Red Lake Region.. another surprise.

Finished my business in Kenora and I have spent the past few days touring in the Red Lake Region. Where.. you ask? Well that is what I said until Bro pointed out that maybe we should take a closer look.  “Why I said? Not even Ontario is really marketing it to the world?” Many business websites in Red Lake are poor and the literature is basically non existent.. except for a few fishing and hunting resorts which spend way too much money on brochures and not enough resources or effort on their websites.

When Bro was researching cottages for winter accommodations he came across some resorts in the Red Lake Region. A good number of them too. Most resorts and lodges were very expensive and serviced specialty groups like fishing and hunting. But without him stumbling onto it we would of probably not have gone. We just did not know what to expect in the most northern part of Northwest Ontario.  No one seems to talk about it?

In turns out that the Red Lake Region was more than I expected by a long shot. A welcomed treat when expectations were nimble.  The region is just another example, on a long list of Canadian adventure destinations, that are under marketed and misdirected. So much potential.. (shaking my head) do not even try to get me started on what I envisioned.

Sunset from my campsite on Pakwash Lake in Red Lake Region

I set up my base camp south of Red Lake in the Pakwash Provincial Park (main picture). I scored a campsite on the lake on the far corner of the campground. It was heaven. No one around to spy on me and watch my every move.

I set up camp and made me a home brew coffee and sat on my own little private sandy beach and watched the sunset. Can you say very content.  The changing colors kept me quiet for a long time as I sat and watched. “Yes”.. I muttered, ” This is where I will research Red lake from.”

Getting to here was a joy. The scenery was simple yet wild and untouched.  The highway (Hwy 105) curved slowly and gentle, zigzagging through forests,  exposing hidden lakes, rushing rivers, wetlands and ponds.  There was no pressure from behind coming from cars riding on my bumper, as there were no cars on the highway most of the time.  And when one did creep up on me – it just passed me as if  I did not exist. I did not care.. I was a tourist and I have rights and I wanted to sight see at my own speed.

The trip on Highway 105 was a relaxing drive to say the least. I meet a group of 150 motor bikers on my travels. I made friends with some of them. They were taking the same route as me to Red Lake. So, it now made  sense why a motorcycle touring company and some local riders decided on the Red Lake route for their annual fundraiser ride. It was because of the low traffic count on the highway.. plus it was an ideal route with so many slow banking curves.

The next day after I set up the campsite and took in the sunset I set out early for Red Lake. No Tim Hortons around, so I quickly brewed me up a batch of home made coffee for the road.  Arriving in Red Lake I quickly learned the community was a major jumping off point for fly in fishing and hunting resorts.  The coastline of Red Lake in the community was spotted with many, many floatplanes – sometimes in groups.

Gas Pump stranded on Red Lake

I spent my day walking and driving around the community taking pictures. The downtown was small yet clean. There was a park on the main street dedicated to floatplane pilots. A large floatplane statue was the centre piece in the park and there were sitting benches lining the lake.

But the most funny picture I took that day takes the cake. I can only guess that the water levels were very high on Red Lake during my visit as much of the shoreline was flooded. Nothing showed it more than this gas pump stranded off shore. I guess you have to swim for your gas in Red Lake.

Otherwise, gas humour aside,  the Red Lake Region is a great place for wilderness scenery when in Ontario. I hear the fishing in the region is top notch at many of the lakes. It is the home of one  famous fishing lake named Lac Seul. First I heard of it.. and now I  know. Too bad it had to take a trip up to Red Lake to find out.