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Michigan DNR will temporarily close several Upper Peninsula State Parks in June for short construction projects. Nearly a dozen parks in Marquette and Baraga counties will have temporary facility closures starting this week. DNR Western Upper Peninsula Parks and Recreation division director Doug Rich says that the department has already begun work to pile gravel and construction materials and asks motorists and visitors to remain cautious of heavy equipment operating in areas. Projects are funded by a 125,000 dollar capital infrastructure investment by the department and 30,000 dollars from the waterways program fund. Additional funding for the construction of playground equipment in Baraga State Park has been funded by the Copper Shores Community Health Foundation and a private donation.
The projects will have the Department of Natural Resources and Michigan Army National Guard 107th engineer battalion work collaboratively to complete work as a part of the Innovative Readiness Training program. Work in Craig Lake State Park began yesterday and will last until June 17th for road and cabin improvements. Baraga State Park’s playground equipment project will state June 3rd and wrap up in July. During the project, the park will remain open to visitors. Two other Barga County parks will have work completed over the summer including the Beaufort Lake Forest Campground and boating access site and at the Ruth Lake Boating access site. Both of those projects are expected to start in the first full week of June.
Marquette County parks expected to have temporary facility closures include Van Riper State Park, Lake Michigamme Boating Access, Hoist Basin Boating Access, McClure Basin Boating Access, Greenwood Reservoir Boating Access, Deer Lake Boating Access, and Erickson – Skoglund Boating Access sites. The majority of work the department plans to complete will include road infrastructure improvements and some improvements made to campground sites.
