Cuyuna Country Mine Lakes offers a freshwater diving experience built around flooded open-pit mines repurposed as artificial reefs. Sites range from shallow shore entries suitable for beginners, such as Crosby Mine Pit, to intermediate walls and deeper structures at Louise Mine Pitt. Square Lake Park adds variety with sunken wrecks including a submerged aircraft. Fish life is well documented: Blue Gill and Pike are very commonly encountered, with Perch, Trout, and Walleye also observed across many sites. Most entries are from shore, keeping logistics straightforward.
15 operators
10 more sites to explore
Fin maps 14 sites in Cuyuna Country Mine Lakes (8 scuba diving sites and 8 snorkelling spots, with some suited to both).
Across Cuyuna Country Mine Lakes's dive sites, May, June, July, August, September and October are most often reported as the best months to visit.
The region is centred on flooded open-pit mines that function as artificial reefs, offering an unusual freshwater diving environment. Crosby Mine Pit provides a very wide depth range accessible from shore, while Louise Mine Pitt adds wall diving. Square Lake Park features a submerged plane tail section and various sunken boats, giving the area real structural variety.
Several sites are rated for beginners, including Crosby Mine Pit and Long Lake, both of which have shore entries and relatively gentle conditions. Louise Mine Pitt is classed as intermediate, so newer divers can build confidence on the easier sites before tackling the wall structure. The presence of many local operators, including Minnesota School of Diving and Scuba Center, means instruction and guided dives are available.
Blue Gill is the most frequently observed species across the sites, followed closely by Pike. Perch, Sun Perch, Sucker, and Trout are also commonly recorded. Walleye appears occasionally, and observers have also noted Rainbow Trout, Large Mouth Bass, Small Mouth Bass, and Rock Bass. All of these are observation-backed records from the lakes.
Crosby Mine Pit and Louise Mine Pitt are flooded mine pits offering the deepest diving in the region, with Louise also featuring a wall structure for intermediate divers. Long Lake is a spring-fed lake with reef terrain and a shallower profile suited to beginners. Square Lake Park stands out for its wrecks, including the submerged aircraft, making it appealing to both divers and snorkellers looking for something distinct.
