Over a Dozen State Parks & Trails Closed Indefinitely in Northern Michigan

More than a dozen state parks, trails, and facilities have been closed in Northern Michigan following this weekend's storms.

👇What Michiganders Should Do When Severe Weather Hits👇

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced the closures April 1.

Officials say that the parks, trails, and facilities will remain closed until damage can be assessed and the areas can be cleaned up.

The DNR says that the public should avoid these areas and also exercise caution while outside in the region.

State Of Emergency Declared in Northern Michigan

Several counties in Northern Michigan have been declared a state of emergency by Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Those counties are:

• Alpena County
• Charlevoix County
• Cheboygan County
• Crawford County
• Emmet County
• Mackinac County
• Montmorency County
• Oscoda County
• Otsego County
• and Presque Isle County

The entire region has seen widespread power outages, phone outages, downed trees, and more.

Mackinac Bridge Closed Due to Falling Ice

The Mackinac Bridge has been closed due to falling ice several times since Sunday, and at the time of this writing, it has been closed for nearly 24 hours with no reopening time in sight.

READ MORE: What Do You Do if the Mackinac Bridge is Closed for Bad Weather?

This video was captured right around the time that the bridge closed on the morning of April 2.

The bridge closure further complicates things as trucks are unable to deliver supplies and fuel to the Upper Peninsula.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources Closes Parks, Trails, and Facilities Following Storm

In addition to the problems for home and business owners, Michigan's state parks and trails have taken a hit. The Michigan DNR put out a release saying that they are closing over a dozen parks, trails, and facilities in the region.

Many are closed simply because they are inaccessible due to fallen trees and power lines.

The affected parks, trails, and facilities are

• Aloha State Park
• Burt Lake State Park
• Cheboygan State Park
• Clear Lake State Park
• the DNR Customer Service Center in Gaylord
• Fisherman's Island State Park
• Young State Park
• Hartwick Pins State Park
• Negwegon State Park
• Onaway State Park
• Thompson's Harbor State Park
• P.H. Hoeft State Park
• Oden State Fish Hatchery
• Otsego Lake State Park
• Rockport Recreation Area
• Wilderness State Park
• and Petoskey State Park.

The DNR will update its website as these areas reopen.