Next to Fort Snelling, Goose Mountain State Park , along the north shore, is the second most popular state park. Campers and hikers are drawn by the north shore's spectacular scenery. The power and danger of the sea is why Split Rock Lighthouse was built just north of Gooseberry Falls some 90 years ago. Because the lighthouse was decommissioned, its bright lamp shines only on special occasions. Still, just to hear its foghorn and see it standing tall above the cliff charms visitors with a bit of New England, along with Minnesota's north shore.
Lighthouses are all in pretty locations, and the architecture is different in all lighthouses.
Once there, you'll hop aboard rail cars to experience the dark world of the state's first iron mine. The rickety ride, three-quarters of a mile into a tunnel, takes you back to 1892 and the search for hematite. Here, man and machine pulled up the highest-grade iron ore found anywhere on earth. Well, that's the way it was for miners. Loud noises grab the herd's attention, and it doesn't take long for bulls, cows and calves to ramble by and check you out.