Discover the Range
There’s a sense of adventure in exploring the 10 communities of Minnesota’s Iron Range, from Hibbing in the west to Hoyt Lakes and beyond in the east. Taking in historic sites like Hull Rust Mine View, Bob Dylan’s childhood home, Locomotive Park and the Longyear Drill Site, or museums including Minnesota Discovery Center, The Greyhound Bus Origin Museum and the US Hockey Hall of Fame, makes the perfect counterpoint to this region’s outdoor recreation.
Discover Trails, Lakes and Golf
The trails, golf, and waterways of the Range are unique in their own way: Most are carved out of a landscape shaped by 140 years of iron ore mining. The Mesabi Trail, one of the nation’s longest paved trails at 165 miles, goes well beyond the Range, stretching from Grand Rapids in the west to Ely in the east and passing through 28 towns in between. The ATV trails here will blow you away with their scenic overlooks, deeply forested routes, and easy access to communities. Golfing the acclaimed courses, The Legend and The Quarry at Giants Ridge in Biwabik should be on every golfer’s list. And kayaking in an abandoned mine pit filled with 400 feet of clear water straight from ancient underground aquifers is an experience not to be missed. If mountain biking is your thing, the lift-served gravity trails of Giants Ridge are a thrill, and the challenge and beauty of 22 miles of purpose-built trail at Redhead Mountain Bike Park in Chisholm will leave you hungry for more. This spring and summer, bring your bikes, kayaks, and more (or rent them here) just a bit past Duluth and see what’s waiting in the land of red rocks, blue waters, and spectacular trails.
Discover Dining Options with a Local Flair
Along the way, stop for some of our favorite bites and sips: Boomtown Brewery and Woodfire Grill in Hibbing, Valentini’s Supper Club or Nette’s Drive In in Chisholm, Kunnari’s Kitchen and Farm Market, 5 and Go and Canelake’s Candies, all in Virginia. In Meadowland, the gateway to the Sax-Zim Bog and internationally known There’s The Rink in Eveleth, and The Whistling Bird or Whispering Pines (get the porketta sandwich) in Gilbert. In Biwabik, visit the Burnt Onion Kitchen at Giants Ridge. Aurora offers delightful bakery and lunch items at The Hive or an old-fashioned drive-in experience at the A&W. Just a little further down the road, Hoyt Lakes is the gateway to the Superior National Forest Scenic Byway, and a serene 67-mile drive to the North Shore of Lake Superior.
Discover Unique Lodging
Find your favorite brand-name hotels, mom-and-pop motels, vacation rentals, or unique lodging destinations like a yurt deep in the Sax-Zim Bog birding area or a rustic lakeside cabin south of Eveleth. There’s the barn home, farmhouse, log cabin, and other highly rated properties of GreenGate Guest Houses in Biwabik, and the glamping cabins at West4o RV Park in Gilbert.
Discover Events on the Range
Favorite spring and summer events include Iron Range EarthFest, Range FanCon, Olcott Park Brewfest, Iron Pride, Land of the Loon Arts and Crafts Fair, all in Virginia; the Hoyt Lakes Water Carnival, the Mesabi Trail Tour, and more.
Whether you want to learn about our state and nation’s past, take part in superior outdoor recreation, or just poke around in this storied part of Minnesota where mines and pines intermingle to form a landscape like no other, Discover the Range!
