detail where resorts, harbors, restaurants and other points of interest around the Angle are.  The intent is to not only have this map online (feel free to use it by the way), we will have a physical sign located at Jim’s Corner once the warm weather returns to the area next spring.

Helpful for Ice Anglers

The new map is just in time for this year’s ice fishing season up at the NW Angle.  Ice fishing is awesome on this part of the lake.  A good population of walleyes, a mixed bag of species and of course, the natural beauty.

This winter, visitors looking to travel to the NW Angle have a few great options.

Drive to the NW Angle.  Restrictions for crossing the border have been lifted so driving to the Angle is easy as it has always been.  No more vaccinations, no more testing and no more ArriveCan App (although you can still use it if you like it).  Driving through Roseau or Warroad, you will drive about 40 miles through Canada before entering back into the U.S. up at the Angle.

You must have your credentials to cross into Canada, such as a passport, passport card, enhanced driver’s license or a government issued ID along with an original birth certificate.  Other than that, it’s crossing the border as it was before the pandemic.

Lake of the Woods Passenger Service (Bombardier).  Round trip from the south end of Lake of the Woods up to the Angle, approximately 42 miles.  Bombardier service not only is an adventure, it allows access to the Angle without crossing the border, as crossing the lake keeps travelers in Minnesota.

Snowmobile Trails.  Another typical way some travel to the Angle during the winter months is snowmobile.  The two snowmobile clubs around Lake of the Woods do an excellent job of grooming and staking trails from the south end of Lake of the Woods all the way up to the NW Angle.  One trails comes out of the Wheeler’s Point area.  When the ice is thick enough on the Rainy River, guests could literally take the trail all the way from Baudette to the Angle.  The other route takes guests along the western edge of Lake of the Woods from the Rocky Point, Long Point area or from Warroad north.

NW Angle resorts offer some of the best full service ice fishing in North America.  Heated fish houses are moved often to keep you on the fish.  Anglers will catch walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, eelpout, pike, and tulibees.  Once in a while, crappies, a muskie or a sturgeon will even make an appearance.

Angle resorts offer both great cooking facilities in their cabins or a number of them have a great bar and restaurant as part of their offerings.  You might be way up north, but don’t for a minute think you will be sacrificing good meals.  The menu offerings in these parts are plentiful and the food is delicious.

When you are staying at the Angle, whether you cook it yourself or let the resort cook it, fresh walleye with all of the trimmings is a tradition that is hard to beat.

Ice fishing the NW Angle is something special.  With this year adding many challenges to our lives, please know that special place to allow relaxation, peace and calming is accessible, just maybe in ways we are not used to.

Access info about Lake of the Woods

Info about the NW Angle

Resorts, outfitters and ice fishing options on Lake of the Woods

Now is the time to check out the availability at resorts for your trip to take advantage of some great deals. It won’t be long now and ice on Lake of the Woods will be inviting you to venture to this big lake where anglers are always satisfied with their catch.

In today’s busy world, when a window of opportunity to buzz up to Lake of the Woods opens up, you need to jump on it.  But how do you find lodging and fish houses during a busy weekend?  Look no further with the lodging availability finder.  This handy tool is found on the Lake of the Woods Tourism website under the lodging tab is a quick and easy way to check with multiple resorts on available lodging with one click of a mouse.

Ice fishing has become more and more popular each and every year.  Resorts have taken advantage of technology in fish house materials, heaters, plow vehicles and transport vehicles to make the sport enjoyable for anglers and non-anglers alike.  With that being said, there are times, often popular weekends, when lodging or fish house rentals are hard to find.  That certainly doesn’t mean they aren’t available.

Now there is a tool to contact the area of Lake of the Woods you desire with a few clicks of a mouse.  With almost 60 different lodging and fish house facilities at Lake of the Woods, there is always somewhere to stay that is just right for you. Instead, if you are looking to book lodging at Lake of the Woods and don’t feel like calling around or it is last minute, try our lodging availability finder.

Finding available lodging during busy times is quick, just follow these steps.

1.  Go to the Lodging Availability Finder
2. Enter in your contact information
3. Arrival and departure dates
4. How many occupants
5. Select the area you would like to stay…
   1. South Shore / Rainy River
   2. NW Angle
   3. Information for both areas
6. Areas of interest, such as ice fishing, sleeper fish house, pool, etc
7. Any comments or requests.
8. Finally, you can check or un-check the box to receive the Lake of the Woods Tourism newsletter

Your request is emailed to all the lodging facilities in the geographic region you choose.  Resorts will respond back to your email with availability.

Imagine you call your favorite resort or two and they are booked.  This is a perfect time to go to the Lodging Availability Finder.

If you come back and want to us the finder here is how you do it:

1. To find Lodging, go to the Lodging Availability Request page of the Lake of the Woods Tourism website.
2. Fill out and send!  Enter contact info, arrival and departure dates, how many people and check the box indicating what portion of Lake of the Woods county you would like to stay.   Also indicate if you have any special requests or other comments and hit the submit button.  Your request is automatically emailed to the resorts, hotels and sleeper fish house businesses that are applicable in the area you prefer.  You are on your way to a simple way to find lodging.

If you prefer to contact a few specific resorts, we also have our lodging page to find lodging.  This page is full of information.  In addition to a complete list of lodging opportunities, learn what amenities are available and what might fit your group the best.

There are many ways to access lodging, fish houses, guides and charters up at Lake of the Woods.  Whether you are looking for something in Baudette, perhaps the Rainy River, south shore or Northwest Angle, all of the choices are in one place, the Lake of the Woods Tourism website.

Have a chance at a spur of the moment getaway to walleye country?  Give the lodging availability finder a shot.  It will save you time and often will provide options even on busy weekends. Also check out our Hot Deals tab to find great bargains. Many resorts offer you great package deals for all lodging, fishing and meals included.

Click Here to return back to the Lake of the Woods Tourism Website

Click Here to find Lodging Options around Lake of the Woods

Click Here for the Lodging Availability Finder Tool

Click Here for our FaceBook page: www.facebook.com/lakeofthewoodsmn

Find Fishing Regulations for Lake of the Woods at MN DNR.