Soudan Underground Mine

Soudan Underground Mine State Park virtual tour

Take a virtual tour of the underground mine and physics lab at Soudan Underground Mine State Park in northern Minnesota.

11031806Fire Breaks Out in Soudan Underground Mine near Tower

Soudan Underground Mine Presentation

Soudan Underground Mine

Soudan Underground Mine State Park

Soudan Underground Mine State Park, Soudan, MN

Soudan Underground Mine Tours

Minnesota's first iron ore mine—the Soudan Mine—opened in 1882. Operations went underground by 1892 since the ore body continued deep into the ground.

The mine's value was in the special kind of ore it produced. The ore's high oxygen content was used to make high-quality steel in open-hearth furnaces.

When technology changed, the ore from the mine was no longer needed. Low-cost ores of the Mesabi Range took over, and Soudan Mine closed in 1962.

Today, you can explore the last level that the miners worked.

Experience the life of the miner as you travel by cage 1/2 mile underground. Once underground, you'll ride the rails 3/4 mile to the last and deepest area that was mined. You'll learn firsthand why this mine was called the Cadillac of Mines, and gain insight into the working conditions of the miners and their remarkable mining methods.

1.5 hours for the tour.
Close space for the three-minute ride down into the mine and two narrow spiral staircases.
Tours run daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Memorial Day weekend through the end of September, and weekends in October through the annual Education Minnesota conference.

Reserve by calling 866-857-2757.

Soudan Underground Mine State Park (MN) - Shaft #8 cage lift

This is video I shot in the lift house for the cage in shaft #8 in the Soudan Underground Mine that tourists take to go a half-mile underground for the mine tour. The mine became a Minnesota State Park after US Steel donated the mine to the State of Minnesota.

Soudan Underground Mine

Groundbreaking at Lake Vermilion – Soudan Underground Mine State Park

Watch the campground groundbreaking at Lake Vermilion – Soudan Underground Mine State Park, and listen to Erika Rivers, Parks and Trails Division director, talk about what's ahead for the new park.

Tour of Soudan Mine

Soudan mine is known as Minnesota's oldest, deepest, and richest iron ore mine. It was closed in 1962 but is now open as a state park. Visitors can today travel 2,341 feet below the surface on an 80-year old electric hoist through shaft #8. The ride is fairly scary. Underneath visitors ride 1/2 mile to view some mining chambers.

Aunt Annie told Sammy that we were going to see the Joker in the BatCave (currently, Batman and Superman are all that matters to Sammy). When we went to get into the rickety 80-year old electric hoist, Sammy was afraid to go, until our tour guide told him that she had already taken care of the Joker. We'll post some video at a later time.

Oh, and there were bats down there too!

Soudan Underground Mine State Park

Soudan Underground Mine State Park, provides a rare opportunity for a family-group or friends to experience underground iron ore mining of the last century. Safe, but noisy 1920's mine shaft technology transports patrons over 2000 feet down into the earth. Once underground, mine interpreters lead people on a exciting journey revealing the harsh life experienced by miners who excavated some of the riches iron ore ever produced. Iron ore turned to steel that built our great nation. Once back on the surface, Soudan Underground MIne State Park offers many hiking trails revealing songbirds of the northern forest and wonderful picnic areas to enjoy the afternoon sun.

Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park Celebrates New Campground

Riding the train in the Soudan Underground Mine.

This is a little taste of riding the train up the drift back to the shaft station so we could take the lift back up topside. We were 1/2 mile underground!

Soudan Underground Mine State Park check presentation

Representatives from Coca-Cola present the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources with a $50,000 check for finishing second in the 2011 America Is Your Park campaign.

Soudan Mine Video

made by Videolicious

soudan mine

Kids Ride in a Mine Cart - Soudan Underground Mine State Park - Iron Ore - Minnesota

Grab your hard hat and come with us on a tour of an iron ore mine! This mine was considered the Cadillac of Iron Mines and is now home to an underground tour experience and above ground self guided tour. As part of the underground tour we ride in an elevator shaft for 2 1/2 minutes 27 floors underground. Then we hop on a mine cart (fitted with seats) for a 1/2 mile ride over to the are where the iron ore was mined. Inside the stope we learn about how they got the iron ore using gravity to their advantage. This was a highly interesting and educational tour that we all really enjoyed. Above ground a self guided map explains more about the mining tools and processes.

Soudan Underground Mine State Park


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Soudan Underground Mine - Hoist Descent

Jill and me on the hoist descent to 2341 feet below the surface. The hoist travels at about 10 miles per hour. Almost a 3-minute ride down to 51 degrees at the lowest level (27) of the former iron ore mine and a bunch of bats that unfortunately rode along with the hoist cage and never get back to the surface. They eventually starve.