Lake Of The Woods County: Shoreline Trails and Regional History

Zippel Bay State Park is in Lake Of The Woods County on Lake of the Woods, providing a clear landmark in the landscape: more than two miles of sandy beach stretch along the lakeshore. There are also opportunities to explore the area on foot or on the water, along with stories about the region’s nature and development. You can shape your trip around the topics that interest you most.

Along the Shoreline

The Hiking Club Trail at Zippel Bay State Park is a 1.5-mile loop along the shore of Lake of the Woods. The loop and the sandy beach offer different ways to spend time by the lake: the trail focuses on walking along the shoreline, while the beach is all about the water. The park also has a concrete boat ramp, providing access for fishing and views.

A self-guided water tour around Zippel Bay is another option described. The 2024 Minnesota DNR visitor guide notes that a canoe could be rented at the park office for this tour. If you plan to take the tour, check before your visit whether canoe rentals are currently available. Fish found in Lake of the Woods include walleye, sauger, perch, and northern pike.

The trail, beach, boat-ramp access, and water tour offer different perspectives on the same lake. You can first decide whether you’d rather spend your time on the shoreline trail, at the beach, or on a water tour. These options differ in how you experience the lake: the loop is a walk along the shore, while the canoe tour is self-guided around Zippel Bay.

Regional History in Exhibits and the Landscape

The Lake of the Woods County Museum presents history ranging from geology and natural history to early peoples, the fur trade, settlement, and the development of local industries and communities. Its topics span the region’s natural foundations and the changes brought about by human activity and community life. This breadth offers several ways to approach your museum visit: you might be interested in early history, settlement, or the formation of local communities.

The museum’s adjoining annex displays early wagons, hay loaders, binders, and tractors related to the region’s agricultural history. The different types of equipment draw attention to farm work and the technology used for it. Other exhibit topics include materials about the Great Forest Fire of 1910, the court-ordered drainage campaign, and the Federal Resettlement Programs. The fire, drainage, and resettlement are presented as distinct historical topics.

Fort St. Charles is in the Northwest Angle, at Angle Inlet on Lake of the Woods in Minnesota. The Northwest Angle is the northernmost point within the continental United States. Fort St. Charles was founded in the summer of 1732 by Canadian explorer and fur trader Sieur de La Verendrye. Norris Camp, in turn, was a CCC work camp established in 1935 for employees of the Beltrami Island Resettlement Project.

In Baudette, the Baudette Depot recalls the region’s transportation history: Canadian National Railways built it in 1923, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in August 2005. The depot was once an important part of the regional transportation system, when all travel into or out of the area took place by river or rail. This historical role is distinct from the nature and exhibit themes around the lake.

When choosing a hotel, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your trip: would you like to spend time by the water, visit exhibits about regional history, or combine both?

Discover more destinations: Baudette, Goodhue, Douglas County, Ramsey, Chippewa County, Mower County, St. Louis, Houston County

For the broader travel overview: Minnesota.