Some Minnesota state parks will open for day and overnight use as soon as Friday, but other facilities will not be open until the weekend, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources officials said today.

Staff across the DNR southern region are assessing workloads and determining priorities so that systems may be returned to normal as soon as possible.

The southern region DNR management team is meeting this afternoon and will issue an update on region activities via email around 3 p.m. The southern region of the DNR covers 32 counties and includes:

• 18 state parks and state recreation areas.

• 391 public water accesses.

• 650 wildlife management areas.

• 70 aquatic management areas.

• 31 scientific natural areas 70 prairie bank easements.

• 286 managed fishing lakes.

• 28 designated wildlife lakes.

• 12,000 miles of rivers and streams.

• 141 miles of state trails, 613 miles of undeveloped/authorized trails, 75 miles of cross country ski trails, 5,024 grant-in-aid trails.
DNR employees returned to work today after the agency and state government was shut down July 1 due to a state budget impasse. For state parks and trails employees, the first day of work will be focused on making sure parks and trails are safe for public use.

For some parks, a best-case scenario means they will reopen for day and some overnight use within 24 hours of staff returning to work. For overnight use, it may take two days or longer for staff to make campgrounds and facilities suitable for customers, which includes clearing away storm debris, turning on utility systems and cleaning restrooms.

Up-to-date information on park operations and other DNR functions can be found on the agency’s website at www.mndnr.gov/reopen. A red, yellow or green symbol will indicate the closed, partially open or open status of individual parks, trails and forest recreation areas on the website. The availability of specific facilities within parks will be noted as well.

Customers will not be able to get reservation information by telephone from the ReserveMN system until July 26, but they can call individual parks starting Friday to check their specific reservations.

The biggest challenge for state parks and trails is making sure downed trees are cleared, trails and campsites are safe and water, electricity and restrooms are available. Numerous storms across Minnesota in July left debris and otherwise damaged parks, said Courtland Nelson, director of the DNR’s Parks and Trails Division.

“We ask for the public’s patience as we reopen state parks after being closed for nearly three weeks,” Nelson said. “We want to make sure parks are not only safe for the public, but that they can provide the high-quality experience our customers have come to expect.”

Anglers and hunters are now able to purchase their licenses as well. The DNR’s Electronic Licensing System (ELS) is operational, which means boat and other licenses can also be renewed. Licenses can be purchased through one of the DNR’s ELS vendors, which include sporting goods stores and bait shops. Licenses can also be purchased by telephone and online at www.mndnr.gov.

“We wanted to make sure that was one of our first operations to start up,” said DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr.

Information on the status of other DNR functions, such as managing hunting seasons; water, mining and other permits; state timber sales; state forest campgrounds; and environmental review projects will be available on the DNR website on Thursday.

State parks that may require more time to reopen are Afton, Lake Bronson, Camden, Upper Sioux Agency, Flandreau, Blue Mounds, Wild River and St. Croix. Those parks sustained facility and tree damage that will take longer to clean up.

St. Croix State Park will be closed indefinitely while staff assess building and other damage from a July 1 windstorm.

Current overnight reservations will be honored at individual parks as they reopen. New reservations will not be accepted until July 26 at 8 a.m. The DNR’s reservation system has a backlog of shutdown refunds that must be made to customers before new reservations can be accepted.

Landwehr said DNR employees are eager to return Thursday and restart the agency’s business. “We’ll be happy to be back in business and ready to serve the public,” he said.