The Miners Park encompasses the former iron ore mining locations within the City of Ironwood. The discovery of these mines resulted in the establishment of the City of Ironwood in the latter part of the 19th century, the growth of the city to a population of 20,000 by the 1920s, and the development of a rich economic and cultural history. With the last iron ore mine in the City of Ironwood closing in 1966 and the removal of all the mining structures, the entire area of what is now the Miner’s Park lay abandoned. However, over the last two decades, major work has been done to create within this space a unique trail system, historical signage, and the re-purposing of the space into a community and regional activity center.
Upon entering the park, you will find interpretive signs along paths that present a history of the buildings and mine shafts that for over 80 years were a part of the Ironwood landscape. Miners Memorial Heritage Park encourages visitors to learn about and respect the mining heritage of the area, while at the same time providing four-season exercise and recreational venues as well as offering education/arts space for special community and regional events. Among the park’s numerous historical features is the Aurora History Path.
Well over 10 miles of trails now allow visitors to explore and experience the unique landscape that is the Miners Park. Focused on hiking, mountain biking, and snowshoe/ski, each of the different trail forms offers excellent multi-skill level availability and forest beauty. Please go to our website where you will find maps that detail the different trials and their primary use.
During summer, the Miners park is host to the Emberlight Festival of the Arts https://emberlight.org/ As part of their summer offerings, Emberlight has created a two-month-long “Art in the Miners Park” exhibit as well as special Performance Infusions on Saturday’s in July where regional arts and crafts are explored and demonstrated by skilled artisans.