Whitewater State Park partially reopens
Whitewater State Park in southeastern Minnesota will partially reopen today.
The park has been closed since last August's devastating floods. The water caused more than $4 million in damage.
Park manager Garry Barvels said the Park is still not the same.
"A lot of our trail systems won't be accessible right away, until we get some of the river crossing in. Our swimming beach won't be ready until probably mid-to-late summer. We're just hoping people will be patient with us when they do come and not expect too much right away," Barvels explained.
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Barvels said thousands of volunteer hours helped get the park to this point. He said those volunteers will be needed again after the snow melts.
"Everybody just really pitched in. It was a lot of work up until it got real cold and frozen ground. But we got a lot more to do when it thaws out this spring and stuff to get at some of our river crossings so people can enjoy the trails," said Barvels.
The park's interpretive program schedule will start today.
Barvels does not expect Whitewater State Park to be completely back to normal for another year.