Lake of the Woods, Lake between Ontario and Manitoba, Canada and Minnesota, United States.
Lake of the Woods is a freshwater lake that stretches across the border between Ontario, Manitoba, and Minnesota, containing more than fourteen thousand islands. The shoreline runs for thousands of kilometers with bays, narrow channels, and rocky points that weave between forested shores.
Glaciers carved the lake basin thousands of years ago during the last ice age. Later, voyageurs and trading companies used the waterways as a link between the Great Lakes and the western prairies.
The name comes from the French expression Lac des Bois, which fur traders used to describe the dense forests along the shores. Many fishing lodges and small communities scatter across the islands, serving as bases for anglers who return each season.
Most visitors reach the area through Kenora on the Canadian side or smaller towns in Minnesota. Boats and float planes provide access to the more remote islands, while shoreline communities offer fuel, food, and equipment.
The Northwest Angle, a small piece of Minnesota, sits north of the 49th parallel and can only be reached by crossing through Canada or by water. This geographic oddity arose from a surveying error in the 18th century that fixed the border.
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