Quail Run Divers Quarry
Rolla, Missouri
This
spring-fed stone quarry east of Rolla, Missouri, about a 1.5-hour drive west
of the St. Louis area, has training platforms from 15 feet (5 m) to 25 feet
(7.5 m) deep. Divers can explore a sunken speed boat, check out a decorated
Christmas tree and brave the cold down to the spring that feeds the quarry.
No camping is permitted at Quail Run but lodging is available in nearby
Rolla, a 5-minute drive away. There are no concessions on site but plenty of
dining and lodging options are available in Rolla. A C-card is required to
dive at Quail Run and divers must sign a liability waiver.
Depths to: 45
feet (13.5 m) but averages about 30 feet (9 m)
Visibility:
15-20 feet (5-6 m)
Water
temperature: 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit (26-30 degrees Celsius) in the summer.
Aquatic life:
Bluegill, bass, catfish.
Fees: $10 per
diver per day. Air fills are available for $5.
On-site
amenities:
Portable toilet,
changing rooms, picnic tables.
More info: Call
the quarry operators, Ken and Mary Jane Dover, at (573) 368-5400.
Open: 8 a.m. to
5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays from April 1 to October 31. Other dates and
times are available by reservation.
Getting there:
From St. Louis, take Interstate 44 west to Exit 189 (six miles past St.
James). At the top of the exit ramp, turn left and travel over I-44. Take
the second right (first is the outer road) on Road 44. You will pass over
railroad tracks. At the stop sign, take a right onto Chester Green Road.
Follow the road 0.9 miles to Quail Run Road and a half mile later you will
see the entrance to the quarry on the left. There will be a sign or dive
flag at the gate.
