Atlanta's Newest Park Moves From the “Dark into the Light”

On a bright sunny Saturday morning, my family and I ventured out to the West End section of Atlanta to visit the much anticipated Bellwood Quarry park. This stunning 280 acre repurposed green-space includes endless paved walking/running trails, a fun play area for kids, gorgeous art installations, lush native GA landscaping and to top it off, an enormous 1.9 billion gallon water reservoir. After studying the map at the parking area, we loaded up our water bottles and began our walk on the path to find Atlanta’s newest “Crown Jewel” of parks.

The Bellwood Quarry, while being a great asset for the City of Atlanta, has a dark past. The Quarry was once used as a prison labor camp. Individuals, who were more often than not convicted of only minor offenses, were forced to perform back breaking labor in the massive granite extraction site. What most people do not understand is that prison labor camps, such as the one at the Bellwood Quarry, were used as a means to continue slavery after the Civil War.

Today, the Bellwood Quarry has a much brighter purpose. The city of Atlanta purchased the quarry in 2006 to serve as a water reservoir. The City used an enormous drill, nicknamed “Driller Mike” to bore a five mile tunnel underground between the Chattahoochee River and the Hemphill Water Treatment Plant that links the quarry. The reservoir will hold an emergency water supply for the City of Atlanta, that could last for 30 to 90 days.

There are also some really fun facts about the Bellwood Quarry. The site was used in the filming of various tv shows and films you may be familiar with. If you get the chance to visit the quarry, you may recognize the scenery from Stranger Things, Vampire Diaries, and the Walking Dead.

The Bellwood Quarry is one of the absolute best new places in Atlanta for a weekend hike, bike ride or family picnic. Go out and explore!

References:

The Most Famous Abandoned Quarry in America, by Mark S. Kuhar

Rockproducts.com (Sep 12, 2016)

Healing the Scars by Tony J. Rodriguez Jr. DigitalCommons@KennesawStateUniversity.com (May 4, 2017)

Touring Atlanta’s Bellwood Quarry by Josh Green, Atlanta.curbed.com

(Jan 11, 2018)

Water Begins Flowing Into Atlanta’s Bellwood Quarry by Molly Samuel (apr 17, 2020)