Palmisano Park Stearns Quarry

Right down Archer Ave from the dojo is Henry C. Palmisano Park. Now covered in prairie nature, this was the former home of Chicago’s first limestone quarry.
After almost a century of extraction, enough limestone had been carted off to create a nearly 400 foot hole in the ground: that’s what makes the park’s lake surrounded by steep limestone cliffs.
At the turn of the millenium, designated a future park, what had become a landfill was buried under topsoil, creating a high point with spectacular views of the neighborhood that is now referred to as Mount Bridgeport.

I came here in July. Love this park. Definitely nice view of the city when you get to the top. Really nice landscape and plants. Really nice place to photos at. Really nice scenery. Great walk around to enjoy some air. I couldn’t stop taking photos of the flowers because they were so pretty.

Perhaps the most surreal piece of topography in the city.

I held off writing this review because I kind of want to keep it what it is: a hidden gem. My husband found out about it through word of mouth and made a mental note to visit it one day. We always drive by it but never took the time to stop, park, and walk around. Last summer, we finally did, and boy, was it beautiful.
The park itself is semi-​gated, and a lot of people, especially elderly people, go there for walks. There are paths that wind through hills and even a mini-​mountain with a little lake. A couple people were actually fishing when we went. When you get to the utmost point, there is this incredible view of the city. The paths are lined with tons of flowers during the spring/​summer.
It’s a nice change of scenery from the regular cityscape – relatively quiet, secluded, and beautiful. Be sure to take some bug repellant with you on warmer weather days because there are lots of flying bugs, especially during dusk.

Yeah, loved this. Immediately. Planners, landscape urbanists, sustainability types… you’ll all geek out. This park does it right.
That mountain has got to be a landfill… I’ve been around a bunch of them, working in depressed communities. The way it’s graded sure as hell looks like a landfill to me. It really doesn’t matter either way tho, I think it’s fantastic that there are trails, exercise, city views, etc. Points out that everything is potential if you can see it.
Great old quarry, brings an industrial heritage to the site. They began mining this site in the 1830s! I bet we’ve seen some of those old stones in neighborhood foundations. Bridges cross over a wetland /​swale landscape that filters water as it heads to the quarry. I was there on a blustery, overcast Tuesday and a grandpa was fishing with a little kid. Charming. Native plants add to the serenity of the place.
Even at an off hour, it was getting used. Tells me that this is a really successful park. Kudos to the designers. How do I get one of these in my neck of the woods?

You thought Illinois was the flattest state in the country, well it is. If you want to run on hills in Chicago, look no further than Palmisano Park in Bridgeport. Graded hills, awesome quarry, picturesque view of the city skyline. If you enjoy jogging, come here its a nice break from the lakefront — especially on windy days.
Happy running,
— Jeremy

Great places for walks, dates, and exercise aficionados. I’ve seen people do H.I.T. on the straight-​away sidewalk along Halsted, the exercise station by the corner of 29^th and Halsted, run intervals on the grass, and uphill climbs.
I don’t know if people fish in the quarry, but it’s possible?
Please be advised. when you climb to the top of the hill, there are various trails you may see because people venture off the cement areas. The grass in these locations are filled with broken glass and bottle caps from people smashing beer bottles. I seen some small foot prints from children… please be careful.

Not much more to say than what the previous reviewers wrote other than to point out that there’s a lot of free parking on W. 27^th and Halsted. This truly is one of the hidden gems of Chicago. Such a well-​designed park, do yourself a favor and go for a visit.

What a hidden gem!
Seriously. My friend kept telling me about this spot and I was like «you mean that big hill»? She kept trying to get me to go but I just didn’t see the point. Wow do I feel like a LOSER for not listening to her sooner!
This is nothing what you expect and everything you thought it would never be. It is a series of trails that take you up and down and eventually to the bottom of the former quarry to a nice water area. It’s like you’re not even in the city anymore but somewhere out in the burbs.
It’s a BEAUTIFUL view once you get to the top where you can chill and reflect for a moment.
My only gripe is that there were quite a bit of people (around 7pm) and was a little tricky to maneuver when bikes and such are also going on the trail.
I will definitely be back here and can’t believe I didn’t go sooner!

