(FOX 9) – Some Minnesota state parks in southern Minnesota have been closed due to flooding ahead of the Fourth of July weekend.

Flooding impacts state parks, trails

What we know:

According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), two Minnesota state parks are closed after heavy rains brought flooding to the southeastern part of the state. 

Beaver Creek Valley State Park is currently closed due to floodwaters obstructing park roads and a damaged bridge. 

At Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park, the Mystery Cave Unit is closed, and cave tours are canceled. The Forestville side of the park and its campgrounds are not affected by flooding and are currently open. 

The DNR advises no travel on the Root River State Trail due to flooding causing washouts and mudslides. The damage hasn’t been fully assessed, and visitors are asked to check for posted safety signs. 

All trails in Snake Creek and Trout Valley Recreation Areas in the Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest are closed. 

For more information, click here. 

What we don’t know:

It is not known when the parks and trails will open again. 

(FOX 9) – Not much will change for Minnesota weather-wise the next couple of days as we’ll have heat, steam and some occasional thunderstorms around. 

Thursday’s forecast in Minnesota 

The forecast:

There will be plenty of heat across central Minnesota Thursday with highs on either side of 90 in most cases.

Temperatures will be a little cooler to the south and south-east with isolated storm chances that will take us through Thursday afternoon and Thursday night, and a better opportunity for some widespread thunderstorms rolling out of the Dakotas into western and central Minnesota overnight.

Storm chances overnight Thursday

What we know:

Severe weather outlook for Minnesota on Thursday, July 2, 2026. 

Clusters of storms will be found across parts of the Upper Midwest on Thursday. The main severe threat for the Twin Cities metro will be late Thursday evening and overnight.

There are several zones of storms across the region on Thursday.

One of those will be in northern Iowa and southeastern Minnesota with isolated to widely scattered storms possible throughout the day as a frontal boundary remains rooted in the area.

The overall strength of these storms will be conditional on how much of a break can occur between rounds of storms, allowing the atmosphere to “recharge”. The best chances for some isolated severe storms will still be late afternoon and the early evening.

The second batch to watch will be late Thursday evening and overnight. Storms are likely to develop in the Dakotas Thursday afternoon and roll into western Minnesota Thursday evening. These are the storms that could affect a lot of the area, including the metro. If these storms can form into a strong enough line, widespread straight-line winds will be possible.

If it’s more clustered, then isolated gusty winds and large hail will be the main threats. 

Extended Minnesota forecast

What’s next:

Thunderstorm chances will linger overnight into the first part of Friday. They will kick out on Friday afternoon and then may do it all over again late Friday night into the first part of Saturday. 

On Friday, there will be highs in the middle 80s, give or take, across the state, going for a high of 86 in the Twin Cities metro. Now there is an overnight thunderstorm chance from Friday night into early Saturday.

The rest of your Fourth of July will be quiet with maybe an isolated stray storm possible Saturday night, and then a little less humid after that. Next week, expect highs to remain in the mid to upper 80s.