Summer in Milwaukee is the best; summer in the Midwest is even better. Join Milwaukee Record and Miller High Life July 22-29 as we search the city and beyond for the Spirit Of Summer.
Looking to cool off this summer? Maybe enjoy the refreshing waters of a public swimming quarry? Perhaps jump, dive, and flip off some sketchy graffiti-covered cliffs? Then hop in your vehicle, take a leisurely two-hour drive from downtown Milwaukee (head north on 41 and hang a left at Oshkosh), and buckle up for the mythical Redgranite Quarry in the heart of Redgranite, Wisconsin (pop. 2,000-ish).
Yes, just off the main drag and behind the post office, you’ll find Redgranite’s pride and joy: a mammoth, 163-feet-deep swimming quarry stuffed with hundreds of swimmers, cliff jumpers, scuba divers, and more. The quarry has been a popular destination since time immemorial, and even though some of its more precarious cliffs have been leveled over the years, it remains a must-visit for rural Wisconsin thrill-seekers.
Let’s watch some videos (all scored to some pretty sweet music), shall we?
Want to see what’s at the bottom of the quarry? Of course you do.
It should be noted that the quarry—which is free and open to the public from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.—is strictly “swim at your own risk.” There are no lifeguards. At least 19 people have drowned there since 1979. Some folks want it closed. It can be a blast, but it can also be dangerous. In other words: be careful, stay safe, and don’t drink and dive.