Travel to the Beautiful Northwest Angle-Lake of the Woods

This writer was just privileged to visit the beautiful Northwest Angle of Lake of the Woods. Ice has just recently disappeared, and the exquisite blue of the pristine water is a sight to behold.

I hadn’t ventured to the area for many years so it was a new-again adventure to travel to the area. I want to share this experience to invite travelers to visit the great area and be prepared for their journey there. I traveled by car so I clocked up 202 miles round trip.

The Northwest Angle is 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.

The first order of business is to know what the regulations are for entering Canada and have all your documentation ready to go. Be sure to have an up to date passport, passport card,  or enhanced driver’s license available.  You also must be able to provide a completed vaccination card.

You must download an app on your smartphone called ArriveCAN. This is a free app and necessary to enter the country. Here you must upload a picture of your passport and your vaccination card. You must name the border crossing you will using and name a location you could stay at in Canada in the event you would get sick while visiting the country. Have a full tank of gas and away you go.

I left from Baudette and traveled 36 miles to Warroad and turned to cross the border there which is called the Sprague, MB crossing. Showed my passport and told them I was visiting friends and having lunch with them and I was on my way. I drove 12.6 miles to Sprague, MN and then turned onto Hwy 308 and drove through 40 miles of Canada. The road was good with the last remaining miles being gravel. It was still a good wide road. This took me through miles and miles of forest area and beautiful scenery.

At last I saw the entrance to the Northwest Angle and took at turn to the right onto Hwy 525. More scenery, more trees, much wildlife including a young black bear. I finally saw and most welcome sign stating I was arriving at the Northwest Angle. You must always check in at a border when crossing IN to a country. Because this is a remote area, digital stations have been set up for travelers to check in. At Jim’s Corner there is a booth which houses an I Pad for your check in. If for some reason internet service won’t connect another way to check in is to download another app onto your phone call CBP ROAM. This is what I used and it worked very well.

The Northwest Angle, the village of Angle Inlet, is home to many resorts and the gateway to Lake of the Woods and its US islands of Oak and Flag where other resorts are located. These pristine waters are the home of the renown walleye and they are in abundance. This traveler stands amazed at the beautiful homes and the beautiful resorts. For being the northernmost part of the contiguous United States, everything is fully modernized and is the home to a group of people who know how to offer great hospitality.

Fort St. Charles located on Magnuson Island is a must see destination for visitors to the NW Angle.  It is free and open to the public. Massacre Island, Eagle’s Rock, and Penasse Island, are all great spots to learn a little history. Birding and Wildlife are abundant in the area, as are the wild flowers, wild rice, blueberries, and raspberries.

We must mention a must go-to restaurant at the Angle called Jerry’s. Yes, had lunch there and the food and the service was tremendous. Their large dining area is great for a large group gathering or meeting. Big screen TVs and a beautiful décor makes your dining experience very enjoyable.

Angle Inlet, population of 60 full time residents, is home to a post office, a church, a golf course and the last one room schoolhouse of the US. Island residents travel to the main land to receive their mail 3 times a week.  It’s an amazing lifestyle that these hearty residents live each day. They face many challenges and have faced great hardship during these years of the pandemic. Travel was very difficult and even today, they have to be very creative in getting their supplies and goods for their clientele. I must say, I admire those who have lived on the Angle their entire lives and continue to carve out that same incredible future for their families.

Now if you decide to make this journey but would rather not go through Canada, you have two other great options. By lake, travel by Lake of the Woods Passenger Service leaving from Sportsman’s Lodge and traveling across water through the US to Young’s Bay on the Angle. For more Info, Contact: www.lowpassenger.com

Another great way to travel is to go by air. Yes, Lake Country Air travels to a great many areas in the US, however, they are now available to bring passengers from the south side of the lake up to the Northwest Angle. I was told it’s only 1 hour and 40 minutes to fly from St. Paul even. 

I will speak for the people who live and work at the Angle at this time and invite you to travel to this beautiful land of the Northwest Angle and experience a vacation of a lifetime. Thank you to the people of the Angle for allowing me to visit and enjoy your beautiful land.

For more information contact:  www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com

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