LAKE LANIER, GA — Just in time for Independence Day festivities, seven more parks at Lake Lanier are set to reopen following weeks of closures due to staffing shortages.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that six of the parks will reopen under one-year cooperative agreements with Hall and Forsyth counties, which will manage the sites through the remainder of the season.

A seventh site, Burton Mill Park, will temporarily reopen from July 4 through July 7 with support from Corps staff and volunteers.

The reopening brings the total number of accessible parks at Lake Lanier to 64 out of 66. Only Van Pugh North and Van Pugh South will remain closed during the holiday weekend as hiring efforts continue.

In May, more than 20 of the lake’s parks were closed ahead of Memorial Day due to staffing shortfalls. Many have since resumed operations under various partnership and support arrangements.