I just visited to go for a walk and get a little exercise. This was a great location! Lots of granite, and great views of the pools. I had never been to a quarry before, so this was very intriguing for me as well.
This is a great little swimming hole and park. Ive been here multiple times. The big complaint is the fact that its crowded with crazy youngsters. I may also be a youngster, but I'm not crazy and rude. This is only a minor issue though really, its a giant place with a large variety of rocks to jump from. Another complaint would be the long walk. Honestly if I lived near here and had a pool, I'd swim in my pool. It is still a pretty fun place to go with your friends though, or your family.
Relaxing except for the hundreds of children running around. Space is pretty tight if you want a decent place, so usually show up between 10-10:30 A.M. and wait for the water to warm up! Never been disappointed though, regardless of the children.
Once I saw that Quarry Park is the most unique county park in the United States I knew the dogs and the husband had to go there with me. The park features:*Granite reflecting pools*A swimming hole 112 feet deep*Scientific and Natural Areas*Mountain bike paths over billion-year-old bedrock*Trout fishing*Quarry park currently contains 684 acres, it has much to offer for those who love the outdoors. The trails were really easy to walk and only the overlook was too narrow and steep for my taste. My husband trekked up and talked with the field trip group up there and then we continued our walk and the kids got to take photos of the dogs and talk to us from their perch high about on the granite. There are lots of different sites to see while wandering through. Natural features include:*Scenic woodlands*Open prairie*Wetlands*Un-quarried bedrock areasThe park is a walking and biking adventure, no motorized vehicles are allowed. A parking lot at the entrance charges $4 per day or $14 for an annual pass. This is definitely a It is kind of a risk adventure recreation site and you should consider yourself on your own. There are spots for Scuba diving and rock climbing is allowed at designated quarries with permits and liability waivers.We were there on a weekday in Autumn and it was fairly empty. I would imagine summer is crazy busy so plan accordingly. We will definitely go back for another visit.
trails, swimming ponds, trees, birds, busy on weekends when weather is nice, close to St Cloud and I 94 too
fun for the whole family very beautiful place to go for a walk
Park has great trails for hiking year round, the swimming area is busy in the summer, would not bring small kids to swim, no lifeguard on duty.
The quarries are a wonderful place to visit year round. In the fall, the changing leaves are beautiful, and the smell of autumn is amazing. Winter time is fun for snow hiking, snowshoeing and there are cross-country ski trails. The ski trails are groomed and lit for night skiing. Spring time can start out muddy, but watching the trees and plants budding again is great - and then the pits are ready for swimming when it gets warm enough in the summer! If you are planning to go more than four times a year, it's worth it to get a permit for the whole year - it's only about $12 compared to around $4 per day.
We were a bit surprised to find that it was a ten minute walk into the swimming hole but it was well worth it. It was mostly young people along the path but they were obviously a good-natured crew. And the quarry itself is a real classic.(No changing room and just a couple port o potties, though.) Lots of reckless youth jumping off high ledges (sometimes jumping piggyback--I can't look!), but the swimming hole itself is large, clear, and delightfully refreshing. Plenty of room for a leisurely swim. We didn't have the time to visit the rest of the park but it appeared to be a fine place for a hike or a ski--and historically most interesting. We'll be back.
Long walk in but a cool place to visit and gather with friends. I wish there were designated quarries for teenagers vs. adults - haha! Some of the younger crowd is irresponsible and inconsiderate of other people..