They don’t usually build lighthouses on lakes, but in the Twin Ports, there are many along Lake Superior—where waves roll like the sea. One of these is the North Shore's iconic Split Rock Lighthouse, which has been shut down for much of the pandemic, but plans to re-open on July 15th.

"Split Rock holds a special place in a lot of people’s hearts—especially in Minnesota. It’s definitely a North Shore icon, its a state icon, it has an amazing history going all the way back to the 1905 Storm and we’re really excited to be able to tell that story again for people coming up again on the 15th,” Hayes Scriven, Site Manager at Split Rock Lighthouse said.

When guests return on the 15th, Scriven says they will embark on largely self-guided tours.

“We’re encouraging guests to pre-buy their tickets. You’ll walk up, people will greet you. We’ll have a table set up, you’ll get checked in here, you’ll get a wrist band and you’ll come through the side gate,” Scriven said.

According to Scriven, staff hope to maintain a one-way path as much as they can throughout the site. And along the path, Scriven said guests will encounter signs that tell Split Rock Lighthouse's story.

"All the white signs are the history signs, which we are kind of excited about because it is a way of testing out this new model and see if people actually like it cause then they can kind of do it on their own pace too,” Scriven said.

Along the path, Scriven says guests will also encounter guides to answer their questions.

"The idea with the guides now is they are basically going to act as a host or an information center,” Scriven said.

For some, Split Rock Lighthouses' re-opening could not come soon enough.

"I’ve probably seen Split Rock ten, twelve times. I love it up here,” June Ulring of Walker said.

"We are on our way North and the light house seemed like a perfect stop, but now we found out it is not open,” Roger Masten of Dublin, Ohio said. "Its beautiful, we’ve been there before and it was not the same as being up close.”

As guests take in the beauty of the lighthouse up close again, masks will be encouraged, social distancing will be in place and a few new scenic lookouts that have been overlooked in the past will be open.

"We want them to come back and experience this. Its been shut down for far too long,” Scriven said.

According to Scriven, the Lighthouse will be open seven days a week from 10:00am-6:00pm and tickets will be reduced in price to $8 for those five and up and free for those four and under.

Scriven says tickets will be good for 40 minute time periods to allow staff to space out entries.

To read the orignal article and see related stories, follow this link to the WDIO-TV website.  https://www.wdio.com/duluth-minnesota-news/split-rock-lighthouse-reopen/5786691/?cat=10335