The Northwest Angle is the Best of the Best and can be found at the northernmost point of the contiguous United States. Known by locals as “The Angle”, it is home of some of the best fishing on Lake of the Woods. The Northwest Angle is a unique location as it forms the chimney at the very top of Minnesota. This was a surveyor’s mistake years and years ago, so the “Angle” which is part of Lake of the Woods County is only accessed by land by first driving through Canada. The “Angle is located on the northern side of Lake of the Woods, or when viewing a map, the “chimney”. The area is 596.3 miles, 473.2 miles of that is water. It is also the northern most point of the contiguous 48 states. The Angle is in coexistence with Angle Township and Lake of the Woods County, surrounded by Manitoba and Ontario.

Angle Inlet is the town located at the Angle and features a post office, one room school house, golf course, church and multiple resorts. Their next door neighbors are resorts and residents on the Flag Island and Oak Island which is another great destination. Summer or winter, visitors are more than welcome to experience these incredible locations and the lifestyle that they offer.

Many hands, volunteers, business owners and local people have all joined forces to create this extremely exciting location for great numbers of people to enjoy. There is no other location that can compare with the offerings of this area. Stop at Jerry’s Restaurant for a first class lunch before taking off on snowmobile or out to your fish house during winter months. The warmth of the café and the warmth of the people will keep in your memory for years to come.

The Northwest Angle, the northernmost point of the contiguous United States,  is where the 14,552 islands begin.  It is also known to anglers as some of the best fishing in North America.  With that being said, there is so much more to this area most don’t know and certainly will ever discover, until now.  Welcome Lighthouse Boat and Snowmobile Tours.

Retired Polaris Engineer and acclaimed explorer Joe Laurin has started providing informative and explorative tours of the northern portion of Lake of the Woods.  By northern portion, basically Garden Island north throughout the NW Angle and amongst the entire islands region of the Ontario portion of the lake all the way to Kenora.

You might remember Laurin as the creator of the Lake of the Woods Exploring App.  This app was released a few years ago and is a way for guests to do self exploration tours.  It lists waypoints and explanations of a variety of unseen attractions such as waterfalls, interior lakes, abandoned gold mines, WWII prisoner of war camps, Cheerio , Fort St. Charles, pictographs and petroglyphs.  Now that Laurin has his Coast Guard license, all of these options and more are now available as a tour.

There are so many gems in the Northwest Angle many visitors don’t even realize exist.  Through his app, and now his tours, Laurin is enabling others to get a deeper dive into the many special and unique wonders this area possesses.

Some may come for a series of exploration tours in one of the most beautiful regions in North America.  Others may add a day of exploring to their traditional fishing trip.

There are a few pre-set tours as well as an option for creating a custom tour.

1.  Essentials.  Northernmost Point Buoy, Fort Saint Charles, Cheerio Beach, Massacre Island, Flag Island Lighthouse Home Tour.
2. The Loop.  Pinnacle Rock and waterfalls.  History includes 1930’s cars, Schoolhouse Point, French Portage Church and an old cemetery.  Experience the rope swing!  Discover and explore pictographs and petroglyphs, beautiful interior lake portages and abandoned gold mines.
3. Custom.  Search for clues on the lake from past stories and legends.  Travel by boat 40+ miles through thousands of islands and unforgettable beauty to Kenora, Ontario.  Eat, drink, shop and explore!

Imagine taking an extra day and traveling to Kenora via boat amongst the thousands of islands.  That in itself would be an incredible adventure.  Once to the public docks in Kenora, guests will be able to explore up and down the quaint streets of Kenora amongst the many small shops, restaurants, taverns and brewery.  When the day is over, sit back and relax enjoying the beauty and wildlife on the ride home or possibly stop at a couple of good fishing spots just to test the waters.

The tour boat is 22′ long for comfort and it has an enclosed cabin for inclement weather.  It can take up to six passengers.  Tours are offered via half day or full day excursions.

Another open water option offered is Jet-Ski tours.  For those who enjoy traversing on a Jet-Ski or wet bike, this is a fun option.  Guests must bring their own Jet-Ski and follow along the guided tour.

The Northwest Angle is a special place with so much to see.  There is no doubt that most visit this area for the world class fishing amongst breathtaking beauty.  With that being said, there is so much more this area offers.  The wildlife and birding alone would make this destination stand out, let alone the many things to see throughout the islands area as well.  If you are interested in setting up a tour, contact Lighthouse Boat and Snowmobile Tours at flagislandlighthouse@outlook.com  or call: 763-350-4700.

Lake of the Woods Passenger Service has also started a great service as it transports people across the big body of water from the south shore of Big Traverse up to the NW Angle and/or the Islands. What a great service this is also for those who might not be able to travel through Canada without passports or would just like to save time or just travel the beautiful waters of Lake of the Woods. This service can be found at www.lowpassenger.com or by calling: 218-395-0414 to make arrangements. I’ve been told they would also be able to take you on tours of the upper north and islands as well. What great options!!!

May I also say here that the hospitality at the Northwest Angle is incredible and the resort owners outdo themselves in offering you the best places to stay for your vacation experience. Think about visiting this great location for your next travel experience.

For more information contact www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com or for lodging: www.lakeofthewoodsm/lodging

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