Soudan Underground Mine
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A century slips by when you visit this park. Visitors wear hard hats and journey down 2,341 feet via a "cage." On the 27th level, the transportation shifts to a rail car for a ride back into the mine as you listen to the stories of the mining days. Above ground visitors can explore the dry house, drill shop, crusher house and engine house. Visitors also can walk the boardwalk past one of the deepest open mine pits or hike the trails in the park through a northern hardwood conifer forest, past the famous Soudan Iron Formation.
Tell me more about this park's wildlife, history, geology and landscape.
Visitor Alert!White nose SyndromeWhite nose syndrome is a fungus that is killing off bat populations (there is no known human threat from this fungus). It was first found in NY, but has since spread to over 13 states (it has not been found in Minnesota as of this posting). As a special pre-caution to protect our bat population, we ask that visitors please disinfect any clothing or equipment that may have come in contact with contaminated mines or caves prior to their visit to our park. If you have any questions, feel free to call the park office at 218-753-2245. |
Park Notes2010 Tour Times and DatesMine tours run daily on the hour from 10 am until 4 pm until Labor Day, 2010 (we will try to run tours on the half hour until mid August -- call for exact tour times). After Labor Day until the end of September, mine tours will run every two hours on weekdays and hourly on weekends from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The Park will also offer mine tours on the first four weekends in October (this will include Friday, October 22). They will run every hour from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The Park also offers tours of the cutting edge high energy physics lab. The lab tours run daily at 10:00 am and 4:00 pm (just two tours each day) until Labor Day. After Labor Day until the end of September and the first four weekends in October (this will include Friday, October 22) lab tours will be offered at noon only. Public tour reservations are available up to 10 pm the night before the tour. We do not offer same day tour reservations. There is an $8.50 free for making reservations. Please call our reservation center at 1-866-857-2757 to make your public tour reservations. We are open to group tours throughout the entire year. If you are interested in a group tour, please call the park office at 218-753-2245. There is a minimum charge of $90 per tour for groups ($40 for school groups). Find out more about Minnesota's first iron ore mine and additional tour opportunities. Mine Tours:Underground Mine Tour: Experience the world of underground mining. This 90-minute tour will take you 1/2 mile down into the earth. For more information, visit Underground Mine Tour info. High Energy Physics Lab Tour: The Soudan Underground Laboratory is the leading deep underground science and engineering laboratory in the United States today. For more tour information, visit Physics Lab Tour info. Surface Self-Guided Audio Tour: Hear about the inner workings of the Soudan facilities and how what happened on top of the surface influenced everything that happened below. Be sure to grab a copy of the tour brochure before you head out. To download the audio files, visit Surface Audio Tour files and brochure. Virtual Video Tour: Watch as you travel underground, into the past, and then back to the future! Video | Captioned video Tour Information: For general park tour information -- ADA accessibility, bats at the mine, tour logistics, tour options, and group tour information, take a listen to these audio podcasts or download the tour brochure. No Minnesota State Park Vehicle Permit required!The Minnesota State Legislature has eliminated the requirement for vehicle permits at Soudan Underground Mine State Park for all vehicles parking in the main parking lot. Annual permits will still be available for purchase in the gift shop. If you have questions, please call the park office at 218-753-2245. Gift Cards:Purchase a Minnesota State Parks Gift Card. State Forest Campground:Soudan Underground Mine State Park manages one DNR state forest campground - Hinsdale Island - located in Kabetogama State Forest. Camping is first-come, first-served. Hinsdale Island is a remote and rustic campsite area accessible by water only. For more information, contact the park office at 218-753-2245. View campsite topo map Firewood restrictions information:Minnesota has enacted legislation that restricts firewood being brought to or used on DNR lands. Complete information and lists of vendors and locations where approved firewood is available are posted on the DNR Web site. |
Park Highlights | ||||||
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Hiking TrailsHours
Best time to contact the park is: October to April: Weekdays 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and May to September: Daily, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Contact
1302 McKinley Park Road
Soudan, MN 55782
GPS coordinates to front entrance:
N 47 49.004'
W 092 14.931'
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 335
1379 Stuntz Bay Road
Soudan, MN 55782
tel: 218-753-2245
email: SoudanMine.StatePark@state.mn.us
Getting There
Take U.S. Highway 169 towards Ely and follow the signs. Soudan is located 2 miles east of Tower, MN.
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© 2010
MN Department of Natural Resources |
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DNR is an equal opportunity employer | |
