St. Louis: Nature, Trails, and Mining History

When planning a stay in St. Louis, it’s worth considering what you’d like to focus on. Saint Louis County’s recreational resources range from the city of Duluth and the North Shore of Lake Superior in the north to Lake Kabetogama, Voyageurs National Park, and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Lake Superior Waterscapes and Trails

Voyageurs National Park encompasses 84,000 acres of water, 655 miles of undeveloped shoreline, and more than 500 islands. Kitchi Gammi Park provides public access to Lake Superior; it is also the eastern terminus of Duluth’s Lakewalk. This paved trail is almost eight miles long, designed for pedestrians and cyclists, and runs mostly along the shore of Lake Superior. Together, these destinations offer expansive waterscapes and island scenery alongside a defined stretch of shoreline with public lake access.

Trails for Cycling and Hiking

The Mesabi Trail runs across the Iron Range in northeastern Minnesota, from the Mississippi River near Grand Rapids to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness near Ely. A few small gaps still need to be completed. The terrain along the route ranges from hilly to flat, and the surface is bituminous asphalt, 8 to 10 feet wide. Saint Louis County also has numerous motorized and non-motorized trails.

Redhead Mountain Bike Park was built into the walls of an abandoned, water-filled open-pit mine. It features 27 miles of hand-built, purpose-built mountain bike trails, ranging from beginner to expert. Spirit Mountain has gravity trails for mountain biking, from beginner runs to expert jump lines. The slopes, trails, and adventure park offer views of Lake Superior, the St. Louis River, and the city of Duluth.

Spirit Mountain offers year-round outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, skiing, and horseback riding. Seasonal offerings may vary. The descriptions of the different trails and activities provide specific pointers if you’d like to focus your trip on biking, hiking, or other outdoor activities.

Mining History and Museums

The Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm is Minnesota’s Iron Range museum. The site covers 660 acres and features indoor and outdoor exhibits on the Iron Range’s history, people, and mining. Visitors can ride a historic streetcar to a mining ghost town. They can also explore a historic mining-town home, a historic boarding house, nature trails, and a trail depot. The Soudan Underground Mine is in Soudan in northeastern Minnesota, in Saint Louis County, just off State Highway 169/1. It includes above-ground buildings and more than seven miles of walking trails.

The Lake Superior Railroad Museum is self-guided and can be seen in about an hour; a visit may take longer depending on how much time you spend at each exhibit. The Full Mansion Tour at Glensheen is also self-guided. Since ticket availability and operations may change, check before your visit.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Duluth, Mountain Iron, Eveleth, Virginia, Bassett, Orr, Hermantown, Biwabik, Cook, Hibbing, Babbitt, Brookston, Embarrass, University City.

For the main travel overview: Minnesota.