A massive, island-filled lake creates a strange geographic anomaly for the United States.

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Spanning Ontario, Manitoba, and Minnesota, Lake of the Woods contains over 14,000 islands and 65,000 miles of shoreline. Its complex geography isolates a piece of Minnesota, the Northwest Angle, making it accessible from the rest of the United States only by crossing the lake or traveling through Canada.

Lake of the Woods is a sprawling freshwater body that ranks as the 35th largest lake globally by area. Its name, a calque of the French 'lac des Bois,' likely stems from a mistranslation of an original Anishinaabe term. Early records from 1731, such as those by Verendrye, note the lake was once called 'Minitic,' meaning 'Islands in a River,' reflecting the dense cluster of islands in its northern reaches. Today, it remains a vital ecological and economic hub, supporting diverse wildlife like bald eagles and piping plovers.

The lake's management is a feat of international diplomacy. Following concerns over water levels caused by 19th-century dam construction in Kenora, the United States and Canada established a complex regulatory framework. The 1925 Canada/USA Convention and Protocol formalized how the lake is managed, creating the International Lake of the Woods Control Board. This board oversees water levels, with the Canadian Lake of the Woods Control Board handling day-to-day operations, subject to international oversight if levels deviate from agreed-upon limits.

Beyond its administrative complexity, the lake is steeped in history and legend. It holds sites like the Aulneau Peninsula—once an island, now a peninsula thanks to a filled-in canal—and Massacre Island, where 18th-century conflicts between the Sioux and the Ojibway left a lasting mark. From the haunting stories of the defunct Sultana Mine to its status as the 'Walleye capital of the world,' the lake serves as a significant recreational destination, offering year-round fishing and a vast, remote wilderness for those navigating its thousands of islands.

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