During Spring Season, there are events that spark excitement to people who live at Lake of the Woods, Baudette, MN. Personally, I keep watch for sea gulls arriving and start getting excited about the Rainy River opening up. Next, the Rapids at Clementson start running and the beautiful pelicans arrive in mass. What exquisite creatures. Ah yes, then the Rainy River opens up from east to west and arrives in splendor under the US/Canadian Bridge. Cheers!!!  That means the bays will open soon and then Four Mile Bay at the mouth of Rainy River and shortly (?) after that the big lake will open it’s pristine waters. You see, it’s a busy schedule watching nature walk through its springtime course.

Looking forward..did you know the Lake of the Woods area is absolutely full of a variety of wildflowers during the Spring Season?  It’s true, in fact, there is actually a club who celebrates them.  There are a number of scenic drives around this beautiful area and the Wildflower Route is certainly one of them.

In 1990, the governor declared 81 miles of Highway 11 a Minnesota Wildflower Route, in honor of the hundreds of thousands of Showy Lady’s-Slippers growing within sight of the road. The state put up signs depicting the Showy Lady’s-Slipper to mark the route, and pledged to expand the highway only to the south, protecting the masses of Showy Lady’s-Slippers on the north side of the road. The local people and wildflower enthusiasts gather in June for the annual “Wildflower Route Celebration,” at the Williams Senior Center in Williams, Minnesota.

More than two million orchids blanket the Lake of the Woods area. To catch a glimpse of these beautifulflowers, you’ll begin at the Lady Slipper Park in Williams, go through the town, then head west out to Blueberry Hill, located on the south side of Hwy 11. Please remember that it is illegal to pick or uproot the Showy Lady Slipper in Minnesota. However, you’re welcome to ”take” as many photos as you’d like!

For a free Wildflower Route Brochure and route map, just contact Lake of the Woods Tourism.

The Williams Gardeners of Lake of the Woods county will be celebrating their annual Wild Flower Route Celebration in June at the Williams Senior Center, 250 Main St. Williams, MN. 56686. Refreshments will be served.

 
This is a self guided tour along this marked and labeled route featuring hundreds of the MN state flowers, the “Showy Lady Slipper” and the Yellow Lady Slipper which is one of the most common in the area with two variations, Large and Small. These beautiful orchids plus 50 plus other different wildflowers can be found in and around the 4+ mile route in Williams and at Blue Berry Hill park and camp ground, 4 miles west of Williams on Hwy. 11. Keep posted for more information about this event at www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com.

 

Find lodging availability also at www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com/lodging.