All About Fall On the Mesabi

Is there anyone who doesn’t love fall? Make the most of this glorious season by exploring Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range! Here are some of our favorite autumn activities to get your started:

Ride the Trolley

Take in fall colors and mine lake views on Minnesota Discovery Center’s trolley!

Travel on a trolley, the way miners and their families used to on the Range! This one departs from Minnesota Discovery Center’s trolley station on Thursdays at 3 and 5 p.m., and Saturdays 1 and 3 p.m. through October (weather permitting). If you’d rather be spooked, stick around for a Museum Flashlight Tour!

Have fun on the farm

The Eli Wirtanen Farm Fall Fest is a great way to get kids outside and learning where our food comes from and how early farmers used to live. Looking for other fall events? Click here for our calendar.

Reach the summit

Superior National Forest as seen from the top of Giants Ridge ski hills in Biwabik.

Weekends through mid- to late-October, make a date to ride the ski lift at Giants Ridge (or hike, if you prefer!) and take in some magical views of the Superior National Forest. Don’t miss out on their dinner-and-a-view deal!

Have a pasty!

Ketchup and pasty (meat pie) anyone?

The annual Pasty Festival will include music, games, brews and the indomitable pasty, a hand pie filled with meat, potatoes, carrots and rutabega. We’ll also have a vegetarian version, and a contest for best pasty. Learn more and pre-purchase your pasty meal for $10 here.

 Go industrial

240-ton production trucks pass each other in a Minnesota iron mine.

Hull Rust Mine View in Hibbing offers 360-views of an active mine, nearby towns and the Superior National Forest. Visit daily through September, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and chat with retired miners and other volunteers.

Soak it all in

A couple hikes near Giants Ridge in Biwabik.

Safe but secluded hiking trails mean you can experience nature without ever getting too far afield. Try the trails at Carey Lake in Hibbing, for example, or the Laurentian Divide near Virginia. There are a number of family friendly trails in the area that will show you the beauty of the region.

Save Room for a Snack

Palmer’s Tavern in HIbbing is known for its great burgers

There are plenty of great places to eat on the Mesabi! Here are a few:  The Hive in Aurora, the Burnt Onion in Biwabik, or the Whistling Bird in Gilbert;  Kunnari’s Kitchen and Natural Harvest Foods Co-op in Virginia, and Boomtown Woodfire Grill and Brewery in Hibbing.

Just Ride

Skibo Vista just outside of Hoyt Lakes offers great views of the Superior National Forest.

Request or download our Ride Guide and chart your course for fall colors and adventures.

Still have questions? Contact us at info@ironrange.org or call 218-749-8161 and we’ll help you plan your fall fun on the Mesabi!