Hills workout in Chicago.
Yes, it’s possible.
Still sucks ass, but when you are doing it in an urban oasis that you didn’t know existed three weeks before… it sucks a little less.
Perfect combination of urban park and nature sanctuary, Palmisano offers a little bit of everything to everyone:
— a fishing pond with fish IN IT. No kidding. They stock it on a regular basis. And it’s heavily used.
— a spectacular limestone background
— wetlands, pretty dry right now but a grasshopers’ paradise
— recycled timber boardwalks, concrete walks, metal grating walkways going up, down, straight and everywhere in between
— a crushed stone running track
— a hill offering a serious challenge for your running lungs and spectacular views of the city
— sculptures
— NATURE!!! Prairie, trees, water, insects, birds. Probably frogs.
So worth the trip down there. Reward yourself with a meat pie at the nearby Pleasant House Bakery, or go the Chinese way and gorge on dim sum on a chilly Sunday morning.
Urban perfection.

Great park if I don’t say so myself. I live close to ‘the hill’ as locals would call it. It’s a great for jogging, a bike ride, or a simple stroll around the pond. Even though the pond and river isn’t natural, many people go there to fishing (no boats though!). During the winter, children go sledding on the hill (slope isn’t that steep though)
The walk to the top of the hill is worth it! You could see the skyline, and even the Stevenson Expressway on the side. it’s also great for kite-​flying when it’s a windy day.
There are lots of plants and flowers native to Illinois due to the native plant-​life restoration going on (it seems that the July heat is winning).
On the west side of the hill, there is a flatter field that can be used to play Frisbee, play some football or have a nice picnic.
McGuane Park is right next to it, so I guess after a swim, baseball game, tennis match, basketball practice, or hanging out in the playground, you could have a nice walk around the Palmisano Park!

Oh man, I LOVE this park. As someone who is from a more rural area, this place really appeals to me. It is really surreal to go there and see all the nature with a great view of Chicago in the background. On one side of the park are metal walkways suspended above beautiful greenery and water features. The path weaves around the park, but leads to the quarry itself. It’s certainly not a place to go swimming but it’s nice to look at, and I’ve seen people attempt to fish there. The other side of the park is a big hill and open grass. From the top of the hill you get a very nice view of the city. If you’re adventurous, you can even go off the path a bit and explore the woods closer to the quarry.
As others have mentioned, no dog signs are posted at the entrance.
I can’t wait to go back here when it warms up again!

This park was on my list of places to visit in the city. I was passing by on Halsted with a car full of people and commandeered them to this park. It was right after Christmas and a sunny day and I decided everyone needed a brisk walk and some fresh air, especially me.
It isn’t a big park, maybe two blocks square. I’m a big fan of creative urban spaces and kudos to the city on this one. Even though it was December, there was a stready stream of cars parking and people going for a stroll.
A convenient place to get back to nature — right in the middle of Bridgeport. I bet when it rains there are cool waterfalls.

I love it when Chicago surprises me. I’ve passed Halsted and 26^th a million times, and not once did I notice that behind what seems like a giant boring hill was the Palmisano Park Stearns Quarry. In the busy and noisy hustle and bustle of Halsted Street in Bridgeport this truly seems like something from outer space.
Out of what use to be a quarry and landfill, someone got a good environmentally sound idea and created a park/​prairie preserve. And what an impressive prairie it is. Once you cross the hill and witness the actual Quarry, which is now a giant pond of a murky deep greenish blue color, your eyes are immediately drawn to the backdrop of carved rock. These are manmade 40 foot or taller excavations, but they look amazingly natural.
Suddenly, you no longer hear the traffic of Halsted; you hear birds chirping and water streams running. The green of the pond with the white gray of the rock and beige variations of the hundreds of prairie grasses are incredibly soothing and relaxing on the eyes. It even smells like nature here. Quick Yoga session? Why not?
The area is lined with very modern styled aluminum staircasing. If you look down by the staircases the ground is sprinkled with Swishers blunt wraps, and beer bottles, a little reminder that you’re still in Bridgeport. I guess I missed the session. Still, the area is pretty well kempt and trash is minimal. This is definitely worth a drive up from the north side. Relatively quiet and surely an amazing place for a picnic. Just, people please throw your blunt wraps in the garbage cans, ok?

The Stearns Quarry Park is my little urban wilderness.
Affectionately coined, «Mount Bridgeport,» I love to reach the top of the highest point in the park; providing you with a perfect North-​wards view of the city skyline.
I adore the fact that native Illinois prairie restoration is active at this park. The flowers & grasses are gorgeous. The paved walks around the park are my favorite for jogging.

