Note: The border between Canada and the United States has officially been opened to everyone, so there is no need for this ice road anymore. While this particular ice road will not be returning, there are still some tips in here that can help with ice roads in general. [Updated 11/15/22]
Last year, I took a trip up to Angle Inlet, the northernmost point of the contiguous United States, by driving 22 miles across a frozen lake. That was one of my most popular trips I took last year as everyone seemed to be interested in it. (You can read the full story here if you haven’t yet). I didn’t write a travel guide for it because the ice road was shut down right after I returned, and there were no signs that it would ever be brought back. But due to high demand, they decided to plow the ice road again this year, and it opened this weekend, so I’ll give you everything you need to know to visit in case you’re interested in doing it too.
Last year, the ice road was plowed out of necessity. Angle Inlet is surrounded on all sides by Canada, but because the Canadian border was closed to Americans, they were trapped in their own town. Since then, the border has opened up to vaccinated Americans with a negative PCR test, so it’s possible for some people to drive there on land now. But Canada has some crazy restrictions that seem to come and go which may end up affecting your plans. So many people have requested that they plow the ice road again this year as driving across the lake is both quicker and more scenic, plus it removes the need to deal with all the Covid requirements associated with crossing into Canada. I really enjoyed my road trip across the frozen Lake of the Woods, but it was difficult to plan the trip because there wasn’t that much information found online about it. So below, I’ll detail everything you need to know to plan your trip across the ice road. It’s a little different too this year, so I adjusted this guide for the current ice road situation.
To start, it costs $250 per car round trip (more than I paid last year), and you will want to purchase your ticket ahead of time. While $250 may seem a little high, it’s really expensive for them to maintain the road, so the price helps cover that. Plus the town’s economy is completely tourism-based, so the shut downs have been very difficult for them. There are a couple ways to get your ticket. First, if you’re planning to stay at one of the resorts in town, the resort owners will help you purchase the ticket. And if you want to use this option, you may want to plan early because many people love to stay in these resorts this time of year in order to go ice fishing, and spaces are limited. You can find a full list of resorts at lakeofthewoodsmn.com. Some resorts are in the town of Angle Inlet while others are in the surrounding islands. Second, if you don’t want to stay in a resort, you can pay for just the ice road by visiting the Northwest Angle Guest Ice Road – 2022 Facebook page. Here you can find a link to Eventbrite.com where you can select either the single day or season pass, and if that doesn’t work there’s also a link to a Venmo account which you can pay through.
Next, you’ll need to plan the logistics. Just know that if you fly into the Minneapolis Airport, you’re still 6 hours away from the ice road. Minnesota is a huge state, and driving across it takes time. I know the cities of Warroad and Baudette have airports, but I’m not sure what the availability is like. Just from the quick flight searches I did, it seems much cheaper and quicker to fly into Minneapolis instead. If you need a place to stay, I’d recommend either staying in one of the resorts in Angle Inlet or booking a hotel in Warroad or Baudette. International Falls could be an option, but it’s about 2 hours away. The ice road starts at the Springsteel Resort in Warroad, which is at 38004 Beach Street. The resort is located right on Lake of the Woods, and when you first show up, all you see are a bunch of ice houses set up by those who go ice fishing regularly. The road is pretty easy to locate, and once you’re out of the ice house area, there’s only one way you can go.
Next I need to mention ice road safety. Following ice road safety precautions is extremely important because failure to do so could result in serious injury or death. If you’re experienced with driving on ice, feel free to skip this section. But I’m guessing that most people reading this are not experienced. First you’ll want to consider the type of vehicle you take. You’ll want one that’s reliable that isn’t too big or too small. Consider this chart from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources:
Obviously, the heavier your vehicle is, the thicker the ice needs to be. But if you bring a small vehicle you may have difficulties when it comes to bridges or cracks in the ice. Just make sure you’re comfortable with the vehicle you choose to take. And when you’re driving on the ice, follow the speed limit carefully. Going too fast will create waves beneath the ice, causing your chances of falling through to be exponentially higher. Lake of the Woods is over 200 feet deep at parts, so keep that in mind. The speed limit here is 25 mph, and the road is 37 miles long this year, so expect it to take about an hour and a half to cross. And keep moving as much as you can in order to not create waves. If you have to stop for some reason, don’t stop abruptly but instead gradually come to a stop. It’s okay to stop and get pictures- just be safe about it. And make sure to keep a good distance between your vehicle and the next closest one, whether you’re driving or stopped. You don’t want to be doubling the weight on the ice where you’re currently sitting. I’ve also had some people ask if I had to put chains on my tires, and the answer is NO. That would mess the ice up.
A couple other things to consider: take your seat belt off and keep your window all the way up or slightly cracked. These may go against your nature, but there are reasons for them. Even if following the rules perfectly, accidents can still happen. And if you do happen to fall through the ice, you’ll want to make sure you have the best chance of escaping. Having a seat belt on is one extra obstacle in your escape process that could hold you back. Because of the slow speed limit, you’re not likely to ever need a seat belt anyway. And you may think that keeping your window down would help you escape quicker, but there’s one problem with that. When a vehicle falls through the ice, it breaks the ice up, and there are large chunks looking for a place to go. There have been reports of people getting seriously injured by sharp ice shards quickly shooting into the vehicle at crazy speeds because their windows were down when they fell through (not on this ice road). I know all of this can sound scary, but the chance of something happening if you follow all these rules is very low. They are monitoring the ice road everyday to make sure it’s safe to drive on, and if there’s anything that makes them uneasy, they’ll shut it down.
Once you reach Angle Inlet, you’ll notice it’s a very small town. The route is a little different this year than it was when I went. This year, when you first enter the Angle, you’ll be at Young’s Bay Resort on the eastern end of town. This is where the famous Northernmost Point buoy is found. There’s also a restaurant here which I’ve heard is good. Right before turning left into Angle Inlet, you’ll have the opportunity to go right into the islands. If you either want to visit the islands or have a resort booked on one of them, this is where you would turn. Angle Inlet is a small town, and several of the more popular stops are the post office and one-room schoolhouse. Those are on the opposite side of town past Jim’s Corner. If you stop and ask anyone they’ll be happy to give you directions. You can also pick up a map at the General Store if you find it. The road I took along the US-Canada border may not be open for vehicles this year- I haven’t been able to find that out yet. That’s where the ice road took me last year, so I had to drive this road to get into town. I think I like this year’s route better, even though it’s more expensive.
Driving across the ice road is an exciting trip, but it definitely requires you to take safety seriously. There’s also a very limited window of time to visit because the ice doesn’t stay around forever. The ice fishing season usually lasts until late March, and considering the ice road opens up mid-January, there’s really only about a 2 month period that you can enjoy the ice road until it’s shut down. Last year, it started melting earlier than normal, and I drove across it on the last weekend it was open. Weather can also shut it down randomly as the weekend before I visited was too windy. You do have to take chances when planning this trip, but it’s definitely worth it in my opinion. It’s a beautiful drive, and there’s something exciting about driving on top of a frozen lake with no land in sight in either direction. If you’re not already following their Facebook page, I’d recommend following it because that’s where you’ll get the most up-to-date information about the ice road’s conditions. Thanks for reading, and I hope this guide is helpful!
Tyler's Travels 