Tours and fossil hunts are suspended for the 2022 season/until further notice.
In its day, the Hill Annex Mine produced over 64 million tons of iron ore that was used to make steel for steam engines, locomotives, and ships. In 1988 Hill Annex Mine became a Minnesota state park, and today you can hunt for fossils in the park or take a bus tour tracing the route miners took to get to work. All tours begin at the historic Club House museum. Contact the park for accessible tour details.
Fossil Tour
As you arrive at the Cretaceous Ore Pile, the hunt for fossils begins. Search for sharks' teeth, clams, and other oceanic fossils that formed 86 million years ago when a sea covered this area. You may keep whatever you find! Please wear old clothing, and bring drinking water. Tour runs about one and a half hours.
Historic Mine Tour
This bus tour passes through the open pit mine operations area as it takes you along the same route miners traveled every day on their way to work. We'll stop to look at the operations area and to see some of the large-scale equipment still on site. Tour is wheelchair accessible and runs about one and a half hours.
Schedule
- Tours run from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekends.
- Reservations are not required. Each tour can take 28 people.
Fees
- Aged 12 and up: $10
- Aged 5-12: $6
- Under 5 years old: free
- Group and K-12 school rates are available. For details, call Scenic State Park staff: 218-571-2600.