Lake Vermilion - Soudan Underground Mine State Park 

About

Minnesota's newest state park combines the historic Soudan Underground Mine and the new 3,000 acre expansion on the east side of the park. The park's first campground, Vermilion Ridge Campground, opened in the fall of 2018.

The park's new campground offers 33 campsites for both tent and RV camping, Wi-Fi throughout the developed areas of the campground, modern shower buildings with a light carbon footprint, and three group camps with screened picnic shelters. There are also 5 hike in camp sites and 2 boat in camp sites on the property.

Visitors can connect to the Mesabi Bike Trail from inside the park, use the Armstrong Bay Day Use area for picnicking or the newly-constructed water access for fishing, or take in a tour of the historic Soudan Underground Mine during tour season.

The Soudan Mine offers three different tours which are described below:

Underground Mine Tour: Tour Minnesota's first iron mine. Don a hardhat and journey 2,341 feet via a cage to the 27th level, ride the rails back into the mine and listen to the stories of mining a century ago.

Walking Drift Tour: Visitors will search for geologic clues on a ¾ mile walk that follows the route miners took to work each day. They will also discover the tools that the miners used in their exploration for the iron ore. It will involve walking on uneven surfaces in a cold, dark and wet environment.

Secrets of the Deep: Science Tour -- Participants will learn about the major experiments that were conducted in the former physics lab. They will also see how scientists are using bacteria found in the mine as they search for a treatment for white nose syndrome (a fungus that is causing bats to die), an alternative energy source or a means for purifying water.

Before leaving the property, visitors need to make sure they explore the surface facilities, including the dry house, drill shop, crusher and engine house. They can also hike the trails through a hardwood conifer forest and past the famous Soudan Iron Formation.

Jackets and sturdy shoes recommended for the underground mine tour. There are two narrow spiral staircases on the Underground Mine Tour, but all tours are ADA accessible. Call for details.

The Lake Vermilion expansion of the park added another 3,000-plus acres and is currently under development as a next-generation state park. A new campground opened in the fall of 2017. There are also five reservable hike-in campsites. The Armstrong Bay Day Use Area is currently available for boat-in or drive-to picnics, and several boat-in campsites are also available on a first-come, first-served basis. Eight new camper cabins are being built and will be open sometime in the summer of 2020. A cabin on Blue Heron Island will also come on-line for rental during the summer of 2020.