Lake of the Woods......What you want to know?  A trans-lake crossing?  Or just paddling around for fun?  Where do you want to put in?

I've been going to the lake for the last 40+ years.


Planning a trip by canoe across Big Traverse Bay could be a career ender, although I'm sure it's been done many a time.  For that reason, most canoists I've met and read of...they enter at the mouth of the Rainey river, N of Baudette, and then paddle one of several routes to Kenora (lake outlet).

Some dare cross over to S side of Bigsby isle and Big Isle....pending weather....about a 8-10 mi crossing.  Then you hang to SW shore as you make your way along the US border up to Garden isle, then into Little Traverse Bay...still some mighty open waters....on up to the Angle.

Once at the Angle...you have good protection all the way to Kenora
...via Tranquil channel route directly to the N....or just to the East up a lovely little cannel...Tug Narrows and across the French portage.

But...
...most paddlers enter at Rainey....travel inside bay of Sable Isle to the N, then out onto big water...crossing to Bigsby and then up N....or else just hanging to mainland for protection and work your way up to Morison area.  Then East towards Nestor Falls, and taking the Turtle portage, connecting to the S end of Whitefish Bay....and on up any route you like to Kenora.  This route is the most protected and the only big water is the start.

Camping needs to be researched.  When I was a kid, we camped anywhwere on the lake, all along any route we liked....from Warroad to Kenora.  But nowadays...there is quite a bit of private property and many isles are private.  Crown land permits?  I haven't tent camped on the Canadian side for over 20 years.  Still travel the waters each summer and winter though.

Fill us in.  What you got planned?  I've longed to paddle Little Traverse, to the N of Big and Bigsby islands.