A Scenic Minnesota Island Boasts Cozy Lakeside Cabins, World-Class Fishing, And Year-Round Activities

Minnesota, the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," is also the land of islands. Scattered on Minnesota's many lakes and rivers, they range from a cozy Mississippi River island featuring a serene park and Victorian homes to privately owned island escapes, to long spits of land in Lake Superior. In the far northern reaches of Minnesota lies the picturesque isle of Oak Island, set on the pristine waters of Lake of the Woods (home to over 14,000 other islands). Lake of the Woods, Minnesota's second-largest lake, with over 25,000 miles of shoreline, stretches between the Canadian province of Ontario and Minnesota in the United States. Oak Island is located in Minnesota's Northwest Angle, primarily a peninsula (and a few islands, like Oak Island) jutting into Lake of the Woods. Thanks to the area's particular geographical features, "the Angle," as the locals call it, is an enclave, surrounded by Canada. 

The Angle is rather remote and hard to reach: The largest town, Angle Inlet, is seven hours by car from Minnesota's largest airport in Minneapolis, although the Canadian city of Winnipeg is just two and a half hours away. However, with its world-class fishing, the island (and lake) remain popular vacation destinations for other year-round activities. To reach the Northwest Angle, and subsequently Oak Island, either drive through Canada or take a boat across Lake of the Woods (you can snowmobile during the winter months). If you choose to stay in one of Oak Island's many cozy lakeside cabins — you'll need a comfortable place to relax after your journey, after all — the place you're staying can also help you arrange your transport to the Northwest Angle and the island.

There's nothing like a lakeside resort in Minnesota, and luckily, there are several resorts with world-class fishing and service hidden on Minnesota's legendary Lake of the Woods, and three of these can be found on Oak Island. Although each is unique, they embody the traditional lake-lodge feel, with on-site restaurants and bars (essential on a remote spit of land like Oak Island), lodge activities, boats for rent, nearby trails, sandy beaches, canoeing, and horseshoeing, in addition to guided fishing and boat excursions. Oak Island Resort has idyllic waterfront cabins with that quintessential rustic charm, while the Sunset Lodge Resort specializes in fishing and hunting packages. Sportsman's Oak Island Lodge has a beautiful, cozy lodge with world-class dining, a variety of accommodation options, and plenty of activities, from kayaking to snowmobiling to fishing (of course).

The peaceful, wooded shores provide endless relaxation and recreational opportunities, not to mention a peaceful scenery hard-won in the Lower 48. As the Lake of the Woods is so far north, if you're lucky, you can sometimes spot the northern lights. Oak Island is one of the most comfortable places in Minnesota during the summer, although you won't be able to escape the ubiquitous presence of mosquitoes, Minnesota's unofficial "state bird." (Prevent bites from the little buggers by applying bug spray and wearing extremity-covering clothing). In the autumn, the trees around the Lake of the Woods explode with color. The long winter provides opportunities for ice-fishing, either right from a cozy fish house (a temporary shelter right on the frozen lake) or followed by a fireplace evening in a lodge.

Although Lake of the Woods can require a lengthy drive if you're coming from southern Minnesota, luckily, the Midwest's breathtaking Land of 10,000 Lakes is a driver's scenic dream with America's safest roads. Lake of the Woods is also worth the trip for many a fisherman, as it's known as the "Walleye Capital of the World." If you're going for the fishing, stay updated on fish conditions with the Lake of the Woods fishing report.  All of the resorts on Oak Island provide guided fishing charters if you need some guidance (or a boat).

While walleye is the most famous Lake of the Woods fish (in addition to being Minnesota's official state fish), there's a huge variety of fish species in the lake waters. Anglers can also catch lake sturgeon, northern pike, sauger, and smallmouth bass. Just as fish thrive in these cold, clean, remote waters, so does other wildlife. Bears can be spotted swimming between islands in the summer, bald eagles nest all over the lake, and deer wander through the forest. If you'd like to leave the confines of Oak Island (which, no one would blame you if you didn't!), there's plenty to do on Lake of the Woods. Take a day trip to the nearest Canadian town, Kenora, situated picturesquely on the lake, or visit Willie Walleye, the unofficial mascot of Lake of the Woods, in Baudette. Mail a postcard from Angle Inlet, at the northernmost post office in the Lower 48, or explore the sandy beaches at Zippel Bay State Park.