Minnesota Swimming Hole Named One of America’s Best

Here in Minnesota, we're famous for our lakes, but one of the state's most jaw-dropping swimming spots isn't exactly your typical beach day destination. Hidden among towering granite cliffs, this crystal-clear quarry pool has earned national attention, and it's a summer adventure hiding right here in the North Star State.

Keeping your cool in the summer here in Minnesota should be easy. I mean, we aren't known as the 'Land of 10,000 Lakes' for nothing, right? However, sometimes our lakes DO take a decidedly evil turn, like the time a few years ago when 60 people WERE sickened after swimming at Schulze Lake in Dakota County.

One of Minnesota’s Best Swimming Holes Is Hiding in Plain Sight

And, of course, hitting the lakes can be tougher in southeast Minnesota, especially in Olmsted County, which is one of only four Minnesota counties that do not have any naturally occurring lakes. (That's also the case for folks living in Mower, Pipestone, and Rock counties, too.)

SEE ALSO: The Worst Times to Be on the Roads in Minnesota Over the 4th of July Holiday 

Of course, Minnesota's third-largest city, Rochester, DOES have several places you can swim, like Cascade Lake, Foster Arend Park, the new Aquatic Center at Soldiers Field Park, or the new water features at Silver Lake Park. But if you're up for a quick road trip, did you know that one of the Best Swimming Holes in the entire country is right here in the North Star State?

This Minnesota Quarry Swimming Hole Earned National Attention

It's true. And according to this Travel Channel survey of the Best Swimming Holes in America, the swimming hole at Quarry Park & Nature Preserve near St. Cloud is one of the best in the country-- and it's the only swimming hole in Minnesota to land a spot on their list.

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Why Quarry Park Is a Must-Visit Minnesota Summer Destination

The Travel Channel survey had this to say about Quarry Park:

Quarry Park Nature Preserve has the highest concentration of quarries anywhere in the United States. The quarries' red granite, approximately 1.8 billion years old, has been used in famous buildings around the country, such as the FDR monument in Washington, D.C. Now, the red granite cliffs encompass two fun-filled swimming holes. Quarry 11 – recently opened in the summer of 2015 – has its own unique sandy beach, while Quarry 2 – 116 feet deep – features jumps that range from 10 to 24 feet!

According to Google Maps, a trip from Minnesota's Med City of Rochester to Quarry Park in St. Cloud is about 160 miles (depending on where you live) and will take you just over two-and-a-half hours to get there. So, it's definitely an easy day trip if you're going to check it out. And the park DOES look pretty cool. (You can get more info on it HERE.)

Of course, maybe you'd rather just chill out in a pool in your own backyard. But you don't have a pool at your house? Well, did you know you can *rent* a pool here in Minnesota? Keep scrolling to check out some places that are available right now.