Iron County: Lakes, Winter Trails and History

Iron County has 250 lakes, ranging in size from 2 to 5,200 acres. The county also offers winter activities and places where its industrial, architectural and cultural history can be seen. If you’re looking for a hotel for a trip here, you can start planning by deciding whether water, winter sports or history will be your main focus.

Lakes, Boating and Nature along the Paint River

The lakes range from small bodies of water to lakes covering 5,200 acres. For boating on the Fortune Lakes Chain, Bewabic State Park is an important point of reference: its accessible boat launch is the only public boat access to this chain of lakes. Kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and canoes are available to rent there from Memorial Day through September. Since rentals are seasonal, it’s a good idea to confirm availability before you arrive.

The Paint River Boardwalk in Crystal Falls offers parking, accessible facilities and accessible fishing piers. It also has a nature trail with interpretive signs. At this spot, you can combine time by the river, fishing and an informative walk through nature.

Winter Trails and a Range of Activities

Iron County has 260 miles of groomed trails for snowmobiling. They connect to other routes across the Upper Peninsula and in Wisconsin. There are also miles of cross-country ski trails and two downhill ski hills. These options offer different ways to spend the winter: on snowmobile trails, on cross-country skis or at a downhill ski hill.

Ski Brule also has two snow tubing hills: Whitewater Snow Tubing Park and Homestead Snow Tubing Park. Seasonal operations may change, so check current conditions before your trip. If you’re planning several winter activities, it helps to consider each activity and its season separately as you plan your trip.

Industrial History, Architecture and Culture

The Iron County Museum in Caspian includes 25 buildings, more than 100 exhibits and two art galleries. It is designated the “Log Cabin Capital of Michigan.” The museum also has a headframe above a flooded, 539-foot-deep mine shaft. It is the oldest surviving headframe of its kind in Michigan.

In Amasa, the Amasa Museum is located in the Main Street Historical District. The museum is housed in a former township hall, an example of late-19th-century balloon-frame architecture. In Crystal Falls, the courthouse dates to 1890; it is listed on the state and national registers of historic places and is part of the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan Heritage Trail.

The Iron County Heritage Trail is a 36-mile route with 14 designated stops. Some are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Another example of early engineering is the Alpha Circle Historic District, where significant public buildings are arranged around a traffic circle. Camp Gibbs Recreation Area was established as a Civilian Conservation Corps camp in 1935.

The Historic Crystal Theatre in Crystal Falls hosts live performances several times a month and screens classic films and documentaries of local interest. Check the schedule for your trip if you’d like to plan to attend a performance or screening.

Forests, Natural History and Special Places

In Crystal Falls is a fungus of the species Armillaria gallica known as the Humongous Fungus. It spans 38 acres and is estimated to weigh 200,000 pounds. The fungus is celebrated in August at the Humongous Fungus Festival; check the annual event date when planning your trip.

Larson Park is surrounded by an old birch-maple forest. Fortune Pond, meanwhile, is a former mining site reclaimed by nature. The two places show different aspects of the landscape and its history, without requiring the same kind of nature experience.

The Pentoga Park Indian Burial Grounds mark a pre-European Indigenous settlement and a permanent regional gathering place for Ojibwa groups. Pentoga Park also has a beach.

Discover more destinations: Iron River, Schoolcraft County, Delta County, Muskegon, Shiawassee County, Benzie County, Monroe County, Oceana County.

For the main travel overview: Michigan.