Steams Quarry aka Mcguane (the BB field next to) it or also affectionally known as the «the old dump» is a great use of taxpayers money! I have been there two years in a row to take the kids tubing when it snows.
*caution-​I do not think the intent was for tubing, so parents shoud wait at the bottom of the hill to prevent kids from crashing into the concrete barrier that lines Halsted.
Plenty of small hills, great for little kids and bigger kids can snowbaord! Great enviroment, lots of families from the area great community feel :)

An oasis in the city… what at first glance this looks somewhat like a landfill, or gigantical ant hill… is actually a beautifully, naturally landscaped park, quarry, path, and wildlife party. Ducks! Geese! Grasshoppers!
First some background…
From the Chicago Park District Website:
Stearns Quarry is a 27-​acre (27 ACRES!?) site on Chicago’s southwest side, in the heart of the Bridgeport neighborhood. Its story is one of transformation, as it has changed from coral reefs to quarry to landfill to park. Not surprisingly, each incarnation plays a major role in developing the next
Stearns Quarry is a dynamic park, with a fishing pond, interpretive wetlands, preserved quarry walls, trails, an athletic field, a running track, and a hill that offers dramatic views. Over 1.7 miles of paths, including recycled timber boardwalks, concrete walks, a crushed stone running path, and metal grating walkways traverse the park. These trails allow for a variety of experiences along the quarry wall, across the terracing wetlands, and down to the pond. Scenic overlooks provide dramatic overviews of the pond and wetlands, and spectacular city views can be seen from the mound.
—
We popped over here today with pooch for a walk around Bridgeport. One unfortunate thing, and I’m not entirely sure why… but, NO DOGS signs are posted at the entrance. My dog is always leashed and picked up after, so I decided to chance it. On this chill morning, no one was around to even bother. Tillie probably WISHED we’d left her in the car after walking on the metal grated path, but she lived to sleep again. No worries. Anyway, the signs are posted… so if you’ve got Sparky you may need to head next door to McGuane Park’s softball and football fields… they also have a playground for the kiddos, so it’s all right here for the folks that need some fresh air.
It’s quite impressive, and seems so… hidden. Secret. Indulgent, almost. Like, «are we really here?» Is this really in Bridgeport? Where are we? The dude doing Tai Chi… icing on the cake. This park/​quarry is a motherlovin’ bliss trip. Serious.
Not crowded (yet), and in the next few years when the natural prairie and trees start to grow in, this is going to be incredible.
Bridgeport. Hi.

I am an avid dog runner. Meaning, my dogs get to go to the nicest parks in Chicago but I was really disappointed with this park. Although for people it is a really nice park to stroll through, with its small river, quarry lagoon and duck feeding area. The signs in the beginning are a little misleading. One sign says leashed dogs are welcome, than when you walk there is a sign *(BIG) that says No Dogs Allowed. Of course, its a public park so we took our dogs (Chihuahua’s) in. Besides we clean after our pets. BUT, when we started up the hill to get to a breathtaking view of the city, there were no tree’s so I just thought, no this is not dog friendly.
The scenery is really nice and the lagoon is different, with its rock quarry look but brown murky water (this happens with Quarry strewn rivers), but nonetheless I had a nice experience with the scenery. Hopefully it stays nice and graffiti doesn’t work its way there.

Just a few blocks south of the Halsted Orange Line stop is the old quarry and now renovated Stearns Quarry Park. It’s got to be one of the most secluded spots in the city to relax and enjoy summer. At the bottom after hiking down the path is a lake.
After chowing down at Ramova, we went to the quarry to feed our leftover toast to the ducks and minnows. I decided to go wading in the water and about 3 feet from shore stepped into a sinkhole. So, I got a little wet. It was fun as hell though. Rumpleminz and lazing on a sunny afternoon makes one do stupid things!

My husband’s been excited to show me this «hidden park» for the past few weeks. We’d driven by many times and I always assumed it was a landfill. You can’t really see in from the outside.
But once you venture in, it’s really interesting! There are concrete paths and metal bridges that take you up and around the park and just past the teeny tiny waterfall, down the metal pathway, there’s the remnants of the quarry. So, it essentially looks like a small lake surrounded by cliffs. It’s almost surreal as you stand there looking into this slightly incredible scene IN THE MIDDLE OF CHICAGO.
The park seems like it’s still under development. The grass isn’t lush, the trees look freshly planted and aren’t very tall, but it’s worth a walk/​bike around, for sure. Can I reiterate that there’s a «lake» surrounded by «cliffs» in the middle of Chicago???