Scenic views, accessible trails, and greenway connections await!
With long range views of downtown Winston-Salem, a scenic crystal clear lake surrounded by rocky bluffs and numerous amenities, The Quarry at Grant Park is an urban oasis that’s just a 10-minute drive from the city center.
A series of paved trails take you to various overlooks, including the dramatic view from The Boom, an elevated steel observation deck that juts out above the quarry lake. Those paved trails help you access a band shell/picnic area, butterfly sculpture garden, playground, geologic interpretive trail and two trail connectors - including one that links up to the Salem Creek Greenway, a paved path that extends throughout the city.
The Quarry is also a community hub that plays host to numerous events and gatherings, including the Rock Out at the Quarry party that kicks off each summer in Winston-Salem.
History of The Quarry
Operations at the Quarry – then known as the Piedmont Quarry – began in the 1930s, generating much of the gravel that underlays the streets of Winston-Salem.
The Vulcan Materials Company purchased the site in the 1960s, mining the area until the mid-1970s and continuing to pull deposits into the 1980s. Vulcan donated the land to the City of Winston Salem in 1998. In 2014, voters approved turning the site into a park. Quarry Park opened to the public in August 2017.
Now known as The Quarry at Grant Park, the Park honors Tim Grant – the city’s long-time parks and recreation director.
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Frequently Asked Questions
It is free to visit The Quarry at Grant Park
Park hours are sunrise to sunset.
The Quarry at Grant Park is best accessed at 1790 Quarry Road in Winston-Salem, NC.
The Quarry can also be accessed from Salem Creek Greenway via the Peachtree Connector and Waughtown Connector, or from the Waughton Community via the Waughtown Connector.
The Quarry at Grant Park features a large, paved parking lot at 1790 Quarry Road. Parking is free.
Amenities including the picnic shelter, playground and overlook are all just a few steps away from the parking area.
The Quarry at Grant Park is a great place to enjoy scenic views of Winston-Salem from The Boom overlook with your family or on a romantic date.
A highlight of The Quarry at Grant Park is the network of paved trails that are generally considered easy.
A paved pathway around The Boom features interpretive signs that showcase the area’s history, and there are actual boulders of different kinds of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.
Families can enjoy a state-of-the-art playground completed in 2023 that resembles a quarry and mining operation. The playground includes slides, a rock wall, a gravel pit, a 42-foot tower, in-ground trampolines and a toddler play area.
Pack a picnic to enjoy under the covered picnic shelter. The picnic shelter sits on a small hill that provides long-range views of the Winston-Salem skyline.
Bring your bike to ride from The Quarry at Grant Park on the Waughtown connector and/or on the Peachtree Greenway as you explore the greater Salem Creek Greenway, a 5.2-mile paved path which provides access to many of the city’s top attractions including Salem Lake and the downtown Long Branch Trail.
From the parking area, utilize the paved trail or walk toward The Boom overlook to reach the park’s main attraction.
The paved pathway that hugs the fence line of the Quarry (and the loop that goes behind the picnic shelter) is technically known as the Waughtown Connector.
If you walk under The Boom on the paved pathway, you will access the interpretive trail with information about the area’s history and examples of various kinds of rock. There is also an overlook along this route with a view of the lake. Follow the trail around to the left, passing the first turn (which takes you out onto The Boom) to veer left toward the playground to create a park loop that takes you by the picnic shelter on the way back to the parking area.
Turning right at that second trail junction will instead keep you on the Waughtown Connector on the way to the Waughtown community. It is about 0.8 miles to the Waughtown community from this intersection.
If you go the opposite way from The Boom on the paved pathway from the parking area (to the right), you’ll reach a series of three overlooks, each with a different view of the Quarry. The overlooks feature benches to sit and enjoy the scenery. On some maps, these overlooks are labeled with letters. However, at the park, the overlooks themselves do not have signs with these letters.
The trail slopes down past a sculpture and butterfly garden before reaching an area with bike racks just before a foot bridge. This foot bridge (approximately 0.3 miles from the parking area) marks the entrance to the paved 0.6-mile Peachtree Greenway, which ultimately connects to the Salem Park Greenway.
The Boom overlook juts out over the lake and is approximately 150 feet above the water. The end of the overlook features a chest-high gate that helps provide safety. On a clear day, you can see the Winston-Salem skyline, and this is the ultimate spot for a sunset selfie!
The Boom may not be right for those guests who have an extreme fear of heights.
Keep pets on a leash and do not leave children unattended.
There is no swimming allowed in the lake at The Quarry.
There is no fishing allowed in the lake at The Quarry.
Recreation on the lake itself is only permitted during the Kayak the Quarry event, which is held twice a year – typically once in the spring and once in the fall.
Yes, all parts of the Quarry at Grant Park, including The Boom overlook are wheelchair accessible via paved pathways or ramps.
Yes, there is a public restroom at The Quarry at Grant Park. The restroom is built into the underside of The Boom overlook. Follow the paved pathway under the overlook to locate the facilities. The park also features a drinking fountain.
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