Tioga Pit
Cohasset, Minnesota · Miscellaneous
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- quarry
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Tioga Pit
Tioga Pit is a flooded former iron-ore mine pit, now a deep lake and swimming hole at the heart of the City of Cohasset's Tioga Recreation Area, five miles west of Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The Tioga No. 2 mine operated from 1955 to 1961 before the pit was reclaimed in the 1980s and the surrounding 460-500 acres redeveloped into a regional park with a swimming beach, boat landing, and an extensive mountain bike trail network.
The recreation area occupies former iron-ore mining lands on the Iron Range, with mature pine forest that grew back after 1980s reclamation plantings. Tailings piles near the site offer elevated vistas over the Mississippi River, Pokegama Lake, Cohasset, and Grand Rapids. The lake itself sits in the old open-pit mine cut, surrounded by reclaimed mine-scarred terrain now covered in trails.
Swimming at Tioga Pit
Swimming takes place at a designated beach on the reclaimed Tioga Mine Pit lake, a 51-acre former open-pit iron mine that reaches roughly 225 feet deep and was stocked with brook trout, rainbow trout, and largemouth bass during reclamation. The City's parks page also mentions a second beach on adjoining Lake Pokegema. The official recreation area site advertises swimming, stand-up paddleboarding, and kayaking at the beaches.
How to get to this swimming hole
Tioga Recreation Area is located about five miles west of Grand Rapids, MN, off Tioga Beach Road; the address given is 23946 Tioga Beach Road, Cohasset, MN 55721 (the point in this record, 1901 Tioga Beach Rd, sits at the same recreation area).
The hike in
This is a drive-up/walk-up beach, not a hike-in swimming hole. The City of Cohasset parks page describes the recreation area as 'within walking distance to Tioga Beach with a trail connecting' the parking/trailhead area to the beach via a paved path (exact distance not published, but described as short and paved with restrooms at both ends). The 25 miles of singletrack mountain-bike/hiking trails at Tioga are a separate recreational draw from the beach itself and are not required to reach the water.
No elevation gain, river crossings, or scrambling involved in reaching the swim area; it's a paved, level walk from the parking lot.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Designated swimming beach with playground on-site, but the official Tioga Recreation Area FAQ states plainly 'there is no lifeguard on duty at either of the beaches. Swim at your own risk.' The lake also occupies a former open-pit iron mine reported to reach ~225 feet deep, implying steep underwater drop-offs beyond the shallow beach shelf. Fine for supervised kids sticking near shore; adults should keep close watch since there's no lifeguard and depth increases quickly away from the beach.
Parking
Free
Tioga Recreation Area's own FAQ states 'Parking is free at all parking areas within the recreation area.' Multiple lots serve the trail network and beaches; a paved walkway connects parking to the beach and playground.
Restrooms
Yes
Restroom facilities are available both at the trailhead/parking area and at Tioga Beach itself; the City of Cohasset's parks page describes 'accessible restrooms' plus changing stations and a pavilion at the beach.
Water clarity
Clear
Tioga Recreation Area's own activities page describes paddlers gliding across the 'turquoise blue waters of Tioga Mine Pit,' consistent with many reclaimed iron-ore pit lakes in the region, which tend to run very clear and blue due to depth and lack of agricultural runoff. This is official marketing language, not an independently verified visitor account; no first-hand visitor confirmation of clarity was found.
Hours
No set closing hours/gate times, the official FAQ says 'There are no closing hours, however trails can be closed due to weather.' Access to the entire recreation area, including the beach, is free at all times ('Accessing Tioga Recreation Area is and always will be free for everyone').
On the water
The official site states paddling is available April-November with 'multiple access points for watercraft' on both Tioga Mine Pit and adjoining Lake Pokegema, and specifically calls out kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding at the beaches. A 'boat landing' is also listed among on-site facilities per a 2016 news source, suggesting motorized boat access may exist somewhere in the recreation area (likely on the larger Lake Pokegema side), but no explicit motorboat rules, horsepower limits, or no-wake designation were found on official pages, so motorboat status is left unconfirmed rather than guessed.
Rentals nearby
Solo kayaks, fishing kayaks, tandem kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards, both on-site (Mississippi River, in Grand Rapids) and off-site rentals you pick up and transport yourself to area lakes like Tioga.
Prices: On-site (hourly): SUP/solo kayak/fishing kayak $15/hr or $25 for 2 hrs; tandem kayak/canoe $25/hr or $35 for 2 hrs. Off-site (multi-day, self-transport): solo kayak $55/day ($100/2-day, $135/3-day, $225/week); SUP & fishing kayak $60/day ($110/2-day, $150/3-day, $250/week); tandem kayak & canoe $65/day ($120/2-day, $165/3-day, $275/week).
17 County Rd 63, Grand Rapids, MN 55744, roughly 5-6 miles from Tioga Recreation Area; off-site rentals require the customer to secure the boat/board to their own vehicle and haul it to Tioga themselves (no delivery service advertised). · Summer hours ~10am-5pm; shop open Thursday-Saturday (other days by appointment), but rentals available daily via online booking.
Backstory
The site was the Tioga No. 2 iron ore mine, operated 1955-1961 by Western Mining Company, extracting about 3.7 million tons of ore before closing when reserves were depleted. The Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) reclaimed the pit in the 1980s, flooding it into a fishery-stocked lake and planting pine forest; the City of Cohasset, Itasca County, MN DNR, and GRIMBA later developed it into a regional park (designated August 2016) with beaches, trails, and about 25 miles of mountain bike/hiking/snowshoe trails.
Tioga Pit: FAQ
Is Tioga Pit kid friendly?
Designated swimming beach with playground on-site, but the official Tioga Recreation Area FAQ states plainly 'there is no lifeguard on duty at either of the beaches. Swim at your own risk.' The lake also occupies a former open-pit iron mine reported to reach ~225 feet deep, implying steep underwater drop-offs beyond the shallow beach shelf. Fine for supervised kids sticking near shore; adults should keep close watch since there's no lifeguard and depth increases quickly away from the beach.
Do I need to hike to reach Tioga Pit?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Tioga Pit?
Tioga Recreation Area's own FAQ states 'Parking is free at all parking areas within the recreation area.' Multiple lots serve the trail network and beaches; a paved walkway connects parking to the beach and playground.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Tioga Pit?
The official site states paddling is available April-November with 'multiple access points for watercraft' on both Tioga Mine Pit and adjoining Lake Pokegema, and specifically calls out kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding at the beaches. A 'boat landing' is also listed among on-site facilities per a 2016 news source, suggesting motorized boat access may exist somewhere in the recreation area (likely on the larger Lake Pokegema side), but no explicit motorboat rules, horsepower limits, or no-wake designation were found on official pages, so motorboat status is left unconfirmed rather than guessed.
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