So Blue! Quarry Lakes Post-Christmas: Photo

QUARRY LAKES REGIONAL RECREATION AREA, CA — Quick... what was gravel taken from these quarries in the 1800s used for? If you spouted the answer immediately, you must be a fan of the recreation area or you went to school nearby.

The answer, of course, is that the gravel was used to build the transcontinental railroad. In fact, if you've ridden the Niles Canyon Railway, you know that it is a segment of the transcontinental railroad.

The quarries are now flooded, with the water used to recharge underground supplies. Quarry Lakes provides plenty of water activities to park users, not to mention the natural beauty of the area.

Patch reader Glen Mikesell snapped this photo Wednesday afternoon. We were struck immediately by how blue the water is — so pretty! And we like your framing, with the trees in the foreground and the mountain in the distance. Thank you for sharing this photo, Glen.

Read more about Quarry Lakes

Read more about Niles Canyon Railway

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Email it to autumn.johnson@patch.com.

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Photo credit: Glen Mikesell

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