What do you think of when you think of Minnesota's Range? Mines? No wonder - that's how the region got its name. Minnesota's vast ore deposit was divided into three "ranges," the Cuyuna northeast of Brainerd, the Mesabi, which is where the active mines are located today, and the Vermilion, which includes Tower and the amazing Soudan Underground Mine State Park, just southwest of Ely. But surrounding those active mines between Keewatin and Hibbing on past Virginia, and even within them, are trees, lakes, trails and the kind of views that make you sigh because its just so darn pretty. Sure, a lot of visitors are curious about mining, as they should be: mining is an important part of Minnesota's history. Fortunately, there are plenty of mineviews where visitors can see giant production trucks in action, massive shovels loading the trucks and, if you're lucky, a blast pattern being set. There's also a number of museums dedicated to helping you understand how mining works, what it means to the area, and who the people were who made it possible for this relatively small region of the world to produce staggering amounts of wealth for more than 100 years. But just a short walk or drive away from the mining action, it's all tree-lined trails, pine-rimmed lakes, beautiful golf courses with a mix of both, and communities that have grown up hardscrabble but contain pockets of arts, culture, dining and shopping that rival anything found in their sister cities around the state. Don't take if from me, I'm obviously a fan and a resident for more than 20 years. The writers I've worked with who've made the trek from the metro to find out what's going on up here on the Range have, to a person, been surprised and kind of amazed at how industry and nature blend and even work together in this neck of the woods. So if you think you know the Range, or even if it's just been awhile since you visited, think about taking a long weekend to explore. You'll learn, see and do things you can't anywhere else. And if you need help figuring it out, that's what we're here for. -ironrange.org

Thank you, Larry Aho, for the images!