Hiking Club Trail

The Hiking Club Trail at Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park is a 2.4-mile loop. This trail takes hikers past old mining buildings and equipment as well as through an old growth forest. The trail is wide and a bit hilly. There is a fee to enter the park; a day use or annual permit can be purchased at the Park Office. Dogs are allowed on this trail when on a leash. Parking for this hike is at the parking lot for the Soudan Underground Mine near Soudan, Minnesota.

Start this hike by walking past the old mining buildings and equipment to the east of the parking lot. Head past the Park Office and take Stuntz Bay Road to the north for a short distance. Look for the blue hiking club signs to direct you along the way. The trail leaves Stuntz Bay Road to the right and enters the forest. The path through the old growth forest is wide and easy to follow. After hiking for about 2 miles in the forest, the trail meets the entrance road to the park (McKinley Park Road).  The Hiking Club Trail follows this road back to the parking lot; watch out for vehicle traffic while walking on this road.

The Minnesota State Parks Hiking Club program encourages hikers to hike a designated Hiking Club Trail at most state parks. A Hiking Club password is found on all of these hikes. You can earn patches, free camping, and even a plaque if you hike all of the Hiking Club trails for participating in the club. A Hiking Club kit can be purchased at most state parks for $14.95 (as of 2021). More information about the program can be found here.

A map of the park and its hiking trails can be found here.