Quarry Trails Metro Park, located at 2600 Dublin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43228, is a 182-acre park that opened on November 30, 2021.
The park is owned and operated by Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks. It was developed on the site of the Marble Cliff Quarry, which was once the largest contiguous quarry in the United States, providing limestone for over a century for structures like the Ohio Statehouse.
Visitor Information
- Address: 2600 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43228
- Hours: Year-round, from 6:30 a.m. until dark
For more information, you can contact the park at 614.565.1539 or visit their official website at www.metroparks.net
History of Marble Cliff Quarry
The park occupies part of the former Marble Cliff Quarry, once the largest contiguous quarry in the United States. For over a century, this quarry supplied limestone used in constructing iconic structures like the Ohio Statehouse and Ohio Stadium. The area also holds cultural significance, having been a workplace for many Italian immigrants who settled nearby.
The Marble Cliff Quarry, located just west of the Grandview Heights and Marble Cliff areas along the Scioto River in Columbus, Ohio, has a rich history dating back to the early 19th century. Quarrying activities began as early as the 1840s, with the extraction of Columbus and Delaware limestone, which was approximately 100 feet thick. These limestone deposits were utilized for construction and as flux to purify iron ore.
In 2017, Metro Parks, in partnership with Thrive Companies, embarked on a project to redevelop the site. This collaboration led to the creation of both the 180-acre Quarry Trails Metro Park and the adjacent Quarry Trails mixed-use development. The park officially opened on November 30, 2021, marking the 20th addition to the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks system.
In 1913, the Marble Cliff Quarry Co. was established through the consolidation of several companies, including Casparis Stone Co., Scioto Stone, Kiefer Stone, and Woodruff and Pausch Stone. Under the leadership of John W. Kaufman as president and H.J. Kaufman as vice president, the company expanded its operations, producing up to 3 million tons of stone per year by 1928. At its peak, the quarry employed as many as 500 men.
The quarry's products were integral to various construction projects, including the Ohio Statehouse. The area around the quarry, known as San Margherita, became a significant Italian immigrant community, with many workers employed in the quarrying industry.
In 1985, the Kaufman family sold the 2,000-acre quarry to investors who filled in and developed the site for residential use, leading to the creation of Marble Cliff Commons apartments and Marble Cliff Crossing, a subdivision built between 1998 and 2003. The northern section of the original quarry remained in operation by American Aggregates Co.
In 2017, Wagenbrenner Development purchased a section of the former quarry with the intention of remediating the site's brownfields to create a mixed-use development and the region's 20th Metro Park. On November 30, 2021, the first phase of the 225-acre Quarry Trails Metro Park opened to the public.
Sections of the original quarry remain in operation, now by American Aggregates Co. The remainder of the quarry has since been filled in and developed for residential use, including Marble Cliff Commons apartments and Marble Cliff Crossing, a 100 single-family and 60 double-family subdivision built between 1998 and 2003.
San Margherita History
San Margherita, situated west of Columbus across the Scioto River, was settled by Italian immigrants between 1880 and 1920 who worked at the nearby Marble Cliff Quarry. Most of these immigrants were from Pettorano sul Gizio in the Province of L'Aquila, Abruzzo, naming the hamlet after their patron, Saint Margaret of Cortona.
Initially, quarry workers lived in simple shack-like homes along McKinley Avenue and the railroad tracks. Those who saved enough money eventually built houses along the south side of Trabue Road.
Twenty-eight pre-World War II homes were constructed along Trabue Rd, and post-War homes were constructed a few blocks south on Hague Avenue until the site of the new Saint Margaret of Cortona Church. Since then, the neighborhood has been in decline, with many descendants of the original residents moving to nearby neighborhoods like Grandview Heights or Marble Cliff Village.
The homes along Trabue Road sit on the 60 ft fronts of one acre lots. The large backyards were used to grow vegetables and cultivate grapes in small vineyards. Early residents of the neighborhood would tend to chickens and hogs, providing help to their neighbors during slaughter and harvest times. Two dozen of the original homes still remain on Trabue Road.
Though once a robust and rural community, San Margherita is in danger of vanishing. Many of the original homes and locally owned businesses in the neighborhood have been demolished.
In 2003, the City of Columbus acquired three homes and three commercial properties, including a Marathon gas station and Spiro's Lounge, for demolition to widen the road and ease traffic on Trabue Road between Dublin Road and McKinley Avenue.
In 2008, The Robert Weiler Company acquired a 10-acre tract of land at 3445 Trabue Rd and was amassing property in San Margherita for commercial development and was looking to develop a supermarket-anchored center along Trabue Rd. to serve both Upper Arlington and the West Side.
