Weather may push back opening for Johnson’s Shut-Ins

According to Sue Holste, state parks information officer with the DNR, the park will be open, but officials aren’t sure when the shut-ins area and swimming will be available.

“Our goal was to get (those) open by Memorial Day, but because they’ve had several significant ice and snow events … and the latest round of flooding, it’s all weather-dependent,” Holste said.

The shut-ins are a canyon-like gorge formed by blue-gray, steel-hard volcanic rocks.

Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park was damaged by the Taum Sauk reservoir breach in December 2005. While redevelopment of the park continues, portions of the park have been open for limited use during the last two summers.

The original plan for opening the shut-ins and swimming at the park this summer included developing a new trail and boardwalk that would make the shut-ins accessible to people with disabilities. Work began in December, including the installation of new underground utility lines, but due to the weather, construction has not progressed.

Once more progress is made, the department will determine a possible target date for when the shut-ins and swimming will be publicly accessible.