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Major city · Canada

Red Lake

Go for 2 nights if you fish, hunt or fly into a bush camp; otherwise treat Red Lake as a fuel-and-food stop on the Highway 105 run north.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Red Lake is a town of about 4,100 people at the north end of Highway 105, 175 km past Vermilion Bay, and the last real service hub before the fly-in country of Northwestern Ontario. It is a working town built on gold mines, logging and outfitting, not a sightseeing destination: you come for walleye and lake trout, for a float-plane hop to a lodge, or for the museum and a night's sleep on the way further north. Two nights covers the town itself; anglers and hunters book a week or more.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
CAD
Best months
Jun–Sep for fishing and lake days; Feb–Mar for ice fishing and snowmobiling
avoid Nov–Apr unless you are here for ice fishing (roads icy, many services seasonal)
Airport
YRL
Nights
2
Rules in force · 6Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • Canada ↗Visa-exempt travellers flying to or through Canada usually need an eTA; check your passport on the official Government of Canada site (canada.ca) and apply only there.
  • Canada ↗A Parks Canada pass is needed to stop in national parks such as Banff and Jasper; some spots (for example Moraine Lake) are reached only by shuttle or tour, so book ahead.
  • Canada ↗Keep well away from bears, elk and moose; carry bear spray on Rockies trails and follow trail closures.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Red Lake911 ▾
  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Red Lake, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeC$2–4 (≈ US$2–3)
  • Sit-down mealDinner with soup or saladC$27–34 (≈ US$20–25)
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry (adult)C$3 (≈ US$3)
  • Budget bedCampground or provincial park site, a night, per roomC$30 (≈ US$25)
  • Mid-range bedMotel or hotel double room, a night, per roomC$160 (≈ US$120)
  • High-end bedMotel or hotel double room, a night, per roomC$220 (≈ US$160)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget C$90 (≈ US$70) · Mid C$160 (≈ US$120) · High C$280 (≈ US$250)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Norseman Capital of the WorldWalleye, northern pike and lake trout fishingGold mining historyFloat-plane gateway to fly-in lodges
Airports
YRL Red Lake Airport (About 8 km (5 mi) north of town; scheduled flights from Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Sioux Lookout and Dryden. No customs — you cannot clear into Canada here.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    −14°C (7°F)

  2. Feb

    Care

    −10°C (14°F)

  3. Mar

    Care

    −1°C (30°F)

  4. Apr

    Avoid

    8°C (46°F)

  5. May

    not flagged

    16°C (61°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    21°C (70°F)

  7. Jul

    Best

    24°C (75°F)

  8. Aug

    Best

    23°C (73°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    16°C (61°F)

  10. Oct

    not flagged

    8°C (46°F)

  11. Nov

    Avoid

    −1°C (30°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    −10°C (14°F)

Best: Jun–Sep. Mixed: Feb–Mar. Avoid: Apr, Nov–Jan. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (24°C (75°F)), coolest Jan (−24°C (−11°F) low), wettest Jun (11 rain days), driest Feb (7). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Red Lake: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−14°C (7°F)

−24°C (−11°F)

8 rd

Feb

−10°C (14°F)

−22°C (−8°F)

7 rd

Mar

−1°C (30°F)

−13°C (9°F)

7 rd

Apr

8°C (46°F)

−3°C (27°F)

7 rd

May

16°C (61°F)

4°C (39°F)

9 rd

Jun

21°C (70°F)

10°C (50°F)

11 rd

Jul

24°C (75°F)

13°C (55°F)

11 rd

Aug

23°C (73°F)

12°C (54°F)

11 rd

Sep

16°C (61°F)

7°C (45°F)

11 rd

Oct

8°C (46°F)

1°C (34°F)

10 rd

Nov

−1°C (30°F)

−7°C (19°F)

9 rd

Dec

−10°C (14°F)

−19°C (−2°F)

9 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

You need a vehicle. Highway 105 ends at Red Lake and Highway 125 spurs north to Balmertown, Cochenour and McKenzie Island; Highway 618 runs west to Madsen. There is no town bus service and taxis are limited, so arrange a rental or a lodge pickup before you fly in.

