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Sunset on a northern Minnesota lake.
The North Woods of the United States is a broad region of northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan and the forested areas of New England. Part of the Laurentian Mixed Forest Province which also is found in southern Ontario, the area is a transition zone between the true boreal forest to the north and Big Woods to the south, with characteristics of each. It has areas of both broadleaf and conifer forest cover, and bodies of water ranging from lakes to conifer bogs and swamps.[1] Conifers include pines, spruces, firs, and junipers; deciduous types include aspens, oaks, paper birches mountain ash, and maples.[2] [3]
After loggers left in late 19th century, first such lodges were built as fishing camps and affluent sportsmen arrived by rail. In the 1920s, roads were built and automobiles became more affordable. The next four decades were the golden age of lake resorts of the North Woods. The influx of families continued towards the north, and the now familiar log-cabin look with massive beams, fieldstone fireplace, and boulder foundations became synonymous with the North Woods. In the late 1940s and 1950s, the expansion continued. However, today, only a few classic-styled lodges survive to give a feel of the golden era.
In Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, has reported that since 1989 around 400,000 acres (1,600 km²) of private forest owned by individuals and families have been lost to development such as house and cabin sites, driveways, and roads.[citation needed]
Many people refer to the North Woods in the winter time as "the frozen tundra."[citation needed]
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