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IRON RIVER
POINTS
OF
INTEREST
Iron County Museum. Multifaceted museum includes satisfying exhibits on the area's geology, musical and ethnic heritage, life in mines (great video), plus 24 outdoor buildings (10 old log barns, houses, outbuildings). Of special note: vast folk art logging camp, life in mines (great video), gallery of noted wildlife paintings, inventive décor in artist's home, intact Caspian Mine headframe (powerful!). ...
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Downtown Iron River. A trim, pleasant shopping district with an art supply/gift shop/book shop, a combination of shops in an big old department store, a mild-long trail along the Iron River ...
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Angeli's Central Market/Plaza Cinema. A terrific supermarket with quality, fresh produce, something hard to find in the U.P., as well as a good wine selection, meats, ethnic baked goods. ...
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Ski Brule winter and summer. In a scenic hilly setting is a resort with miles of cross-country skiing trails, two snowboard parks, Alpine skiing, and in summer mountain bike trails, horseback riding, canoeing and tubing ...
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Lake Ottawa Park/Ge Chi Ski Trail. This pleasant Ottawa National Forest park is on crystal-clear, 551-acre Lake Ottawa. It has hiking trails, a swimming beach, fishing pier, and a handsome CCC-era pavilion/bathhouse with fireplaces. ...
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Hiking path to "Treaty Tree" & Mile Post Zero. A short, secluded hike leads to the head of Brule River and the much-contested border between Michigan and Wisconsin ...
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George Young Recreational Complex. Open to the general public, this plush golf course and indoor swimming pool is sited on a 3,300-acre complex bordering 3 lakes. Foxes, deer, and eagles are not unusual sights for golfers here ...
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Wolf Track Nature Trail. A scenic 1.5-mile woodland nature trail with wonderful paintings and text to illuminate one's experience ...
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Pentoga Park. pened in 1922, this is one of Michigan's very first county parks, located at an Ojibwa burial ground. Take an old 3-mile Indian Lake to the Brule River, fish the deep, 1,100-acre Chicaugon Lake for walleye and muskie, or use the swimming beach and picnic area ...
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First Roadside Table. Michigan was a pioneer in providing pleasant rest stops for motorists, and this 1918 picnic spot may well be the very first ever ...
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Region: Iron River, Iron Mountain & the Menominee Range
IRON RIVER
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As its name suggests, Iron River owes its existence to the iron first mined here in 1879. In quick order, a string of five separate towns developed along a vein of high-phosphorous iron. As the oldest, Iron River is the commercial center of Iron County. Almost two dozen mines once operated in this short six-mile span. The Caspian Mine alone shipped over six million tons of ore.
A streetcar connected the five towns clustered around mine shafts: Iron River, Mineral Hills on Iron River's northern border, Stambaugh (pronounced "STAM-bo") up the hill where U.S. 2 bends by McDonald's, and Caspian and Gaastra a little farther south. Their downtowns thrived before cars were commonplace. Now the four satellites of Iron River are commercial ghost towns.
The area bears the architectural stamp of its peak boom times during the first two decades of the 20th century. Some neighborhoods have handsome, well-kept Arts & Crafts bungalows. The finest homes of mining company officials were on Iron River's south side, along Selden Avenue/M-189, a road now made ugly by random industrial and commercial development.
Mining communities spawned their own distinctive institutions. Two can be seen in Caspian. The Arts & Crafts-style Caspian Community Center at 404 Brady (the main north-south street, a continuation of Lincoln in Stambaugh) was built in 1921 by the Presbyterian Board of National Missions. It was a library and center for social activities, art classes, and sports activities - all intended to foster assimilation of immigrants. The little Italian Society Duke of Abruzzi Hall, dating from 1914, has a dance hall, a wine-making and sausage-seasoning room, and a bocce court. To see it, go to Brady (a major north-south street) and take Morgan or Sawyer about three blocks east. The hall is on McGillis between them.
The high phosphorous content made iron from the Menominee Range's ore more brittle and expensive to make, though it could be used in the hotter Bessemer process of steelmaking. Mines started closing in the 1930s. The last one closed in 1978. Now the hilly countryside is beautiful and the northern half of Iron County is quite wild. Economic mainstays today are tourism and many second homes and retirement homes on lakes and near the Ski Brule ski resort.
The big event in the Iron River area in recent years has been the consolidation of Iron River with adjoining Stambaugh and Mineral Hills. (Caspian citizens opted to remain an independent city.) The three-way consolidation, unprecedented in Michigan history, added about 1,500 citizens to Iron River (now pop. 3,400). Stambaugh and Mineral Hills have disappeared from maps of Michigan, but not from the hearts of native sons and daughters. The consolidation was hotly debated, but ended up passing 2-1 in July, 2000.
Back to Iron River, Iron Mountain & the Menominee Range
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IRON RIVER
RESTAURANTS,
LODGINGS
& CAMPGROUNDS
These are our choices, not ads.
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IRON RIVER
RESTAURANTS
Italian home cooking at Alice's, with pasta made fresh daily. Bagels from scratch and wonderful soups at The Depot. A popular breakfast spot. A pizza joint with thin crust, spicy sauce, and home made sausage. A bar & grill with a delicious chicken pita sandwich.
