Inwood may be a hamlet so small that it seems insignificant, located well of the main Interlake highways and kilometers away from any sizeable shopping area, yet it is one of the most unique places in the area.
Known for several things most people would find unattractive—snakes, marshes and rock quarries—Inwood still offers lots.
Mostly, it offers uniqueness.
The world-famous Narcisse Snake Dens are nearby, with their plethora of non-venomous, harmless red-sided garter snakes, but Inwood has its own snake dens, too. These little wonders are so plentiful that the town erected fences along the roadways to keep them from being killed by passing cars. If fences are not odd enough for snakes, the seniors lodge in town routinely experiences an influx of snakes in the autumn, seeking to escape winter’s cold.
Then there is the Inwood limestone quarry, abandoned and once explored as a possible tourist site, where locals often go to swim or off-road, but where the rock outcrops are perfect for holding “rock festivals.”
Not far away, three swamps are optimistically called East, West and North Shoal Lakes, but the expanse of marshes that constitute these lakes is a haven (in fact, a game preserve) for thousands of migrating Canada geese and assortment of ducks.
In town, a small grocery store, restaurant and post office constitute most of the retail offerings, but the old Inwood School, purchased by locals from the government, still hopes to establish itself as a commercial centre.
But for a small hamlet, it likes to think big. At the entrance to the town, you will find the world’s largest statue of garter snakes. The residents like to brag about their snakes, after all.
But only a handful of kilometers to the east, an even smaller hamlet, Komarno, goes even bigger with a smaller example of wildlife. It has the world’s largest mosquito statue and, if experience is a judge, it also has the world’s largest mosquitoes in summer.
Visit Komarno, Shoal Lakes and Inwood for the snakes, swamps and bugs, but stop to visit to enjoy true Interlake friendliness.