Which border crossing?

[SXViper]

We are heading up to Ghost River camp by Sioux Lookout in July. We are heading up from central Minnesota. Looking at the map it looks like International Falls would be the best crossing point, but a friend of mine said Baudetteis a lot less hassle. I was wondering if I cross in Baudette is it easy to get east to Sioux Lookout? Thanks in advance for your replys.
BRIAN

[Catman59]

How about straight north through Pigeon River ( Thunder Bay)? We come up from Iowa and head to Sturgeon. It is the same mileage and the crossing is way quicker.Id think it would be closer than going as far west as Baudette. We are going up through Dryden this year , but will come home through TB.Just my $.02

[MN_Moose]

I have crossed at Baudette many times. Much quicker and cheaper than I.F. The drive over from Baudetter is simple. Two lane road you'll go through the village of Rainy River. You could go over to Fort Francis and then North on 502 to Dryden but I might suggest turning North at EMO on 71 then East on 17.
My only caution of crossing at Baudette. Make sure you stop at the border crossing building aprox. 100 yards after the bridge. I went by it once and boy were they mad. There are usually no lines and I simply didn't recognize the building as a border crossing check.

[Mark R nl]

I would agree if your coming from around St Cloud I would cross at Baudette. A couple years ago we tried to cross at International Falls on the 4th of July and the line was at least two miles long. We went to Baudette and there were only 3 cars in line. I have rarely had to wait at the Baudette crossing.

[Walleyeangler1]

We have crossed into international falls more times then I can count. If you do it after 8am it WILL get crowded. If you cross before 8am then you won't have any trouble. Many weekdays are not bad either. Just depends on when you go.

As far as the remark about it being cheaper to cross at Baudette. Ive not seen such a thing. Not sure what he is talking about there!

You have to weigh how many extra miles you have to drive to get too Baudette (gas money extra driving time, etc) If it adds up that its a good way for you to go then go that way, but if International Falls is much closer and you are crossing early in the morning or during a weekday then you won't have any trouble.

The people working the borders get rotaed from time to time so people that work at Baudette might be working at International Falls the following year, you never know but ive seen this happen.

The fact is that a few more cars go the International Falls/Ft Frances route and that is what sometimes slows things down. (but not always)

[larrym]

We drive up from DesMoines taking 35 north. That makes Int'l Falls closer by an hour than Baudette but we have started crossing at Baudette on the way back because of the inevitable 2 hour wait we find getting back into the US....part of that is because the process is slower coming back (we think) and because we are there when everybody else is. We fish at Gullrock so it also gives us a chance to see different scenery (west from Vermillon Bay and south to Emo) as well as a different view of Minnesota....at least until we hit the Twin Cities. By the way, we have never had more than 2 cars ahead of us coming through Baudette. Give it a try at least one way, you like the experience.

[Bor]

I always drive up Friday, and return home on Friday. Another post talked about how some lodges are doing the Friday to Friday week trip.

One huge advantage to crossing on Friday is I have never waited at International Falls. I am sure if you cross on Saturday morning at 10 AM you will wait at about any crossing.

[Bill Krejca]

There is no bridge crossing charge at Baudette, so you save a buck or two by not having to pay it. Depending on where you are coming from, or going to, it may make sense to got through Baudette. If heading east, I.F. is probably more convenient, depending on gas used, etc.

All that aside, my experience has been that the Baudette border folks treat me better than the I.F folks. I had heard that the two Canadian facilities work out of a different head office; maybe this explains it; maybe the I.F. folks just get more hassels from the busier crossing point, I donno. The Baudette crossing folks are business-like and courtious without making you feel sorry to be there, this is the way I go from Cedar Rapids, unless I am heading east of I.F., in which case I go through I.F.

Another tourist friendly crossing, further west, is Emerson, which takes you into Manitoba. Nice people there, too.

[Mark R nl]

Bill, When you go thru Baudette which route do you take after you get to the Twin Cities?

[Hump 1]

We cross at International Falls on Friday and return on Friday around 10:00 a.m. Normally no lines, however,last year we crossed at 1:00 going over and there was a huge line entering the states.

[larry unlogged]

Bill will probably have a better answere but we have taken 72,46,2 and 169 or over to 73 instead of 169. 73 is quicker and 169 a bit more scenic. There are a dozen choices and when it's my wife and I and we are not in a hurry we have even swung over to Bemidji and then south on 371....obviously not the fast way!

[Bill Krejca]

Normally, I come in on 35, west on 494, 94, then over to Elk River - I believe on 169 to Grand Rapids, 2 to Deer River, 46 to Northome, west on 1 to 72. Sometimes we will go through Walker and stop at Reeds, ocassionally we will take a whole new route through the twin cities, but this usually happens when someone isn't paying attention to where we turn, ha ha.

[Mark R NL]

Thanks