Discover St. Louis: Lakes, Trails and Mining History

St. Louis combines impressive waterways, unusual outdoor experiences and the mining history of the Iron Range. Anyone looking for a vacation apartment or vacation home in this expansive region should first consider which travel experiences should define their stay: quiet lakes and islands, paved paths for walks and bike rides, mountain bike trails or museums offering historical insights.

Between Lakes, Islands and Shoreline Paths

Voyageurs National Park shapes the landscape with 84,000 acres of water, 655 miles of undeveloped shoreline and more than 500 islands. These dimensions make clear how strongly water and untouched shores define the character of the region. In Saint Louis County, areas ranging from Duluth and the north shore of Lake Superior in the north to Lake Kabetogama, Voyageurs National Park and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness are also among the region’s notable recreational and tourism resources.

On Lake Superior, Kitchi Gammi Park provides public access to the lake and forms the eastern endpoint of Duluth’s Lakewalk. This paved path is almost eight miles long, is designed for pedestrians and cyclists, and runs mostly along the shore of Lake Superior.

Trails for Different Travel Plans

The Mesabi Trail crosses the Iron Range from the Mississippi River near Grand Rapids to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness near Ely. A few smaller gaps still need to be completed. The route has an 8- to 10-foot-wide asphalt surface made of bituminous material; its terrain ranges from hilly to flat. Those looking for a vacation rental in St. Louis can therefore consider their preferred way of getting around when planning and view an accommodation as a base for specific trail sections, without planning to cover the entire route in one day.

Saint Louis County also offers numerous motorized and non-motorized trails. The Redhead Mountain Bike Park was created in an abandoned, water-filled open-pit mine. Its 27 miles of hand-built, purpose-designed mountain bike trails range from beginner to expert level. Spirit Mountain complements this offering with gravity mountain bike trails ranging from beginner routes to expert jump lines. The slopes, trails and Adventure Park offer views of Lake Superior, the St. Louis River and the city of Duluth. Outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, skiing and horseback riding are offered there year-round.

Experience the Iron Range and Its Mining History

The Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm, Minnesota’s Iron Range museum, provides a cultural complement. The site covers 660 acres and includes indoor and outdoor exhibits on the history, people and mining of the Iron Range. Visitors can take a historic streetcar to a mining ghost town and explore a historic mining-town residence, a historic boardinghouse, nature trails and a trail depot.

The Soudan Underground Mine and the Lake Superior Railroad Museum offer other distinct visitor experiences. The Soudan Underground Mine is located in Saint Louis County in northeastern Minnesota, directly off State Highway 169/1 in Soudan. It includes above-ground buildings and more than seven miles of hiking trails. The Lake Superior Railroad Museum is self-guided and can be visited in full in about an hour; depending on how much time is spent at the individual exhibits, the tour may take longer. At Glensheen, the Full Mansion Tour is a self-guided tour.

Places for Further Planning

When looking for suitable accommodation, you can then compare the region’s locations specifically: Duluth, Mountain Iron, Eveleth, Virginia, Bassett, Orr, Hermantown and Biwabik as well as Cook, Hibbing, Babbitt, Brookston, Embarrass and University City. The key consideration is whether waterways, cycling and hiking trails, mountain biking experiences or the history of the Iron Range are your main focus.

For the broader travel overview: Minnesota.