Flood warnings were in effect Friday for parts of Lake and Cook counties due to heavy rain over melting snow Thursday night, a combination that has pushed many streams beyond their normal high-water mark.
The upland areas of Cook and Lake counties are facing road closures and closures. Some rivers were almost washing up along the North Shore in Minnesota 61. Ann Pierce, director of the Minnesota Parks and Trails Division, advised people to stay out of danger, temporarily closing parts of the state’s trails and parks.
“Our first priority is to ensure public safety and the safety of our employees,” she said. “Last night’s severe storms, combined with the late spring melt, caused flooding of rivers. These waters are dangerous and unpredictable and have the power to wash away anything. Please stay safe by staying away from these areas. “
Parks and trails affected by the closure include Gooseberry Falls, Tategouche, George H. Crosby Manitou, Temperance River, Cascade River, and Judge CR Magney State Park and Gichi-gami and portions of the North Shore State Trails and Superior Hiking Trail. The DNR advises visitors to check with park staff about the current conditions for any of these state parks or trails.
I’m just blown away by the amount of water on the Cascades. You can usually walk across the river to that pine tree. I will post a picture of the same location in the next tweet in this thread. pic.twitter.com/0H30rFuZmw
— Brian Hansel (@bryanhansel) 13 May 2022
Superior National Forest officials note that some campgrounds and boat landings have been flooded in recent days and may have been unusable for fishing openers.
A Facebook post shows the Superior Hiking Trail bridge washing over the Baptism River in Tategouche State Park.
“Over the past 48 hours, Cook County received 1-2 inches of rain, which is still in the midst of peak winter snow and spring season. Rivers along the north shore of Lake Superior are now bursting with water at levels not seen in decades,” Vis Cooke County director of marketing and public relations, Jersty Vick, said in a statement Friday.
