Park is prepped for Memorial Day weekend

Although weekend forecast is predicting rain, rain showers and thunderstorms through the Memorial Day holiday, staff members of Beaver Creek Park south of Havre have been gearing up for the traditional start of the summer camping season.

Park Superintendent Chad Edgar said this morning that the most important issue is that people take care to have a safe, fun weekend on the park.

"We want to tell everybody to keep it a safe and happy Memorial Day," he said.

Edgar said he isn't sure how busy the park will be this weekend — weather always plays a major factor — but the 10,000-acre recreation area is mostly ready for business.

"After the floods, things are starting to get back to normal," he said.

Two years of federally declared flood disasters devastated much of the park, but work is ongoing to restore that.

Edgar said much of the flood repair is completed, although a major project at Lions Campground still is pending approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Other projects are planned for after the Memorial Day weekend, including installing two, possibly three, new handicap-accessible outhouses and installing new swing sets at Eagles Campground.

Mardens Trailers Sales already has had a new concrete slab poured for the pavilion at Mardens Campground, and renovations have been completed on the swing sets there.

Edgar said one thing people will notice this summer is an increased presence of law enforcement. The Hill County Commission approved increasing patrols by Hill County sheriff's deputies at Beaver Creek, in addition to the deputy and park staff patrols already in place.

The officers on those patrols will be checking to make sure that people have park permits and are following all park regulations, Edgar said.

The park rules are printed on the back of the Beaver Creek Park brochure, available at all locations that sell permits. Edgar said single-day permits are $7 and season permits are $30 for Hill County residents and $45 for out-of-county campers.

Permits are available at Camp Kiwanis in the park, the Hill County Courthouse, Bear Paw Meats on 5th Avenue heading out of town, Big R, Bing 'n' Bob's, Stromberg's Sinclair and the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce.

Single-day permits also are available at the drop boxes at Beaver Creek Reservoir at the north end of the park and near the RV dumps just north of Camp Kiwanis.

Edgar said one park rule that will be enforced this year deals with dogs — if they are not on a leash, their owners will be cited.

Dogs must be on a leash if not in a vehicle, camper or enclosed area, such as a fenced-in cabin yard.

Edgar said the main concern with that rule is safety, especially for children. That is especially true if two dogs get into a fight and if someone gets in the middle, he said.

"You might have a nice dog, but if it comes into contact with an aggressive dog, things can happen," he said.

Another rule that will be heavily enforced is the prohibition of ATVs. Edgar said licensed ATVs can be used on the highways, but not on park roads and not off-road. ATV use is prohibited from May 15 through Sept. 15.

Another rule is on the use of firewood, and where it can be used.

Edgar said campfires can be built only in existing, established fire pits or fire ring. People can pick up deadfall to use in campfires, but no living or standing trees — even dead trees, if standing — can be cut down on the park.

He also asked that campers take some care to help the park staff members with a major headache — making certain their trash is secured.

Edgar said the trash pickups are on Mondays and Fridays, and if trash is not secured, it easily can get blown out of trash cans or rooted out by animals, such as raccoons.

Even if trash looks secured in a trash can, it can be out within a few hours of the campers leaving, he said.

If people can make certain that the heaviest items are on top, or secured by a rock or chunk of wood, that can help keep trash from blowing all over the park, Edgar said.

He also said that, especially with the forecast calling for rain, people need to stay off of wet ground and try to stay on existing roads.

"We ask that everybody stays on dry ground and try to not tear up campgrounds when they're exiting," he said.

"The park looks good," Edgar added. "It's starting to green up, getting a little moisture. We're hoping for a really great year."