스턴스 카운티 최고의 워킹 & 하이킹 경로

Quarry Park Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) encompasses 323 acres embedded within a larger, 684-acre Stearns County Park in Waite Park, Minnesota. This landscape is best known for its rich history of granite mining, which peaked during the first half of the 20th century. If you look back much further in time, the story of this granite begins with a mountain‑building event known as the Penokean Orogeny. This event started about 1.9 billion years ago, when the collision of two continents greatly thickened the continental crust. Geologist Terry Boerboom of the Minnesota Geological Survey explains: “As this over‑thickened crust collapsed and thinned, high‑temperature magma welled up from the earth’s mantle and pooled beneath it. The addition of the magma to the already hot base of the crust caused it to melt and mingle with the underlying magma from the mantle. Batches of this mixture rose upward to a depth of about 10 miles below the surface, where it slowly cooled to form the granite. The different colors of granite reflect the varied degrees to which the two different magma sources were mixed.”

This county park has it all: a beach for swimming, a picnic area, a nature center, and trails for hiking, biking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. There is ample parking and restroom facilities.

The Beaver Island Trail is a beautiful 5-mile long trail. It follows the Mississisppi River from St. Cloud. The trail is paved and gives you great views of the water.

Nice view of the St. Cloud Hydroelectic Facility and dam. From the trail, you also get a great view of the Mississippi River.

Water, flush toilets, shade and picnic benches - a pleasant stop for a break.

Located right on the Lake Wobegon State Trail this park offers parking, a shelter, picnicking facilities, and easy access to the trail. There is also plenty of shade for those hot, sunny days.

Historical tools for mining granite

Walk your bike (road) down to the dock if you chose to head there. The road is a bit rough especially for smaller tires.