Traveling To Shady Roost on Lake of the Woods

Traveling to Shady Roost

Here at Shady Roost, we take pride in offering some of the best freshwater fishing in the world. A big part of what makes our experience so special is our remote location out here in the great outdoors – but don’t worry, we’re still pretty easy to get to. We’ve put together some helpful resources so that you can come to our full-service fishing lodge ready for a life changing adventure!

Crossing the Canadian Border

If you’re coming up to Shady Roost from the U.S.A., you might drive across the border or fly to Ontario – it all depends on how far you’re coming from. If you’re driving, there are a few different border crossings near Lake of the Woods for you to pick from, but our guests most commonly cross over from International Falls, Minnesota, into Fort Frances, Ontario. If you are older than 16, make sure to bring your passport with you!

Just a heads-up: Canada has somewhat stricter alcohol laws than the United States, which you may want to look into before your trip. Shady Roost provides all of the live bait you will need during your stay. Click here if you’d like to learn more about crossing the border.

Distance from Major Cities in the U.S. & Canada

International Falls, MN – 60 miles / 95 kilometers
Winnipeg, MB – 205 miles / 330 kilometers
Duluth, MN – 225 miles / 360 kilometers
Thunder Bay, ON – 275 miles / 440 kilometers
Minneapolis, MN – 355 miles / 570 kilometers
Madison, WI – 560 miles / 900 kilometers
Milwaukee, WI – 620 miles / 1,000 kilometers
Omaha, NE – 675 miles / 1,085 kilometers
Chicago, IL – 690 miles / 1,110 kilometers
Kansas City, MO – 790 miles / 1,270 kilometers
Indianapolis, IN – 875 miles / 1,410 kilometers
North Bay, ON – 950 miles / 1,530 kilometers
Detroit, MI – 975 miles / 1,570 kilometers
Calgary, AB – 1,040 miles / 1,675 kilometers
Toronto, ON – 1,075 miles / 1,730 kilometers

Packing Checklist

You’re going to have the fishing experience of your life at Shady Roost – so make sure you pack everything you need! Here are a few things we suggest bringing up here with you:

Enough clothes for your whole stay – be sure to include something warm, even if it’s summer
Fishing rods – make sure they have new line!
Your trusty tackle box with all your favorite lures
A full set of rain gear – we do fish in the rain!
Sunglasses and a hat
Sunscreen and bug spray
Any snacks you want to enjoy in your cabin and on the boat
A camera if you want to take the best pictures

If you don’t have much in the way of fishing rods and gear, we’ve got you covered! All of our boats are fully equipped with everything you’ll need, so you just need to show up with your personal items and we take care of the rest. Feel free to bring your favorite rod and tackle if you would like!

Keep an Eye on the Weather

It’s always smart to check the weather in the days leading up to your trip. You can check the current weather in the Nestor Falls area by clicking here.

Traveling to Shady Roost

Driving to Shady Roost

If you want to drive your own car up to Shady Roost from the U.S., you can cross the border at a few different places. We recommend that you use either International Falls or Baudette to cross over, depending on where you’re coming from.

If you make the crossing at International Falls, take Highway 71 / 11 west for roughly 20 miles through the town of Emo. Turn north on Highway 71 for roughly 40 miles to reach Nestor Falls. Turn left / west off the highway on Sabaskong Bay Road and follow it for about a mile until you see Shady Roost Road. Take a right and follow the single lane road back into our parking lot, where we will come and pick you up!

For those crossing into Canada at Baudette, head east through Barwick on Highway 71 / 11 until Highway 71 turns north. Follow 71 north for roughly 40 miles to Nestor Falls. Turn left / west off the highway on Sabaskong Bay Road and follow about a mile until you see Shady Roost Road. Take a right and follow the single lane road back into our parking lot, where we will come and pick you up!

The best address to use for most GPS units is 71 Shady Roost Road, Nestor Falls, Ontario. Depending on your device, it may also appear as 71 Sabaskong Bay Road, Nestor Falls, Ontario.

Flying to Shady Roost

If you plan on flying to Shady Roost, we recommend using Falls International Airport, located just south of the border between Minnesota and Ontario. Once you land, you can either rent a car or hitch a ride up with a taxi. Delta is the only provider to operate flights to this airport. Delta flights arrive multiple times a day during the summer months through Minneapolis – St. Paul International airport.

If flying privately, please contact us as you may be able to fly right to Nestor Falls after stopping in Fort Frances to clear customs.

A Convenient Taxi Service

Are you flying into International Falls, MN, and crossing the border without a rental car? We suggest using a City Cab.

Once in a lifetime experience. Great lodge dinners and breakfast. Guides know how to keep you on the fish and have a fish fry mid day on an island.

Just returned from my second visit to Shady Roost. This place is just marvelous! The accommodations are wonderful, the food and services are impeccable! Jason was a great guide and cannot wait to return!

What a gem this Lodge is! We had amazing food all 3 nights, caught lots of great fish, had campfires, laughed so much my ribs hurt. Everything about the lodge is amazing. All the details have and will be thought about. Grant runs the place thoroughly, and it's a trip of a lifetime. I hope I can get back for a second trip soon.