Hill-Annex Mine State Park
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 Open-Pit Mine Museum — Walk into a massive 500-foot-deep iron ore mine — Minnesota’s mining heritage brought to life
Hill-Annex Mine State Park preserves a massive open-pit iron ore mine on the Mesabi Range that operated from 1913 to 1978. Guided tours take visitors along the rim and into the 500-foot-deep pit — one of the few places in America where you can walk into an actual open-pit mine. The Mesabi Range produced over 60% of all iron ore mined in the United States, fueling the steel that built America’s skyscrapers, bridges, and warships. Fossils from the mine’s Cretaceous-era rock layers are displayed in the visitor center — including rare marine fossils from when Minnesota was covered by a shallow sea 90 million years ago.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Calumet, Itasca County, MN |
| Entry Fee | Tour fees apply |
| Mine | 500-foot-deep open pit! |
| Operation | 1913–1978 |
| Fossils | 90-million-year-old marine fossils |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I go into the mine pit?
Yes — guided bus tours descend into the 500-foot pit during summer. The scale is staggering. Boat tours on the pit lake are also available. Fossil hunts are offered for families — you may find shark teeth from when Minnesota was underwater!
About the Mine Heritage
The Mesabi Iron Range transformed America — iron from these Minnesota mines built the steel for skyscrapers, railroads, warships, and automobiles. During World War II, 75% of all iron ore used in the war effort came from Minnesota. The Iron Range communities — settled by immigrants from Finland, Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia — created a unique multicultural heritage in the Northwoods.
Things to Do
Exploring the open-pit mine landscape, guided tours of the mining operations, learning about Iron Range immigrant culture, visiting nearby mining museums, and understanding how Minnesota iron built modern America.
⛏️ Visit Hill-Annex Mine SP
Walk into a 500-foot mine pit — shark teeth from Minnesota’s ancient sea.
Wildlife & Nature
Hill-Annex Mine SP — on the Mesabi Iron Range — has a Cretaceous fossil program and tour of the massive open-pit mine. Peregrine falcons nest on the walls. The pit lake supports bald eagles and great blue herons.
Nearby Attractions
Calumet — adjacent. Grand Rapids — 10 miles south — birthplace of Judy Garland. Hibbing — 20 miles east.
Park Location
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