Hazardous Conditions Force One Minnesota State Park To Close

After a stormy week that created storm and flooding damage throughout Minnesota, there are still unsafe conditions in some state parks, as well as roads and trails.

Conditions have deteriorated to the point where the Minnesota DNR issued a warning to those who had planned on spending time outdoors over the weekend and beyond. They also announced the closure of a state park would be forced to close due to the rising of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers.

If being in the great outdoors is in your plans, you'll want to know this information before you go.

Closures Impacting Fort Snelling State Park And Other Trails and Campgrounds

The DNR announced that Fort Snelling State Park will close to the public starting at 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 22, as water from the rising Mississippi and Minnesota rivers is expected to flood the main park road and all the parking lots, creating unsafe conditions.

Fort Snelling State Park will remain closed until flood waters recede and the DNR can assess the conditions of facilities and amenities and address any flood-related cleanup and repairs.

As of now, Fort Snelling State Park is the only state park to close completely due to flooding. However, the DNR has also closed some trails, roads, and amenities in other state parks, forests, wildlife management areas, and aquatic management areas.

Furthermore, there are trail closures at state parks throughout the state and in state forests in northeast Minnesota, as well as state forest campground closures.

Popular State Park Tourist Tours Suspended

The DNR is also suspending underground Mine Tours at Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park due to water intrusion in the mine. Surface tours at the Soudan Mine will resume on Saturday, June 22.

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Also, Bison tours at Blue Mounds State Park have been canceled for Saturday, June 22, and Sunday, June 23 due to flooding in the park.

Minnesota DNR Forest Roads Impacted

The DNR notes that flooding has particularly affected forest roads in the northeastern part of the state, but with more rain in the forecast, additional areas could see impacts over the coming days.

Caution Urged For Those Recreating Around High Water

Anglers, boaters, and anyone who recreates on or near areas where recent rainfall has raised water levels should exercise extreme caution, or avoid these areas altogether until the water recedes. The DNR says that rivers in several parts of the state are running extremely high and fast, and conservation officers recommend people stay off those areas until water levels drop.

In addition to inundating riverbanks, the recent rainfall has downed trees and swept natural and man-made objects into the water, creating hazards for boaters, swimmers, and others. High water also can cover obstructions such as concrete pilings that boaters might not see until it’s too late.

Play It Safe When Spending Time Outdoors

The DNR urges outdoor enthusiasts to plan ahead and stay safe. For example, they should tell someone where they will be and when they plan to return.

RELATED: [PHOTOS] Gooseberry Falls State Park in Minnesota Has Flooded

Other guidelines that should be followed include:

• Don’t travel on flooded roads. Hazards can be hidden under floodwater.
• Obey road and trail closures and signs. Don’t drive around barricades.
• Report unsafe state forest road conditions to the local area DNR Forestry office.
• Unsafe state trail conditions should be reported to the area Parks and Trails office.
• Contact information for both can be found on the DNR website.
• Report conditions in state parks directly to the park. Contact information for individual state park websites can be found on the DNR website.

The DNR says the flooding situation in Minnesota is dynamic and expected to continue to evolve and they will continue to provide updates as needed.

You can also click the link above to get information on all Minnesota State Parks, including any visitor alerts that have been issued.