Adventure abounds at Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park. Whether it’s taking a tour of the historic underground mine, visiting the high energy physics, boating on Lake Vermilion, or hiking through acres of old growth pine, there are new discoveries around every corner. The addition of nearly 3000 acres and five miles of Lake Vermilion shoreline in 2010 will no doubt add new opportunities to experience everything that northern Minnesota has to offer.
The mine tour leads visitors through the world of underground mining. Visitors don hard hats and enter a “cage” for the descent into the mine. The 1 1/2-hour mine tour will take you half a mile down into the earth. Once underground you will be treated to a 3/4 mile train ride to the last and deepest area mined. The mine is 50°F year-around, so remember to bring a warm jacket or sweater and sturdy shoes. Public tours run from Memorial Day through the end of September. There is a charge for the underground mine tour.
The Soudan Underground Laboratory is the leading deep underground science and engineering laboratory in the United States today. Scientists from around the world have been working at Soudan for 25 years trying to answer basic questions about the Universe in which we live: Is matter completely stable? What is the nature of the fundamental forces? Can we identify the Dark Matter that seems to permeate our Universe? Learn about our first neutrino events using the neutrino beam from Fermilab and see the massive MINOS detector (Main Injector Neutrino Oscillation Search). Learn about CDMS (Cryogenic Dark Matter Search) and its continued search for a WIMP (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles). Soudan Underground Laboratory.
Directions: Located in Soudan. Take US Highway 169 North through Tower to Soudan. Once in Soudan follow the directional signs.
Historic Underground Mine Tour: Public tours begin for the season on Saturday, May 23, 2015.
High Energy Physics Lab Tour: Public tours begin for the season on Saturday, May 23, 2015.
Tour Rates (cost per tour): Adults (ages 13+) are $12, youth (ages 5-12) are $7, and there is no charge for children under 5 (you must still ask for a ticket).
Call 218-753-2245 for more information or visit their website.