06/19/06 NOTE: CR137 is under construction until Sept. 15. The
road will not be closed, but it may be difficult to drive on. I
did, however, make it through with my Saturn recently.
The first granite quarry in Central Minnesota was opened in 1863
by two Scotsmen. In the 130 years to follow, Central Minnesota
granite became an international commodity gracing buildings as far
away as Singapore.
About 100 years ago, a type of stone known as Saint Cloud Red
Granite was quarried from land that is now part of the park. The
Landmark Center and the James J. Hill House in St. Paul, Minnesota
both contain Saint Cloud Red Granite in their structures.
Though private ownership of the land by local quarry companies
continued until 1992, quarrying operations in the present park area
ceased in the mid-1950's. Over the years, the land gradually
reverted back to a more natural state. In 1992, Stearns County
purchased this site from Cold Spring Granite Company and added the
land to its County Park System. The park opened on January 1,
1998.
Quarry Park features:
- Hiking
- Mountain biking
- Rock climbing
- Swimming
- Instructional SCUBA diving
- Trout fishing
- Cross-country skiing
- Snowshoeing
- Scenic overlooks
The park currently contains 643 acres and has much to offer for
those who love the outdoors. Natural features include scenic
woodlands, open prairie, wetlands, and un-quarried bedrock areas.
Plant life includes everything from oaks and aspens to yellow
ladyslippers, Indian paintbrush, prickly pear cactus and the
tubercled rein orchid. The adjacent Quarry Park Scientific and
Natural Area adds 323 acres of trails and exploration.
Man-made features include sizable hills composed of quarried rock
remnants (grout piles), and 30 granite quarries, most of which are
now filled with water and form picturesque rock-fringed ponds.
Quarry Park is open from 8:00 a.m. to one-half hour after
sunset. Open till 11pm during ski season.
A vehicle parking permit is required at Quarry Park and Nature
Preserve. Permits can be purchased at the gatehouse at any time
through a self-permitting system. $4.00/day, $14.00 annual.
Many on-line maps show this cache on the side of a road. I
assure you this is not the case. Please use the park entrance from
CR 137.
