Fortune Pond

Fortune Pond is a flooded former mining operation near Crystal Falls in Iron County — and it's one of the more unusual bodies of water in the UP. Despite being called a "pond," it's exceptionally deep, with divers reporting depths of 100 feet or more and water clarity around 50 feet of visibility. The steep-sided pit lake shines a brilliant blue thanks to that clarity and depth, making it a draw for scuba divers as much as anglers. Rainbow trout are stocked here and visible in the clear water, though catching them is another matter — reviews suggest patience and timing are everything.

The site is well set up for a day visit: there's a wheelchair-accessible fishing pier, a vault toilet (not wheelchair accessible), and a walking trail that loops the entire pond. It sits right off the 16 offroad trail, so it's easy to pair with ATV riding. The single launch handles small boats — this is a carry-in or small craft spot, not a place for big rigs. Bewabic State Park and several other campgrounds are nearby if you want to make a weekend of it. At 4.7 stars from 15 reviews, people genuinely love this place — just watch out for the red ants.