Why visit Iron River
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 9 parks and trails, 14 places to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Central School, Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul Railway Iron River Depot, Iron River Country Club and Bachman Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 77°F; February lows average 0°F, and about 67 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Iron River
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Iron River
Iron River is a city in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the largest city in Iron County. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 3,007. The city is situated at the southeast corner of Iron River Township, though it is administratively autonomous.
From the Wikipedia article Iron River, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks6
Central School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic school building in Iron River, Michigan, USA
Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul Railway Iron River Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Railway station in Iron River, the United States of America
Iron County Historical Museum
Museum · 2.0 mi
100 Brady Avenue, Caspian
May-Oct Mo-Fr 09:00-15:00; Jun-Aug Sa 10:00-14:00
Parks, trails and playgrounds9
Restaurants and cafes14
Riverside Pizzaria
Restaurant · Pizza
98 East Genesee Street, Iron River
Su-Th 16:00-20:30; Fr-Sa 16:00-21:00
Alice's Supper Club
Restaurant · Italian · 0.4 mi
402 West Adams Street, Iron River
Subway
Fast food · Sandwich
427 North Cedar Avenue, Iron River
Mo-Tu 08:30-21:00; We 08:00-22:00; Th-Fr 08:30-22:00; Sa-Su 08:30-21:00
2 more on the map.
Where to stay2
History
Originally settled in 1882 under the name 'Nanaimo', named after the Nanaimo iron mine, owned by the Mineral Hills Iron Company. In 1878, two brothers, Donald and Alexander MacKinnon acquired the site, and a village was platted and registered in 1881. The new town was given a station on the Chicago and North Western Railway and renamed 'Iron River' after the nearby Iron River. The settlement was incorporated as a village within Iron River Township in 1885, and as a city in 1926.
On November 2, 1999, the voters of the cities of Iron River and Stambaugh and the village of Mineral Hills approved consolidation into a new city, which continued the name Iron River. The consolidation became effective July 1, 2000.
From the History section of Iron River, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship14
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries5
Healthcare3
Map of Iron River
62 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°F | 0°F | 1.1 in | 14.6 in |
| Feb | 26°F | 0°F | 1.0 in | 12.5 in |
| Mar | 37°F | 9°F | 1.5 in | 8.7 in |
| Apr | 50°F | 24°F | 2.5 in | 7.4 in |
| May | 64°F | 37°F | 3.2 in | 0.3 in |
| Jun | 73°F | 47°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 77°F | 50°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 75°F | 48°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 67°F | 41°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 53°F | 30°F | 3.3 in | 2.1 in |
| Nov | 38°F | 20°F | 1.8 in | 8.2 in |
| Dec | 26°F | 8°F | 1.5 in | 13.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Stambaugh 2Sse Hcn (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Iron County has had 5 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2026-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2002-05-06: Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Ford Airport (IMT) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 32 miles away.
- Caspian 2 mi south, about 3 min by car
- Crystal Falls 15 mi east, about 24 min by car
- Florence 22 mi southeast, about 36 min by car
- Eagle River 32 mi west, about 52 min by car
- Iron Mountain 33 mi southeast, about 54 min by car
- Kingsford 33 mi southeast, about 52 min by car
- Three Lakes 33 mi southwest, about 52 min by car
- Niagara 37 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Quinnesec 37 mi southeast, about 59 min by car
- Baraga 48 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Iron River MI Town Hall, Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Iron River former train depot, Myself, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Central School in Iron River, Michigan, US, in 2024 - 3, The ed17, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.