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Balmertown and Cochenour

go

Door to door: About 20 min

Drive Highway 125 north from Red Lake, about 15 min

Mining communities on the way to the airport spur; short stop, not a day out.

Pimachiowin Aki (UNESCO site, Ontario–Manitoba border)

caution

Door to door: Half day or more

No road access to the core; charter float plane or guided trip from Red Lake

Protected Anishinaabe land with no public roads: go only with a licensed operator and a permit.

Woodland Caribou Provincial Park

overnight

Door to door: 1–2 h to an access point

Drive Highway 105 west, then paddle or fly in from an access point

Canoe country with no services inside: self-sufficient parties only.

Dryden

skip

Door to door: About 2.5 h

Drive Highway 105 south to Highway 17, about 2.5 h

Too far for a return day; use it as a fuel and grocery stop on the way in or out.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Red Lake town (Howey Street and Highway 105)

Walkable core: motels, restaurants, grocery and the museum. Best if you have no car or arrive by air.

Balmertown (Highway 125)

About 15 min north of Red Lake; a few hotels and a quieter base closer to the mines and the airport spur.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
C$90–140 (≈ US$70–110) excl. bed
Mid
C$140–230 (≈ US$110–170) excl. bed
High
C$230 (≈ US$170)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel or hotel double room1 × 2 nights × C$160C$320
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × C$160C$640
Vehicle rental, one day1 × C$90C$90
Boat or canoe rental, one day1 × C$150C$150
Fishing licence (Ontario, non-resident, one day)2 × C$20C$40
eSIM, about a week of data2 × C$25C$50
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeC$129
Trip total≈ C$355 per person per day, bed includedC$1,419≈ US$1,100

2026 estimate in Canadian dollars; flights and guided charters excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

CoffeeC$2–4 (≈ US$2–3)
Burger and friesC$15–22 (≈ US$11–16)
Pizza, 9-inchC$10–16 (≈ US$8–12)
Pasta or salad mainC$18–22 (≈ US$14–16)
Dinner with soup or saladC$27–34 (≈ US$20–25)
Museum entry (adult)C$3 (≈ US$3)
Gasoline, per litreHigher than southern Ontario; fill up before Highway 105.check

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A small, safe northern town; the real risks are the drive (moose, ice, no cell signal), winter cold and open water. Tell someone your route and float plan before you leave.
  • Distances are long and cell coverage is patchy on Highway 105: fill the tank in Vermilion Bay or Dryden.
  • Moose and deer on the road at dusk and after dark — drive the last stretch in daylight if you can.
  • Winter temperatures can drop below −35 °C (−31 °F); block heaters and winter tires are the norm, not a nicety.
  • Bugs are serious in June and July: bring repellent and a head net.
  • Book lodging and any charter flight weeks ahead in fishing season.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Red LakeRed Lake

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies in Red Lake. US citizens: US Consulate General in Toronto or Winnipeg; UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland: high commissions or embassies in Ottawa.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Airport (YRL) → Red Lake town: about 10 min by car
  • Red Lake → Balmertown, Highway 125: about 15 min by car
  • Vermilion Bay → Red Lake, Highway 105: 175 km (109 mi), about 2 h

Say or show

  • Thank you / Merci — Thank you
  • Where is the boat launch? — Where is the boat launch?
  • Do you have a room for tonight? — Do you have a room for tonight?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?

No customs at YRL — you cannot clear into Canada here.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Red Lake. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Sep for fishing and lake days; Feb–Mar for ice fishing and snowmobiling · avoid Nov–Apr unless you are here for ice fishing (roads icy, many services seasonal) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 2 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for YRL: last scheduled arrivals, taxi and shuttle fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Three walking clusters with rescue anchors: Howey Street core, Highway 105 strip, Balmertown.
  3. Place pages with verified hours (Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre, marina, golf club) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Seasonal fixtures for ice-fishing and open-water windows so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Canada

Sources