By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


It’s a sure sign of the season and upcoming travel for Livingston County motorists and others across the state; roadside parks will be re-opening this week.

Most of the roadside parks operated by the Michigan Department of Transportation will re-open for the season this Thursday.

MDOT maintains 85 roadside parks around the state. Some parks operate seasonally, usually closing in late October and reopening in the spring. Some will remain closed until later in the spring due to weather conditions.

While most parks are scheduled to be open Thursday, officials say motorists should not expect drinking water at all parks to be turned on until sometime later in May, after annual testing and treatment of the park water systems is completed.

In addition, the St. Ignace Rest Area on southbound I-75 will remain closed due to construction. It is expected to re-open in early May.

A map showing the status of roadside parks is available on the MDOT website.