LAKE VERMILION— It’s been a summer of delays at Lake Vermilion Soudan Underground Mine State Park and that means the long-anticipated opening of the park’s new campground won’t take place until August at the earliest.

A rainy June is partly to blame for the situation, according to Park Manager Jim Essig, as the weather delayed work on a new informational kiosk near the park entrance as well as paving of the Mesabi Trail extension that will finally connect the park with Tower and Soudan by bike trail. Meanwhile, contractors still have big trucks and other equipment parked near the campground, posing a potential liability if the DNR were to open the facility to camper use now.

The campground had originally been scheduled to open this spring, but repeated delays have pushed the opening back twice. And park officials are hearing about it from the public.

“We’re getting pounded right now,” said Essig earlier this summer. At the time, he was still hopeful the campground would be open by mid-July. But now sometime in August appears to be the new target date.

DNR officials opted against opening the campground until contractors had completed construction of a new visitor contact center located on the park’s entrance road. The new center will include a self-service kiosk with maps and information about the park as well as a vault toilet. The center is designed to orient visitors to the new park’s facilities, including the new campground. It was supposed to be completed by June 29, but almost daily rain the second half of June slowed progress. Essig now expects it to be completed later this month.

Meanwhile, the bike trail paving, which was scheduled for completion by June 30, should be done by mid-July, according Essig.

Even as work continues, the park remains open to visitors. The Soudan mine section of the park is unaffected by the construction and mine tours are now operating daily.