Ironwood is the Western Gateway to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the major city in the area with a population of over 6,000 - the shopping, cultural, and recreational center serving 50,000 people within a fifty mile radius.

Ironwood has many small ski-hills, lakes, and camping areas and is about 18 miles from Lake Superior. It has one high school, Luther L. Wright High School, informally known as Ironwood High School. Their mascot is the "Red Devil" and their rivalry with neighboring Hurley (WI) High is one of the nation's longest-running interstate rivalries in high school sports.

The three ski resorts closest to Ironwood are Big Powderhorn, Blackjack, and Indianhead. A traditional local food is a pasty (pronounced PASS-tee). There are many varieties but they are made of dough and filled with meat and vegetables and then baked.

Before 1989, the city had traditional, separate police and fire departments. IPSD, as the department is now known, continues to be the only full-time fire department in the Western Upper Peninsula. The Public Safety Department is also supplemented by a volunteer fire department. In response to a decade-long rise in tourism, the department now operates a snowmobile patrol unit from December to February.

The area boasts the Black River National Forest Scenic Byway, including numerous waterfalls and the Copper Peak Ski Flying Complex. In the Summer and Fall, Copper Peak offers chairlift and elevator rides to the top of the world's largest ski jump.

See the Ironwood Chamber website to find out more ways to enjoy your next vacation or trip to Ironwood Michigan.