Category
- Art 1
- Bike Rides 9
- Boondocking 3
- Capitals 4
- Food on the Road 2
- Hikes & Trails 4
- History & Architecture 2
- History & Culture 12
- Kayaking 1
- Museum 1
- National Park 5
- Natural History 1
- Nature & Outdoors 27
- Photography 8
- Sculptures 1
- Shorelines & Water 1
- Travel Journal 33
- Van Life 54
- capitals 11
- hike 1
- historic sites 6
- parks 3
- photography 3
- trails 2
Northwest Angle to the Headwaters of the Mississippi
From the quiet sunrise over a mist-covered lake to the winding roads lined with sunflowers, the journey south from the Northwest Angle to Itasca State Park blended small-town charm with sweeping rural scenery. Stops included a visit to the northernmost post office in the lower 48, the quirky border check-in at Jim’s Corner, and photo-worthy relics of farmsteads past. At Itasca, Minnesota’s oldest state park, the 20-mile bike loop revealed a mix of towering pines, shimmering lakes, marshes alive with dragonflies, and rolling hardwood forests. The day ended at the headwaters of the Mississippi, where a modest stream slips quietly from Lake Itasca, beginning its long journey to the Gulf of Mexico.
Visit Angle Inlet
Reaching Angle Inlet—the only spot in the contiguous U.S. you have to enter through Canada to visit—meant a long day of driving, a Canadian border inspection, and a dirt-road finale. I stayed at Prothero’s Post Resort on the shores of Lake of the Woods, where a sudden storm gave way to golden evening light. Between helping drenched fishermen dock their boat and swapping political views with another guest, I experienced the quirky charm and rugged beauty of this remote outpost at the far edge of the map.