New Resort Hopes To Solve Lodging Issues In Crosby

The Cuyuna Mountain Bike Trails have quickly made the area of Crosby, Minnesota an outdoor adventurer’s dream. Crosby sees thousands of tourists throughout the year, but lodging has always been a problem for the area. Now, a new resort is being built to help solve the issue.

Crosby’s old iron mines have created some of Minnesota’s most beautiful scenery and clearest lakes. The mine pits are now the focus around a 28-mile mountain bike trail that has attracted many tourists and outdoor enthusiasts to the area.

“We are now a national destination,” Jessica Vukelich, Cuyuna Lakes Chamber of Commerce’s Executive Director, said. “Earlier this year, Crosby was recognized as one of the best places to live according to Outside Magazine.”

That national attention has led to more people wanting to come to Crosby, but the city has not caught up to the increasing demands for lodging.

“We host a lot of events here, and one thing that we see is when we are having these large events, lodging can be an issue,” Vukelich said.

“We have one hotel over in Deerwood and then there is one other campground,” Vern Lewis, Founder of Red Rider Resort, said. “The DNR has [a campground] on Portsmouth Mine Pit, but otherwise there is just nothing available. People are always coming in and asking for places to stay.”

Vern Lewis saw this as a great opportunity to build the Red Rider Resort.

“Well, we bought the property for a cabin for ourselves,” Lewis said. “Then my wife said it would be a good idea to … let other people enjoy the property with us.”

The Red Rider Resort will have eight lodging cabins capable of housing up to 32 people as well as many tent and RV sites on the property. Located right on the Yawkey Mine Lake, there is no shortage of things to do at the resort.

“We will do paddleboard and kayak rentals, and there is good fishing,” Lewis said. “The snowmobile trails are half a mile away; the new tar bike trail that is going in Deerwood is about a half mile from the property also.”

“It’s exciting to see new businesses like the Red Rider Resort popping up to help bring more people to the area, and to our economy,” Vukelich said.

The Red Rider Resort may just be the tip of the iceberg of things to come to Crosby.

“I think we are just on the precipice of what is to come,” Vukelich said. “There are a lot of things in the works, and I think we will continue to grow.”

The Red Rider Resort is planned to be completed and fully functioning by Memorial Day weekend next year, and reservations may be made as early as next spring. For more information, visit redriderresort.com.