Northwest Angle

At the very top of Minnesota, surrounded by Canada and the island-filled waters of Lake of the Woods, the Northwest Angle is one of the most remote and distinctive resort destinations in the Lower 48. Known simply as “the Angle,” it contains the northernmost point of the contiguous United States and offers a wilderness experience unlike almost anywhere else in Minnesota.

The journey is part of the experience. The Northwest Angle is connected geographically to Minnesota but not by a direct U.S. road; travelers arriving by vehicle generally pass through Manitoba before re-entering Minnesota. Visitors can also reach the area by boat or air, adding to the feeling that they've arrived somewhere genuinely removed from everyday life.

A Resort Community Built Around the Water

The Northwest Angle's resort culture is defined by small fishing lodges, family-owned cabin resorts and remote island properties scattered across the mainland and islands such as Oak and Flag. Rather than a conventional resort town, the Angle feels like a collection of wilderness outposts where docks replace parking lots and boats become the primary way to explore. Lake of the Woods Tourism currently lists 13 Northwest Angle lodging properties in its directory.

Fishing remains the centerpiece of the experience. The waters surrounding the Angle transition into the extraordinary island country of Lake of the Woods, providing opportunities for walleye, muskie, northern pike, smallmouth bass, crappie, perch and other species. Compared with the broad open water of the lake's South Shore, fishing here takes place among islands, reefs, channels, rocky points and protected bays.