By Jim Umhoefer
Trails Reporter
St. Louis County. Near Soudan on Highway 169. Highway map index: L-6.
Soudan offers the world's only underground iron mine tour. Here you'll tour Minnesota's oldest and deepest underground mine, first riding an elevator, then boarding an electric train. From the train, it's a short walk to a 32-step spiral staircase that leads up to the Montana slope, where guides explain the mining process. The year-round temperature in the mine is about 52 degrees Fahrenheit, so dress warmly (sturdy shoes are advised also). A nominal fee is charged for the hour-long tour.
