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Shutting down

Area roadside parks closing for the season

By Chelsea Bossert 2 min read
Memorial Airport Roadside Park on U.S. 41, honoring Paul H. Daavettila, is one of many U.P. roadside parks and scenic view areas to close ahead of the winter season, MDOT official Dan Weingarten said. 

COPPER COUNTRY -- As the fall color season wraps up and winter quickly approaches the western Upper Peninsula, roadside parks on state trunkline and U.S. highways will soon close.

Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Media Representative Dan Weingarten said the closure date for roadside parks will be Thursday. "It's a seasonal closure that happens every year around this time," he said. "The main reason for closing them is the pit toilets will freeze as the weather gets colder."

Scenic views in Houghton and Keweenaw County will also close. Weingarten said barricades will be put up to prevent people from accessing them during the winter months. "Typically, we re-open in April," he said.

Roadside parks in Keweenaw County were closed for upgrades this summer. Vault toilets were installed in those facilities.

Weingarten said rest areas will continue to stay open since they have heated facilities. "Folks should remember that our rest areas and our welcome centers, which are spread throughout the Upper Peninsula, they will remain open," he said.

According to MDOT's website, the majority of the rest areas and welcome centers are located along U.S. 2. Marquette's Welcome Center on U.S. 41 and the Seney Rest Area on M-28 will remain open for the winter.

Roadside parks to close:

Keweenaw Scenic Turnout on U.S. 41 – Houghton County

Memorial Airport on U.S. 41 – Houghton County

Snow Gauge on U.S. 41 – Keweenaw County

Great Sand Bay Scenic View on M-26 – Keweenaw County

Great Sand Bay on M-26 – Keweenaw County

Esrey on M-26 – Keweenaw County

Hebard on M-26 – Keweenaw County

Tioga Creek on M-28 – Baraga County

Canyon Falls on U.S. 41 – Baraga County

Baraga Cliff on U.S. 41 – Baraga County

Military Hill on U.S. 45 – Ontonagon County

Ewen Pines on M-28 – Ontonagon County

Agate Falls on M-28 – Ontonagon County

For those traveling this winter in the Keweenaw, make sure to plan accordingly while traveling. For more information about roadside parks, visit michigan.gov/mdot/travel/tourists/.

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