For full write-ups of our recommended restaurants,
click here.
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IRON RIVER
LODGINGS
See also: Crystal Falls, Amasa.
Expect higher rates in deer-hunting season and ski season. An extra perk in the Iron River area is public access to the spectacular, country-club-like George Young Recreation Complex (see Iron River Points of Interest), with its beautiful golf course, free cross-country and mountain bike trails, and big indoor pool. Rooms fill up for the Iron County Rodeo the third weekend of July.
Lodgings have been arranged starting with in-town, moving south and then west.
For full write-ups of our recommended lodgings,
click here.
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IRON RIVER
CAMPGROUNDS
IRON RIVER R.V. PARK
(906) 265-3822
The setting of these 32 modern campsites isn't what you'd call a forest - trees were planted rather recently - but it has some real advantages. It's an easy walk to downtown Iron River with its shops, restaurants, and bars. The campground is by the Iron River, and all sites are level. The paved, one-mile Apple Blossom Trail (wheelchair-accessible) goes over an old railroad bed to Caspian and the Iron County Museum. Portions of it are good for birding. Full hookup sites with water, sewer, 30 amp electric, and cable TV are $24/night, sites with water and electric are $16. Tents are permitted. Showers and restrooms are in the adjacent Iron County Chamber of Commerce building. Reservations taken and advised for summer weekends. Usually some sites are available midweek.
50 E. Genesee Street, a block south of U.S. 2 on the Iron River. Open from April through September. Wheelchair-accessible. Dogs permitted on 6-foot leash.
GOLDEN LAKE CAMPGROUND
(906) 265-5139; no reservations.
A mile north of U.S. 2 between Watersmeet and Iron River, this 22-site rustic campground offers convenient overnight camping on the developed site of 285-acre Golden Lake. One of the U.P.'s deepest lakes, it's spring-fed and cool even on hot days. Hemlock roots color the water golden. It's stocked with trout. Campsites are up above the lake, and many have a view of the water. Some are in a grassy, open area. Others are more shielded from neighbors and shaded by maple and hemlock, some quite large. There's an adjacent picnic area and boat launch but no developed beach, though swimming is possible. Some summers a campground host is here. $10/night fee.
North off U.S. 2, 17 miles east of Watersmeet and 14 miles west of Iron River. Open May thru November. Handicap accessible: paved sites. Toilets not accessible. Dogs permitted on 6-foot leash.
LAKE OTTAWA CAMPGROUND
(906) 265-5139. No reservations.
This popular 32-site campground (with flush toilets but no showers) is on 551-acre Lake Ottawa, next to a pretty park and boat launch. (See above for park and fishing.) The handsome log picnic shelter with two large stone fireplaces was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. So were the log restrooms with flush toilets. There's a short trail to the sandy beach at the day use area. Most sites have a dense maple canopy and good privacy. A campground host is usually here all summer. First-come, first-serve. This is perhaps the Ottawa National Forest's most popular campground. Some years it's full most days in July, so call first and consider a backup. Or come early in the week. Paved spurs vary from 42' to 90'.
About 6 miles west of Iron River. Take U.S. 2 west, in less than 2 miles turn south at M-73. In about 1 mile, look for Forest Hwy. 101 and signs to park. Camping fee $12-$18 depending on location, size. Open May 15-Sept 15. Handicap accessible: pit toilets, entire day use building and fishing pier. Dogs: 6-foot leash.
BLOCKHOUSE AND PAINT RIVER FORKS CAMPGROUNDS
(906) 265-5139. No reservations.
These two tiny campgrounds (2 and 4 sites respectively) are on a stretch of the Paint River, a trout stream with native brook trout that's canoeable early in the season. It's about five miles, maybe two to three leisurely hours, from one to the other. Blockhouse is particularly pretty, though maintenance isn't the best at these underused, remote spots. Therefore there's no fee charged.
Both are reached by taking C.R. 657 north from U.S. 2 (the junction is about 4 miles west of Iron Mountain) to Gibbs City (don't expect a city!) in about 10 miles. Paint River Forks is less than 2 miles west of Gibbs City via 657, which turns west. The road to Blockhouse is roundabout: continue north from Gibbs City for almost 5 miles. Look for the sign and turn for another 5-mile drive via Forest Hwy. 2180. Open from May thru Nov. Handicap accessible: pit toilet at Paint River.
PENTOGA PARK
(906) 265-3979. Does not take reservations
In the 1920s this park on 1,100-acre Chicaugon Lake (see separate point of interest) was created to preserve an Ojibwa burial ground. Park buildings of log and stone are handsomely woodsy. There's a swimming beach, picnic area, new playground, boat launch, fish-cleaning house, and 100 close-spaced modern campsites in a grove of big oaks. There's no privacy between sites. Sites are rented by the day ($15). Campsites fill for 6 or 7 summer weeks. Come Sunday through Wednesday or Thursday and you'll probably get a spot. There's a laundry and pay phones. Supplies for shuffleboard, horseshoes, and volleyball are at the entrance booth. Group camping across the road.
On CR 424 midway between Caspian and Alpha. From U.S. 2, take CR 639 south just west of Bewabic State Park. Open May 15-Sept 30. Handicap accessible: no.
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