Trails & Ales! Quarry Trails Metro Park / Knotty Pine Brewing

History

Before Quarry Trails Metro Park became a dynamic hub for outdoor enthusiasts, it was part of the historic Marble Cliff Quarry, which was once the largest contiguous limestone quarry in the United States. For over a century, workers excavated millions of tons of limestone from this massive site bordering the Scioto River. If you have ever admired the grand architecture of the Ohio Statehouse downtown or cheered from the stands at Ohio Stadium, you have already seen the very stone pulled from this ground. The quarry was an industrial powerhouse that literally laid the foundations for some of Columbus’s most iconic landmarks.

As the 20th century progressed, the intense mining operations began to wind down, leaving behind a scarred, industrial wasteland of deep pits and rugged cliffs. For decades, this massive stretch of land sat largely forgotten and off-limits to the public, hidden just a few miles west of downtown Columbus. However, the leaders at Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks saw immense potential in the abandoned terrain. They recognized a rare opportunity to reclaim a disrupted landscape and transform it into a unique urban oasis. By acquiring a portion of the historic quarry site, the park system set out to fulfill a long-term goal of putting a Metro Park within five miles of every Franklin County resident.

The vision became a reality on November 30, 2021, when Quarry Trails officially opened to the public as Central Ohio's 20th metro park. The opening marked a dramatic shift in how the city approaches green spaces by blending rugged, repurposed industrial elements with modern park design. Instead of erasing the site's mining past, the park preserves the sheer limestone faces and deep water pockets left behind by decades of excavation. Central Ohioans quickly adopted the park, marveling at how a former industrial zone could be so quickly converted into a sanctuary for both wildlife and people.

Among the park's most stunning features is Millikin Falls, a picturesque 25-foot waterfall that cascades over ancient limestone steps into a tranquil pool below. Visitors can walk along the ADA-accessible boardwalks, hike scenic loop trails, or search for prehistoric fossils embedded in the rock walls. The old quarry pits were filled to create pristine lakes like Swan Lake and Turtle Cove, which are now popular spots for catch-and-release fishing, kayaking, and paddleboarding. The clever engineering repurposed the harsh terrain to give locals access to water sports and dramatic waterfront vistas right in their backyard.

In May 2023, the park cemented its reputation for high adventure by opening the nation’s first urban Via Ferrata. This specialized climbing route allows thrill-seekers to traverse a 160-foot-tall canyon wall using steel rungs, ladders, and a suspension bridge dangling 100 feet in the air. Alongside a single-track mountain bike course, a sledding hill, and an off-leash dog park, Quarry Trails offers an array of specialized recreation rarely found near a major city center. Today, the park stands as a nationally recognized testament to urban renewal, proving that even the most heavily mined landscapes can be given a vibrant second life.

Maps of the Park

Here is the 2025 Map of Quarry Trails.

Here is the 2026 Map of Quarry Trails. Ignoring the new names they've added to some things, you can see they've also added a new leg to the Redback Loop Trail, a new giant hammocks, and some new restrooms.

Summary

For this hike, we'll do a loop of the park. This will be about four miles, which is at the low end of what I typically like to do for a Trails & Ales hike. I generally shoot for around five miles.

However, in my experience, Quarry Trails tends to wear people out faster than other parks, probably because we actually spend so much time walking on pavement or solid gravel, and because of Quarry Trails' elevation changes. So try not to think of this as "only" a four-mile hike. It tests people.

This might be the only place I hike where I rarely wear my hiking shoes.

Where We'll Meet

Quarry Trails has multiple entrances, but none of them are connected internally within the park. So you must drive to the correct one for this event.

We will meet at the Quarry Trails Lake Area, the actual address for which is 2319 Quarry Trails Dr, Hilliard, OH 43026. You can also use the map pin I've provided here. Do not just type "Quarry Trails" into Google Maps and trust it to take you to the correct place; it might not.

We will meet by the new restrooms they've just built here by the playground.

After the Hike

Afterward, we'll head over to Knotty Pine Brewing for drinks and food. Its actual address is 1765 W 3rd Ave, Columbus, OH 43212, and it's about an eight or nine minute drive from where we'll be parked at Quarry Trails. They have a nice covered outdoor porch if weather permits.

The brewery has a small parking lot, but street parking if you need it shouldn't be excruciatingly difficult to find. And, unless they've added parking meters since last I was there, street parking is free.

Please note that there is a business unrelated to the brewery that has its own parking lot right next to the brewery. Unless this business has recently changed its policy, they do not want people using their lot. I don't know if they're open on Saturdays to actually enforce this, but I personally am not interested in being the guinea pig to test their parking restrictions.

We should be at the tavern by 5 if you can't make the hike and just want to meet us for drinks.