ILLGEN CITY — A popular attraction at a North Shore state park reopened Monday, Nov. 24.
The High Falls pedestrian bridge spans the Baptism River at Tettegouche State Park.
The previous bridge was built in 1988 and closed in 2022 after severe flood damage. Another round of severe flooding last year fully detached the bridge on one side.
“The High Falls Bridge has always been a high-traffic, popular spot in the park, so we’re thrilled to have a safe new bridge that visitors can enjoy,” stated Katie Foshay, park supervisor at Tettegouche State Park, in a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources news release.
While the bridge was closed, Superior Hiking Trail thru-hikers had to take a detour.
The new High Falls bridge is 5 feet taller to make it more resilient to high flooding.
The bridge replacement was part of a $1 million construction project.
Several areas that were also closed during construction have also reopened, including the High Falls trailhead parking lot, the group camp, the nature play area and multiple hiking trails on the west side of the river.
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