Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park is a Minnesota state park near Soudan, covering 4,048 acres. Hours: Daily from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. It offers camping or lodging. Entry needs a state park vehicle permit, $7 for a day, as the DNR fees page said on October 19, 2026.
- 4,048acres
- Soudanmailing town
- Yesovernight stays
- $7day vehicle permit
- Mine tours and hiking
- Campground and day-use areas
- Historic site
- Public water access and lake recreation
- Geologic formations
- Birding and wildlife watching
Plan It In Three Lines
- Hours: Daily from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m.
- Cost: a $7 one-day vehicle permit or a $35 year-round permit, per the DNR fees page of October 19, 2026; confirm before you go.
- Pets: leashed (six feet or shorter) outside buildings, lodging and beaches, per the DNR rules page; park-specific limits are listed below.
About The Park
The DNR describes it: Adventure abounds at Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park! Tour the historic underground mine, take a boat out or cast a line on Lake Vermilion, or hike through acres of old growth pine forest. The addition of nearly 3,000 acres and five miles of Lake Vermilion shoreline in 2010 adds even more opportunities to experience the wonders of northern Minnesota.
Wildlife. The park is home to northern songbirds, loons, hawks, and owls. White-tailed deer, black bears, timber wolves, fishers, and many smaller animals also live in the park.
History. Mining has been a part of this parks past since 4,000 B.C. Starting with Native Americans the lands rich geology has been utilized for many purposes.
Geology. Ancient seas and volcanoes played a major role in the formation of the Soudan ore deposits. Millions of years ago, broad seas spotted with volcanoes created deposits of low-grade ore on the sea floor.
Visit Facts
- AddressSummer mine entrance: 1302 McKinley Park Road GPS coordinates do not take you to the summer entrance! Follow street signs, not your GPS. Winter mine entrance: 1379 Stuntz Bay Road Lake Vermilion Unit Entrance: U.S. Highway 169 Mailing address: P.O. Box 335, 1379 Stuntz Bay Road, Soudan, MN 55782
- Phone218-300-7000
- Park hoursDaily from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m.
- Park office hoursMay through September: Daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. October through April: Weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Winter office entrance located at 1379 Stuntz Bay Road, Soudan, MN
- Emaillakevermilion-soudan.statepark@state.mn.us
- Park GPS point47.81670, -92.24886 (DNR printed coordinates)
- Official pageDNR page for Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park
- Entry noteVehicle permits required everywhere in the park except the main parking lot of the visitor center at the mine; a campfire permit is needed each day for a campfire (includes firewood bunker access)
Trails
| Season | Trail type | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Accessible | — | An accessible half-mile trail runs from the parking lot to the waterfront at the Armstrong Bay day-use area. |
| Summer | Self-Guided | .3 miles | A self-guided audio tour is available for the above-ground buildings and mine features. Stop at the visitor center for brochures and maps. |
| Summer | Hiking | — | Stop at the visitor center to pick up a park map showing hiking trails. Not all trails are marked or developed – please use caution if you explore a trail that is not on the map! The Hiking Club trail is five miles long. |
| Winter | Snowmobile | — | The park has six miles of snowmobile trail that connects from the Taconite State Trail to the Lake Vermilion ice trail. There is no snowmobile trailer parking available within the state park. Snowmobile riders should park at the nearest available trailhead and ride into the park. |
| Winter | Snowshoe | — | Snowshoes are allowed on all ungroomed trails in the park. |
Camping And Lodging
| Type | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pull-Through Sites | — | All 24 campsites in the Pyrite Off-Highway Vehicle Campground are pull-through sites. |
| Electric Sites | 56 | 50 amp and 30 amp outlets are available at all 32 campsites in Vermilion Ridge Campground and all 24 campsites in the Pyrite Off-Highway Vehicle Campground. NOTE: Off-highway vehicles are only allowed in Pyrite Campground, within the Lake Vermilion State Recreation area south of Highway 169. |
| Accessible Sites | — | The Vermilion Ridge Campground and the Pyrite Off-Highway Vehicle Campground each have three accessible drive-in campsites. All six accessible sites have electric hookups. |
| Canoe-in Sites | — | There are two boat-in campsites, each with a fire ring, bear box, and outhouse. There is no drinking water – you will need to bring your own. These sites are available on a first come, first served basis. Regular park rules do apply to the campsites. Please call the park office at 218-300-7000 if you have any questions. |
| Group Camp | — | Ojjig 50 person max, 8 RV pedestals, screened in picnic shelter, council style fire ring, Wi-Fi. Maang 30 person max, 4 RV pedestals, screened in picnic shelter, council style fire ring, Wi-Fi. Mooz 30 person max, screened in picnic shelter, council style fire ring, Wi-Fi. |
| Other | — | Hammocking This park is not suited to hammock camping. There are no trees anywhere in the park large enough to safely support a hammock without damaging the tree. |
| Accessible Lodging | 2 | Niibin and Zhaawanong camper cabins are accessible. |
| Cabins | Blue Heron Island Cabin | Rent your own rustic cabin on an island! Available seasonally. Learn more. |
| Camper Cabins | 8 | Eight camper cabins with heat, electricity and Wi-Fi are available year-round. Two are accessible; accessible showers and flush toilets are nearby. No pets. Each cabin sleeps six, with either three full bunks, or two full and two twin bunks. The cabins have an outdoor food prep counter, campfire ring and table. Camper cabin fact sheet |
Reservations go through the DNR system; start from the park page.
