Upper Sioux State Park Closing in February, Land Going Back to Tribe

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced on Wednesday that it will close Upper Sioux Agency State Park near Granite Falls in February 2024.

The closure is part of a plan approved by the state Legislature last year to transfer the land to the nearby Upper Sioux Community.

Photo byDayTripper

The Native American tribe had pushed for years to regain control of the over 2-square-mile park, which includes the ruins of a federal complex where government officers withheld supplies from Dakota people, leading to starvation and deaths in the 19th century.

"We believe there are other ways to meet the outdoor recreation needs in the Minnesota River Valley," said DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen on Wednesday. "We look forward to returning this land to the Upper Sioux Community. It is the right thing to do."

The park will remain open to the public until 10 p.m. on February 15 before permanently closing the next day.

The DNR said it will remove all signs, buildings, and other infrastructure from the site before the expected land transfer in mid-March.

Strommen explained the decision by citing the aging infrastructure at Upper Sioux, including repeated flooding and washouts of the Yellow Medicine River that damaged park roads.

Fixing these issues would require major investments, making the transfer to the Upper Sioux Community "a pretty easy choice," according to the commissioner.

The DNR has gathered public input on new recreational opportunities in the Minnesota River Valley to potentially replace Upper Sioux.

Suggestions include acquiring new public lands, expanding existing parks, and adding more hiking, camping, biking, horseback riding, and kayaking options.

DNR officials said they are not necessarily seeking a direct substitute for Upper Sioux but are focused on maintaining the values and experiences the park offered to visitors.

The Upper Sioux Community has sought the return of the land for many years as part of their ancestral territory. Leaders of the tribe praised the pending transfer as an overdue act of justice.

Source:

DNR to close Upper Sioux Agency State Park in February : Jan 10, 2024 | News release | Minnesota DNR