Flood-damaged Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park reopens

Visitors will once again be able to visit the major-use area of the popular state park, which was flooded by the Dec. 14 breach of the nearby Taum Sauk reservoir. There is no camping available this year; for this season, through early fall, the park will be open 8 a.m.–7 p.m. daily.

"We are very excited about the opportunity to once again allow visitors to see this special park,” said DNR director Doyle Childers, in a news release. “But it will be different from the park they experienced last year, when this park celebrated its 50th anniversary.”

Following the breach, 1.3 billion gallons of water swept down Proffit Mountain into the park, sweeping away everything in its path and leaving behind piles of trees 15 feet high and silt up to 6 feet deep.

Many of the facilities, including the campground, were destroyed. Cleanup began immediately and more than 14,800 truck loads of tree debris, mulch, silt, rebar/concrete and rock has been removed from the park. Roads have been repaired and areas have been reseeded.

One park element that has not changed dramatically is the shut-ins – a canyon-like gorge formed by blue-gray, steel-hard volcanic rocks.

The boardwalk to the shut-ins was damaged, and some debris filled the shut-ins. The boardwalk has been repaired so people can once again walk to the shut-ins and view them.

Until the cleanup is completed, people will not be allowed in the shut-ins or any portion of the East Fork of the Black River through the park. [[In-content Ad]]