The Quiet Giant
of Cottage Country

Barefoot and pregnant

Laurie from Kenora and I from Winnipeg were pregnant at the same time, one of my first hot summers at Lake of the Woods . Strangers to each other then, we were thankful to leverage the flotation afforded by our expanding bellies in the cool waters of the lake.

Over 20 summers, my family came from Winnipeg to stay in a wee cabin at a nine-cabin marina. Long waterside chats and shared child minding under the tall pines forged lifetime connections.

Our boys grew up with a covey of other kids and had the run of that four-acre property. They added Tyvek to the treehouse to keep potential thieves out, screened flicks on the green, played Capture the Flag until darkness fell and spent hours in and out of the lake. They lived in their bathing suits. We all did. It was blissful.

14,000 reasons to skip the salad and grab a paddle

Besides people living in Northwestern Ontario, thousands of Manitobans and Minnesotans know Lake of the Woods intimately. They are also just fine with this grand paradise staying seemingly unknown to the rest of the country.

Though it sits just off Canada’s Highway #1, once you wind among the islands beyond Kenora’s bustle, this watery boreal landscape feels like the middle of nowhere.

Lake of the Woods straddles the borders of Manitoba, Ontario and Minnesota, its liquid sprawl is an irregular shape — 110 km long and up to 95 km wide. It's 14,000+ islands dot the labyrinthian waterways, flanked by more than 40,000 kms of shoreline.

Covering an area of 4,472 square kms, Lake of the Woods is 18 times larger than all three big Muskoka Lakes. It is one massive inland archipelago, much of it undeveloped and only reachable by boat or plane.

From shorelines to boreal ridges

Getting on the water is paramount, but hikes allow you to walk through the boreal forest on Canadian Shield rock as old as the earth. I love Waa’say’ Gaa Boo, previously Tunnel Island Trails, which lead to high views of the Winnipeg River, but the 1.8-km Lower Rapids Trail and serene 2.7-km Granite Knoll Trail at Rushing River Provincial Park, thirty minutes from Kenora, are my favourites. Check the map here for these and other trails.

Drizzle-proof delights

The M.S. Kenora runs two-hour cruises seasonally. The narrated trip gives one perspective on how big the lake is while going through picturesque channels, past luxurious private summer homes and unspoiled wilderness in the northern section of Lake of the Woods.

In Kenora, check out The Muse on Main Street, which houses Lake of the Woods Museum and Douglas Family Art Centre. Shop for frocks at Island Girl, tea at Spirit Oak Tea Company, interesting pieces at Fragile Glass Studio and jewellery and linen clothing at The Seasons Shop. For eats, head to 901 Westside for chicken and ribs, Plaza Restaurant for Greek fare and Sushi 251 for sushi. Try a Forgotten Lake — impossible! — beer with the locals at Lake of the Woods Brewing Company, or BrewCo.

From farmers' markets to music festivals, Kenora hosts many events throughout the year. Kenora Bass International, which offers a $20,000 first place prize, is a local favourite and takes place in August. There are many more.

It’s the End of the Ice Road Every Year

Summer is sublime, but winter here has its own appeal, with plenty of options for snowmobiling, downhill and Nordic skiing and ice fishing.

The Kenora area is less busy but also stunning in the winter with ice road systems for people to access cabins. Like a vision out of a Wes Anderson flick, the Hard Water Café stands in the middle of one of the main ice roads, where summer pilot Katharina Koerner serves up coffee to locals and dog treats to their petkins.