Winter Activities

Snowmobiling

The 500 miles of groomed trails in the Lake of the Woods system are truly "wilderness trails" with less than 5 miles of ditch trails in the entire system. With the Rainy River and the lake itself included in the trail system, nearly unlimited ice riding is available for your sledding enjoyment. Many of the trails are maintained by local snowmobile clubs, and current conditions are updated weekly. Don't forget to check out the snowmobile rally, held annually at Sportsman's Oak Island!

Ice Skating

Winter is a proud tradition in northern Minnesota, which has bred a passion for all things ice, including skating! Local arenas have “open skating” set aside to allow area residents and visitors time to use the ice usually reserved for hockey teams. Both the Baudette and Williams arena have skates available for use, and are open to the public free of charge.

XC Skiing/Snowshoe

Whether you're a serious cross country skier, or a beginner just out for the afternoon, the Lake of the Woods area offers skiers of all levels an opportunity for enjoyment. Bring your tent and make your own trail to experience a true north sunrise over the purity of a snow covered forest in our hundreds of thousands of acres of public land, or take a quick trip around the groomed trails of Zippel Bay State Park. Snowshoers are welcome too!

Sledding

Hit the slopes with the king of Lake of the Woods - Willie Walleye! From Willie's perch at the top of the hill, you'll have a great ride down to the Baudette Bay. And you can warm up after a long day playing in the snow with a specialty coffee from Jeri's on Main in Baudette. While you're there, check out all of the great specialty shops in Baudette, carrying great north woods products and souvenirs!