Local Attractions
The North American Bear Center
The North American Bear Center is the only educational facility of its kind – it helps people learn from the bears themselves about bear behavior, ecology, and their relations with humans. Mission: to advance the long-term survival of bears by replacing misconception with scientific facts.
The International Wolf Center
Located in Ely, MN, gives visitors a chance to learn about the wolfs and see them in a beautiful north woods habitat. The Center advances the survival of wolf populations by teaching about wolves, their relationship to wildlands and the human role in their future.
Kawishiwi Falls Trail
A popular 1.5 mile round-trip hiking trail offers stunning views of the 70ft. drop Kawishiwi Falls/Fall Lake Dam. The name Kawishiwi in Ojibwe language means “river full of beaver or muskrat houses”. The path is relatively easy and can be extended to include the portage trail between Garden and Fall Lakes.
The Dorothy Molter Museum
The Dorothy Molter Museum is a seasonally operating, historic museum focusing on the life and legacy of Ely Area icon, Dorothy Molter. With self-guided exploration, visitors will leave with an understanding of who Dorothy was, how she lived in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Soudan Underground Mine State Park
Minnesota’s first iron ore mine-The Soudan Mine opened in 1882. Slip on a hard hat and travel a half mile underground on a tour of Minnesota’s first iron ore mine. Experience the life of a miner from the last century. Public tours run daily Memorial Day weekend through September, and weekends in October.