Rock Quarry Park

I’m really not sure what Rock Quarry Park is missing! They host a bunch of public events (Light The Night Walk and Woofstock are just two events coming up THIS month!) and it’s where the military branch based next doors always has their family day. I run through this park when I’m on the Ellerbe Creek Trail and sometimes stop to grab a drink from the water fountains. Rock Quarry Park has athletic fields, greenway access, lights, picnic facilities, play grounds, restrooms, soccer fields, tennis courts, water fountains, and a youth baseball field. If you enter and following the parking lot straight down, you’ll see a trail entrance. This trail (sometimes with use of sidewalks) leads to the Vietnam Veterans Living Memorial, Edison Johnson Recreation Center, Museum of Life and Science, and joins up with the Ellerbe Creek Trail.
Do take note that the park is referred to as «Rock Quarry Park at Edison Johnson Recreation», the two kind of spill into one another. The ACTUAL park has the athletic fields, bathrooms and tennis courts, while the Recreation Center has everything else (even a pool and a splash pad!) And of course the Vietnam Veterans Living Memorial is located in the middle, on the path that connects the park to the recreation center. You will find people «hanging out» in their cars in the parking lot, like at most Durham Parks, but they’ve never bothered me. Overall, this is a great park for field activities, tennis and runners. I definitely pay it my park dues!

Christina G.‘s description pretty much covers the park! I am personally a huge fan because there’s a lot of parking and it’s a great place to start a jog on the Ellberee trail system. There are trails through the park through shaded, wooded areas – from the main entrance on Stadium down towards the aquatics center and beyond all the way to Northgate Park, then towards downtown Durham. The park is crowded with tennis players and families on weekends.

The bathrooms. They’re ALWAYS locked! That’s not cool, friends…
You’ve received your warning up front, lest you be deceived by the two prominent restroom facilities on site. That’s the downside. The upside is that the rest of the park is well-​kept and spacious for what it is. Lots of parking, and there are 8 tennis courts! And a large field (looks like it’s primarily used for baseball and volleyball), plus built in bleachers for spectating. A little path through a wooded area leads you to the Vietnam Veterans memorial and spills into the Johnston Center parking lot (where you’ll find an aquatic facility and more).