Ironwood, Michigan: Attractions, Dining, and Year-Round Activities

1. Ottawa National Forest

Ottawa National Forest covers 993,010 acres in the Michigan Upper Peninsula with the main visitor center in Watersmeet, Michigan, in the southern part of the Forest. Wooded slopes of Lake Superior shores are located within the Ottawa National Forest. The Black River, a National Wild and Scenic River, is located within the forest and tumbles down from Copper Peak towards the Lake Superior over seven separate waterfalls. The Presque Isle River and its tributary, Copper Creek, have eleven waterfalls. Ottawa National Forest is a popular destination for fishing, canoeing, lake kayaking and cross-country skiing and snowmobiling in the winter. The forest contains three US Wilderness Areas and a Visitors’ Center that offers a range of programs and exhibits.

Bruce Crossing, MI 49912, Phone: 906-932-1330, Map

2. Copper Peak

Copper Peak is a hill located in Ironwood, Michigan, designed for ski flying by Lauren Larsen. It was built in 1969 and remains the only ski flying location in the Western Hemisphere. The site is used in the summer as a tourist attraction. In 1994 a K-point on Copper Peak was located at 476 feet, allowing jumps of up to 518 feet.

Between 1970 and 1994 ten competitions and two international events were held at the Copper Peak. The hill record is 518 feet, set by Mathias Wallner and Werner Schuster from Austria. There have been no flights at Copper Peak since 1994.

N13870 Copper Peak Rd, Ironwood, MI 49938, Map

3. Ironwood Municipal Building

The Ironwood Municipal Building, also known as the Ironwood Municipal Building is a government building located at the corner of McLeod Avenue and Marquette Street in Ironwood, Michigan. It was designed by the Minneapolis firm of Bell & Kinports and was completed in August 1923.

The building was used for municipal affairs as well as for social and recreational uses, including banquets, plays, basketball games, and educational activities. It was remodeled in 1996 and it continues to serve as Ironwood's City Hall. The Memorial Building is a two-story neoclassical structure in a pentagonal shape constructed of concrete.

The building contains municipal offices including a court room and council chambers, community facilities, a 1,500-seat auditorium, a pool and gymnasium. The Ironwood Women's Club has a private clubroom in the building.

213 S Marquette St, Ironwood, MI 49938, Phone: 906-932-5050

4. Ironwood Theatre

The Historic Ironwood Theatre in Ironwood, M ichigan was constructed in 1928 and designed by self-taught Ironwood architect Albert Nelson in the Italian Renaissance style featuring hand-sculpted faux pillars and arched proscenium style stage. At the time, it was one of three movie houses in Ironwood. The theatre presented first-run movies and vaudeville shows through the Golden Age of Hollywood of the 1930s, '40s, and '50s. Today the theatre is a non-profit establishment owned by the City of Ironwood and operated by Ironwood Theatre Inc., a non-profit organization led by volunteers. It offers a range of live theatrical, musical, and artistic performances. The theatre now seats up to 480 seats on the main floor and 252 seats in the balcony. The chairs in the theatre today are replicas of the original seats.

113 E Aurora St, Ironwood, MI 49938, Phone: 906-932-0618, Map

5. Miners Memorial Heritage Park

Miners Memorial Heritage Park is a 167-acre park in the heart of the City of Ironwood. This regional park offers a wide range of recreational opportunities, from cross-county skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, biking and riding ATV and snowmobile. The park is built on the reclaimed location of the late 1800s and early 1900s iron mines that supplied the metal for America's industrial revolution. The park was designed as a memorial to the iron miners that suffered and died in the mines that built the region. The “ moonscape” left behind after the mines closed, known by the locals as the "caves, " was reclaimed by nature and is now covered by woods, trails and many community activities.

775 E Yesterday St , Ironwood, MI 49938-2340, Map

6. Wolverine Nordic Ski Trails

Wolverine Nordic Ski Trails in Ironwood has 24 kilometers of ski trails with several loops for classic striding and skate skiing. There are also 14 kilometers of marked snowshoe trails and seven kilometers of snow bike trails. The proximity to the lake ensures that the snow in the area arrives earlier, piles deeper and lasts longer than elsewhere in the Midwest. The rolling terrain makes trails suitable for all levels of skiing, snowshoeing, and snow biking. The trails can be accessed at the chalet trailhead at 5851 Sunset Road. The warming chalet offers a perfect view of the historic wooden ski jump structure that was once part of the club's regular activities.

Sunset Rd, Ironwood, MI 49938, Phone: 906-932-0347, Map

7. Historic Ironwood Museum

The Historic Ironwood Museum is located in the beautifully restored Chicago and North West Train Depot which was built back in 1892. The depot was used from many decades including during the region’s iron mining boom days which ended around 1966. While the museum is home to a treasure-trove of interesting historic and cultural artifacts, the building itself is well worth a visit. It is a great example of Richardson Romanesque style and was built using Lake Superior sandstone bricks. The museum is also the headquarters of the Ironwood Historical Society and is home to an Archive and Research center. The museum is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

150 N. Lowell Street, Ironwood, MI 49938, 906 932 0287