Getting here
Directions to Red Lake, Ontario
Red Lake is at the end of the road. Highway 105 runs north from the Trans-Canada at Vermilion Bay, through Ear Falls, and stops in Red Lake. Pick your starting city, or type your town, to see the drive.
Where are you starting?
Or pick a city:
Your pace
Routes traced from OpenStreetMap to the town of Red Lake. Times use your average speed, not traffic. Printable version →
The route
The roads to Red Lake
From the west (Winnipeg, Kenora): East on the Trans-Canada Highway 17 to Vermilion Bay, then north on Highway 105.
From the US (Minneapolis, Duluth, Fargo): Cross at International Falls–Fort Frances, take Highways 11 and 71 north to the Trans-Canada at Kenora, east to Vermilion Bay, then north on Highway 105.
From the east (Thunder Bay): West on Highway 17 through Dryden to Vermilion Bay, then north on Highway 105.
Highway 105 is about 110 miles of two-lane road through forest and past lakes, with Ear Falls about halfway. Bring your passport if you’re crossing the border.
| Starting from | Road miles to Red Lake |
|---|---|
| Kenora, ON | 167 |
| International Falls, MN | 238 |
| Winnipeg, MB | 300 |
| Thunder Bay, ON | 334 |
| Duluth, MN | 401 |
| Fargo, ND | 502 |
| Minneapolis, MN | 533 |
| Chicago, IL | 871 |
Red Lake travel questions
How do you drive to Red Lake, Ontario?
Red Lake is at the north end of Highway 105. Take the Trans-Canada Highway 17 to Vermilion Bay, between Kenora and Dryden, then drive north on Highway 105 through Ear Falls to Red Lake. Highway 105 is the only road in.
How far is Red Lake from Winnipeg?
About 300 miles by road, east on the Trans-Canada Highway to Vermilion Bay, then north on Highway 105.
How far is Red Lake from Minneapolis?
About 530 miles, crossing the border at International Falls–Fort Frances, then Highways 11, 71, 17 and 105.
Is there gas on the way to Red Lake?
Fill up in Vermilion Bay or Dryden before heading north. Ear Falls is the main stop on Highway 105. Watch for moose and deer, especially at dawn and dusk.
Heading to a fly-in fishing trip at Sydney Lake instead? You drive to Kenora, not Red Lake. See Getting to Kenora.
Fishing near Red Lake?
Visit our family’s fly-in lodge on Sydney Lake
The same family that cares for Cochenour Cabin runs Sydney Lake Wilderness Lodge, about 40 miles southwest of Red Lake. There are no roads in. You fly 30 minutes by floatplane from downtown Kenora, and it’s the only lodge on Sydney and Kilburn Lakes.
- Walleye first, plus trophy northern pike and lake trout
- Private housekeeping cabins with your own boat, motor and gas
- The family has been on Sydney Lake since 1933