Geography
Neighborhood boundaries between Penn Central and Conrail train tracks, following Trabue Road and venturing south until 1600 Hague Avenue. The Saint Margaret of Cortona Catholic Church parish boundaries extend north to Roberts Road, east to the Scioto River, south to Fisher Road, and west to Jones Road.
Saint Margaret of Cortona Catholic Church
Originally located at 3388 Trabue Road, thirteen local families led the effort to establish a church in their predominantly Roman Catholic community. Each family donated $50 toward its construction, while another family contributed the 2.2-acre lot. Built in 1921, the church was debt-free within five years. A frame parish hall was added in 1936, and the rectory was completed in 1955.
Starting in 1921, the parish hosted an annual three-day festival in late July to honor the patron saints of the residents' Italian birthplaces. The event included a parade down Trabue Road featuring statues of St. Margaret, St. Anne, St. Lucy, St. Anthony, and St. Joseph. By the 1950s, the parish's boundaries were defined, extending east to the Scioto River, west to Jones Road, north to Roberts Road, and south to Fisher Road.
As the congregation grew, a larger church became necessary. The new Saint Margaret of Cortona was constructed in 1968 at 1600 Hague Avenue. In 1987, the original church at 3388 Trabue Road was sold and scheduled for demolition due to disrepair and declining attendance at daily mass. Joseph Baljak, a parish member since 1976, purchased the property under the condition that he could repurpose the rectory and parish hall, while the church itself would be demolished.
Until the old church was torn down, daily mass continued at 3388 Trabue Road, while Sunday services and religious ceremonies took place at the new Hague Avenue location. The annual festival also moved to the new church, with the parade evolving into a procession from the old site to the new one.
The original Saint Margaret of Cortona Catholic Church, viewed from the front on 3388 Trabue
St. Margaret's festival was held even before the construction of the original church, and has always included a procession down Trabue Rd, carrying statues of Italian patron saints
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Hiking Trails
The park offers several trails catering to various skill levels:
- Boardwalk: A 0.1-mile, easy, ADA-accessible trail suitable for hiking and pets.
- Connector Trails: A 0.4-mile, easy, paved trail in the Lake Area, suitable for hiking and pets.
- Flat Rocks Trail: A 0.3-mile, easy, paved trail suitable for hiking and pets.
- Trails: A network of trails, including the Tall Wall Trail, providing scenic views and access to various park areas.
Other Attractions
Quarry Trails Metro Park offers a blend of natural beauty and recreational amenities:
- Millikin Falls: A picturesque 25-foot waterfall accessible via a limestone-sculpted stairway.
- Lakes and Water Activities: Two quarry lakes suitable for kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, and fishing.
- Mountain Biking: A rugged 0.75-mile single-track trail designed for intermediate to advanced riders.
- Sledding Hill: One of the area's longest sledding hills
- Via Ferrata: Opened in May 2023, this is the first free-to-use urban via ferrata in the United States.
The Quarry Trails via ferrata route includes 1,040 feet of cabled climbing using metal rungs, ladders and fixed cables as a means of climbing over intermediate rocky terrain. The route includes a 90-foot treadway suspension bridge situated 105 feet above a scenic pond, two aerial walkways and a 54-foot steel staircase.
Due to the unique nature of the via ferrata, access is only available through program registration. Visitors can enjoy the via ferrata on fully guided programs by reservation with the Metro Parks Outdoor Adventure team.
- It takes an average of 90 minutes to complete the route.
- Users must be at least 14 years of age, weigh between 88 and 265 pounds and be at least 5 feet tall. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
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- Sport Climbing
The Sport Climbing area is open without advanced registration, but users must sign a waiver and wear a climbing helmet. There are six climbing routes, reaching more than 50 feet up the sheer cliff walls. The lead climber clips their rope into pre-drilled permanent bolts for their protection while ascending the route, with the rope managed by a belayer at ground level. Minimum gear required to use the Sport Climbing walls is dynamic climbing rope (about 60 to 80 meters), rock climbing harness, climbing shoes, quickdraws, webbing/slings, locking carabiners, climbing helmet, chalk and chalk bag, and belay device
Conclusion
In 2023, Quarry Trails Metro Park received the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association’s Award of Excellence for Capital Improvements over $2.5 million. Additionally, in 2024, it was named Project of the Year by the Building Columbus Awards, recognizing its transformative impact on the community.
This metro park is amazing! The history and the beauty of the site is incredible, and it is in the urban Columbus, Ohio, area. The Via Ferrata cabling looks fantastic. I say looks fantastic, but I would be like the recent visitor that got a panic attack halfway up and had to be rescued by the fire department.
It is definitely worth a visit, with or without climbing.
