Local State Parks See Increase In Outstate Visitors

The message from both the Minnesota and the Wisconsin Governors is simple:  stay home and if you need to go outside for essential errands, keep it local.  Apparently many visitors to the local state parks in the area haven't gotten that message.

As the weather has started to get nice - many have started to flock outside to escape from their COVID-19 Pandemic Stay at Home or Safer at Home orders.  That's not a problem for Northlanders who want to simply walk around their neighborhood (social-distancing of course) or even those who visit area state parks.

However, news sources are reporting that it's not just locals visiting the Northland's state parks.  At the same time that Department of Natural Resource officers were reporting that their parks were at "full capacity" over the past weekend, they also noted that the majority of those enjoying the attractions were from outside of the area.  The large number of outstate visitors goes against the spirit of the Stay at Home and Safer at Home orders:

[M]any northern counties, including Cook County, have issued proclamations asking outside residents to stay away, including cabin owners, campers and people who stay in lodges. Local officials are worried that visitors who might be sick with COVID-19 and not know it could risk spreading the disease in rural areas with medical facilities ill-equipped to handle an outbreak.

Last week, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers had to close a variety of state parks located in the southern part of that state due to crowds similar to what was seen in the Northland this weekend.