Parks & Recreation

Quarry Park

Project Status: Post Construction

Project Overview:

Quarry Park was dedicated as a new park in May 2016. Located below Skyline Parkway adjacent to Brewer Park in West Duluth, and above the neighborhood between 46th Avenue West and 59th Avenue West, Quarry Park is used for ice climbing, dog walking, hiking, picnicking and disc golf.

The land was originally owned and worked by the Duluth Crushed Stone Company. By the time the company ceased operation it had quarried out a 1,000-foot long, 100-foot high cliff. Most recently, Quarry Park’s reputation as a steep and spectacular climbing location has been augmented by the focused development of mixed climbing routes. Today, it is a premier site and training ground for mixed climbing throughout the winter months, utilized by recreational climbers, university climbing programs, and guided groups.

The City of Duluth in partnership with local neighborhoods and the Duluth Climbers Coalition went through a master planning process for the park in the winter of 2015/2016. The plan outlined a vision for Quarry Park to be a neighborhood park offering accessible trails, disc golf, connections to the Superior Hiking Trail and Duluth Traverse, multi-use gathering space, in addition to world-class ice climbing as a major component.

Project Update:

Disc Golf Signage: The completed disc golf course was signed in spring 2019 to assist disc golfers with direction, hole distance, and difficulty. In addition to tee pad signage, a course map was installed at a main signage kiosk. Labor was donated by volunteers from the Lake Superior Disc Golf Community and materials were provided by the City of Duluth through the ½ and ½ Tourism Tax Fund. Each course hole has two tee pads and baskets to accommodate a variety of skill levels.

Park Signage and Wayfinding: Park entrance, directory, regulatory, directional and trail signage installed fall 2019.

East Side Multi-Use Trail: Construction of the eastern multi-use trail, which will connect at Skyline Parkway to the Duluth Traverse and the Superior Hiking Trail, was constructed by COGGS in spring 2019. This trail provides community connection through Quarry Park up to Brewer Park.

ADA Trail Loop: Construction of an ADA accessible loop at the base of the quarry was completed summer 2018 by Duluth Climbers Coalition volunteers and materials paid for by a Parks Fund grant.

Parking Lot and Access Road Improvements: The parking lot was regraded and re-sloped in summer 2018 to provide stormwater and drainage improvements. Improvements to the access road included regrading and the addition of class 5 gravel.