Posted in Cleveland November 27, 2017 by

This Underrated Park Just Might Be The Most Beautiful Place Near Cleveland

Clevelanders are constantly entranced by their stunning surroundings, and it’s easy to see why. The stunning landscape surrounding Cleveland has been divided into a variety of parks that vary greatly in their natural habitats and man-made contributions, but one park effortlessly blends nature and man-made ruins. You will adore walking the trails of this splendid abandoned quarry, and you will gain an unrivaled glimpse into an industry that helped shape the canal locks that are now abandoned all over the region.

Welcome to Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park!
Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park/Facebook
Located at 5779 Riverview Road in Peninsula, this amazing gem is only about half an hour away from Cleveland.
Summit Metro Parks/Facebook
Since 1934, this lovely plot of land has been entertaining locals as part of the Summit Metro Parks, but ruins of its previous life are still abundant.
Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park/Facebook
During its life as the State Quarry, the exposed ledges of Berea sandstone were chiseled and carved away to build the canal locks and other local structures.
Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park/Facebook
The forest was cleared during the pioneer quarrying days, but it has since reclaimed the land and has flourished around the ruins.
Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park/Facebook
One of the most popular attractions in the park is Lock 28, the deepest lock on the Ohio & Erie Canal.
Summit Metro Parks/Facebook
At 1.4 miles, the Quarry Trail offers an exceptional way to see all that the park offers, including the famed lock.
Summit Metro Parks/Facebook
The trail loops through areas littered with millstones and building foundations, and it will take you along vistas of the Cuyahoga River.
Summit Metro Parks/Facebook
And, as you can probably imagine, this park is breathtaking in every season.
Summit Metro Parks/Facebook
In the wintertime, the terraced ledges form spectacular stalactites of ice.
Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park/Facebook
And in the warmer months, a variety of fauna call this park home.
Summit Metro Parks/Facebook
Remains of the canal bed still linger, and its banks are home to frogs, turtles, and salamanders.
In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps collected stone from this park to build several Metro Parks facilities across the region.
dave ungar/Flickr
Berea sandstone is everywhere across the state. In fact, you may recognize this lovely material as the building blocks of the James A. Garfield Memorial in Lake View Cemetery. Within the Summit Metro Parks, you may have seen this rock in the Pioneer Shelter in Goodyear Heights Metro Park.
Years before the Metro Parks existed, a man named Ferdinand Schumacher harvested the stone for use in oatmeal production.
Andrew Borgen/Flickr
Ferdinand Schumacher is considered to be the man that introduced oatmeal to the United States. He purchased a portion of the quarry in 1879 to create millstones that could remove the outer hulls of oats. He would go on to establish Akron's American Cereal Works, which would eventually become the Quaker Oats that we all know and love. Who knew it got its start so close to home?!
Today, the park's incredible history is subtly preserved in the ledges and valleys of its expanse.
Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park/Facebook
Adventure is always lurking around every twist and turn of the trail.
John Potter/Flickr
A trail map can be found here.
You will love this landscape, and it's too close to home to pass by without a visit.
Deep Lock Quarry Metro Park/Facebook
Get ready to take in this unrivaled splendor, because few Cleveland area parks feature such lovely ruins!
Summit Metro Parks/Facebook

This incredible park is littered with ruins of our economic past, and its trails and terrace certainly weave a stunning tale of our own local history. What do you love most about this lovely Summit Metro Park?

For another incredible hiking experience, be sure to visit Gorge Trail.