Your next Ontario adventure awaits you in Fort Frances. This small Ontario border town is known for many things, one of them being its iconic mermaid statue that rests along the shores of Rainy Lake.
Fort Frances is an all-season destination, offering that charming small-town vibe with exciting seasonal activities. Whether it be summer patio dining by the lake or hitting the snowmobile trails in the winter, Fort Frances is an outdoor lovers paradise that’s worth the trip.
It borders Minnesota so if you’re in the area and would like to visit our friendly neighbours to the south, you can do it all in a single day.
But you’ll definitely want to pay the town a visit this winter considering it is home to hundreds of kilometers of groomed snowmobile trails and backcountry boondocking, according to Destination Fort Frances.
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Even if you’re a beginner, Fort Frances’ trails and backcountry terrain are great to explore.
Besides its obvious adventures, visitors in the area must explore Rainy Lake and the local mermaid. It’s not as creepy as it may sound considering this legend is a statue resting on a rock.
According to Northern Ontario Travel, the Rainy Lake Mermaid is only accessible by boat so if you hope to get up close and personal, you’ll have to wait til the weather is nicer.
“In 1932, Gordon A. Schlichting, a Minneapolis architect, carved the mermaid while he was a student spending the summers on Rainy Lake,” shares the travel site.
It’s located in Silver Island Narrows, near Copenhagen Island, about 25 minutes away from the nearest town which is Fort Frances.
“The Mermaid sits upon a rock in the middle of beautiful Rainy Lake. Constructed out of steel rods, old boat props, and cement, the mermaid is truly a work of art,” shared Northern Ontario Travel.
Though you won’t be able to get a closer look at the statue just yet, rest assured the mermaid is watching over the lake at all times.
Not creepy at all.
