Located just 15 miles out our door near Crosby - Ironton is the Cuyuna State Recreational area - home to some of the best diving in the Midwest.  This beautiful park with its tree lined, crystal-clear water filled mines, shows no sign of it's former self.  From 1911 to the late 1970's the area was scarred by heavy machinery that cut up the landscape and opened up some 55 open pits mines.  Although there is still quite a bit of ore left in the area, soon after WWII the demand for steel dropped significantly and mining in the area eventually slowed to a stand still.

When the mining stopped so did the pumps that kept these huge holes dry.  As the waters rose over the next decade the once empty holes became some of Minnesota's newest lakes. The Minnesota Department of Natural Recourses stocked the waters with northern pike, walleye, crappie, bass, trout and sunfish.  Visibility is usually around 20-50 feet and along with great fish life, divers can still find remnants of the rich mining past. 

Several of the sites boast forgotten mine shafts, pipes that once pumped the mines dry, building foundations, power poles and old road beds.  Also through the years other items have been added such as abandon vehicles and silly things that make us divers smile, like plastic skeletons and old playground equipment.  

During the mining years, trees had time to grow tall around the edges of the mines as they continued to burrow deeper. As the mines closed these forests were soon engulfed.  Divers now can have the surreal experience of swimming through trees.  At times if seems as if the fish are more at home in these underwater trees than the birds are in their trees above the water. 

Other wildlife have added their touch to this underwater paradise.  Beavers have created several areas where submerged tree limbs have become new homes to thousands of fish.  These spots make underwater photographers drool with the thought of  being able to have so many willing subjects in one area.  It's also not uncommon to spot turtles and loons swimming by. 

At the Minnesota School of Diving we have created over 50 unique dive sites in the Cuyuna State Recreational area.  Being the only dive center within 60 miles of this Midwestern diving mecca,  we have a wealth of knowledge  and sell the only dive maps of the area.  We sponsor fun dives to the area twice a week in the summer.  Allow our experienced dive masters to show you some of their favorite sties. 

Our fun dives are created for both the experienced diver and those who may be unfamiliar with our environment and are either new to diving or have been out of the sport for some time.  We include transportation to the site, dive master, 1/2 price rental and a BBQ after each dive.  Check out our activities page for more information on our fun dives.

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