On The Water
| Type | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fishing | — | There are a variety of places that you can fish from shore. In many cases, Minnesota residents can fish for free in Minnesota state parks without a fishing license. Learn more. |
| Fishing Pier | — | An accessible fishing pier is located at the Armstrong Bay day-use area. |
| Boat Access | — | Public boat accesses are available in Cable Bay on Vermilion Ridge Road, and in Stuntz Bay on Stuntz Bay Road. |
| Boat Docks | — | — |
| Other | Boater waysides (picnic areas) | Two shore lunch sites are available in the park. The Lake Vermilion Sportsman Club maintains these facilities. See park map for locations. |
Other Recreation
| Type | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Picnic Area | Two picnic areas | There is a picnic area inside the park gate near the underground mine, with picnic tables, fire rings and parking. There is no bathroom or running water in the picnic area, but those facilities are available nearby at the visitor center. A second picnic area at the Armstrong Bay day-use area has picnic tables and shelters, restroom facilities and parking. |
Amenities
| Type | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ranger Station | Just off Stuntz Bay Road | Open Monday through Friday from Memorial Day through Labor Day, with a more limited schedule the rest of year. |
| Visitor Center | — | The visitor center is also the tour center, and has a nature store, interpretive exhibits and accessible restrooms. |
| Interpretive Exhibit | — | Interpretive exhibits in the visitor center focus on the mine and mining culture and natural history. Other exhibits are located on the park grounds and in mine buildings. |
| Naturalist Programs | — | Programs include mine tours and programs on geology, canoeing, bats, natural history and skill building. |
| Historic Site | — | Stop at the visitor center for a park map, which details the various historic buildings. There are also many important archeological sites on the property, including mining test pits, rock quarries and historical ricing pits. |
| Tours | Underground tours of the mine | Seasonal tours of this former iron ore mine are led by professional interpreters. Learn more about the mine tours. |
| Gift Shop | — | The visitor center includes a nature store and gift shop. |
| Rentals | — | Birding kits, sensory kits (headphones, fidget toys, calming toys), and kids' discovery kits (activities and stories for ages 5-12) are free to check out at the visitor center. |
Pets And Permits
Statewide, the DNR rules page says pets are welcome in state parks on a leash six feet or shorter, attended at all times; only service animals are allowed in buildings, lodging, tours and beach areas. A vehicle permit costs $7 a day or $35 a year (DNR fees page, read October 19, 2026). See the parks passport page for the full price list.
Park-specific: No pets.
Directions
Take U.S. Highway 169 (or State Highway 1) to Soudan, MN and follow the signs. Soudan Underground Mine is located on the north side of the town.
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Directions.
Nearby Places
- Bear Head Lake State ParkState Park, about 9 miles away in a straight line
- McCarthy Beach State ParkState Park, about 38 miles away in a straight line
- George H. Crosby Manitou State ParkState Park, about 57 miles away in a straight line
- Split Rock Lighthouse State ParkState Park, about 59 miles away in a straight line
- Tettegouche State ParkState Park, about 59 miles away in a straight line
- Gooseberry Falls State ParkState Park, about 59 miles away in a straight line
What We Could Not Verify
- Current alerts, closures, trail and campground conditions: they change daily. Read the DNR park page before you go.
- County: the DNR page does not state it, so we do not print one.
- Fees for lodging and group sites, and day-by-day availability: set by the DNR reservation system.
- Permit prices were read on October 19, 2026 and the DNR page shows no effective date.
- The map point is the park’s printed coordinate, not a verified entrance.
Related Pages
More In Iron Range & Voyageurs
- Lake Vermilion
- Voyageurs National Park
- Bear Head Lake State Park
- Franz Jevne State Park
- McCarthy Beach State Park
- Scenic State Park
- Schoolcraft State Park
- Events in Iron Range & Voyageurs
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park?
It is near Soudan, Minnesota. The DNR address is Summer mine entrance: 1302 McKinley Park Road GPS coordinates do not take you to the summer entrance! Follow street signs, not your GPS. Winter mine entrance: 1379 Stuntz Bay Road Lake Vermilion Unit Entrance: U.S. Highway 169 Mailing address: P.O. Box 335, 1379 Stuntz Bay Road, Soudan, MN 55782.
How much does it cost to visit Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park?
A one-day vehicle permit is $7 and a year-round permit is $35 on the DNR fees page we read on October 19, 2026. Check the fees page before you go.
Are dogs allowed at Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park?
Pets are welcome on a leash six feet or shorter outside buildings, lodging, tours and beach areas, per the DNR rules page. This park’s page adds limits listed in Pets And Permits above.
Sources
- Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park (DNR Recreation Compass data) (read November 1, 2026).
- Minnesota state park fees (DNR) (read November 1, 2026).
- Minnesota state park rules (DNR) (read November 1, 2026).
- Minnesota State Parks Passport, all places, park fees and rules.