Soudan, Minnesota: Deepest Place You Can Go In America

An elevator drops you a half-mile beneath the surface, then a train takes you down another quarter-mile.

Soudan Underground Mine State Park runs terrific tours into the mine. Visitors are given hard hats and ride the actual elevator buckets that the miners used. Once in the mine, visitors ride the rails into the deep cavity. You will be surprised at the fresh air flowing, so no one will have a problem breathing. There used to be an experimental lab down here looking for dark matter, but it's been moved and is no longer present.

Above ground, the park has all kinds of neat buildings and artifacts to see, so if someone in your group does not want to go into the mine, there is something to keep them occupied. Don't forget to go into the hoist room and watch the hoist in action; it runs the elevator bucket for the tours! Pretty cool.

I felt safe in the mine. If you are claustrophobic, the elevator may bother you, but the rest of the mine is spacious.

On the Physics Lab tour in the Soudan Underground Mine. They are running a dark matter experiment that is .07 F degrees from absolute zero (making it the coldest continuous spot in the UNIVERSE universe, universe, universe (echo effect).

The mine has resumed underground tours. Our guide Sharon was a lot of fun and informative. Bring warm clothes and be ready to get cozy with your group in the elevator. This trip is highly recommended.

A mysterious fire threatened the Soudan Mine over the weekend, but firefighters poured foam as thick as whipped cream down its half-mile shaft, smothering the flames. At the bottom of the mine, mysterious experiments in the Soudan Underground Laboratory were reportedly kept safe by automatic doors that are normally used to keep out bats (The bats were also reportedly okay). There's no word on when the water and foam will be pumped out, but it's expected to be fairly soon, and the mine appears to be on track for its usual May opening for tourists.