Quarries Adventure Park Breaks Ground In Lemont

LEMONT, IL — The long-awaited and anticipated Lemont Quarries Adventure Park has broken ground. The 300-acre outdoor park, which will feature the tallest and largest aerial adventure course in North America, is set to open in summer 2020.

Patch has reported on the project before, and it will be located on the northwest corner of Main Street and Walker Road.

The park will also offer an aerial zipline across the quarries, climbing and aerial challenge course, flatwater paddling (kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding), and running, mountain biking and hiking trails.

The project will also include an amphitheater and kids zone, as well as a restaurant, beer garden and concessions at the park.

"The highlight of this outdoor playground at the Lemont Quarries Adventure Park is the aerial
adventure course," Chris Gladwin, co-founder of the Lemont Quarries Adventure Park, said in a release. "Three free-standing towers, including a 12-story tower designed to look like the iconic Sears Tower splitting apart, will provide more than 260 elements for climbing and navigating."

The park will also be one of the only fully-accessible aerial adventure courses in the US, a release states.

"This is is one of the only aerial adventure courses that does not require climbers to follow a linear path, and instead, lets them chart their own course," said Jeremie Bacon, co-founder of The Lemont Quarries Adventure Park. "The design of our aerial adventure course prevents bottlenecks and slow-downs so that no matter what your skill level, you can navigate the course at your own leisure and speed."

The $35 million project will be privately funded, and it will be located on both public and private land owned by the village and the township.

"By partnering with Lemont to develop this adventure park, we've also created the opportunity to reinvest in a piece of Chicago's history," said Gladwin. "We're combining our resources not only to improve the conservation of this green space, but also bring new recreation opportunities to Chicagoans and visitors."

"No other aerial ropes course or adventure park in the country competes with the scale of Lemont Quarries. We're thrilled to provide a community-focused outdoor experience – for everyone from elite athletes to young families – right in Chicago's backyard," Bacon said.