Quarry Jumping in Vermont

Despite what many may think, Vermont can get really HOT in the summer. What better way to cool off than a swim? While Vermont has its share of refreshing lakes, many locals chill out in nearby quarry pools.  One of said pools is located in Dorset, VT and after many years of passing by this swimming hole on our way to the family farm, we finally stopped to check it out.  Why we have never stopped here before is beyond me!  We love a unique adventure and as you may recall from our recent Costa Rica trip, Chris enjoys a good cliff jump. 

The Dorset quarry is located on Route 30 close to the town of Manchester, VT - a good spot for shopping and dining.  The quarry is easy to see from the road because there are swimmers mulling about and cars in the parking lot nearby. 

This quarry was created in 1785 making it the oldest marble quarry in the United States.  In fact, the marble from this quarry was used to build the New York Public Library.  Now an underground spring fills the quarry with clear water making it a popular destination for scuba divers and swimmers.  The smooth marble slabs that surround the pool offer several jumping points ranging from 2 feet to 25 feet high.  The water is cold, but refreshing, especially on a hot, sunny day. 

Kids love the quarry and since they tend to be completely immune to cold water, they can probably spend the entire day jumping into the water.  I overheard one little boy say to his mother - "Mom this is way better than the lake!".   Keep in mind that the water is deep and there are no lifeguards here so kids should be monitored at all times and those that are not strong swimmers should wear life vests. 

These brave gents  attempted one of the higher jumps:

The most courageous visitors jump from the highest point - about 25 feet above the water:

After cooling off in the water, we quickly warmed up by sitting on the dry marble in the sun. Visitors usually pack full picnics comprised of goodies from the local VT farmers markets.  We snacked on baby cucumbers and  juicy peaches from a nearby farm stand.  

Swimming Holes Guide

We did a little research after our swimming adventure in Dorset and turns out there are a lot of swimming holes in Vermont!  The website Swimmingholes.org is a great resource to finding these hidden gems. Needless to say, we have a lot more exploring to do in Vermont!  

Serendipity Strikes Again!

If you have been reading this blog a while, you might remember when I serendipitously ran into two people I knew in Barcelona.  Well it happened again! This time during our visit to the Dorset quarry. 

When I was a tot back in the early 80's, I lived in a small apartment complex on a road called Blachley. My parents were close with all the neighbors and we became a tight-knit community where the kids spent endless days at the playground while the parents BBQ'ed to the tunes of the latest Bill Joel soundtrack. We were so tight that we branded ourselves the "Blachlely Buddies"with yellow t-shirts (which were also tight because it was early 80s). 

[Pictured Above] The Blachely Buddies. Ahhhh the 80s!  [Pictured Below] Me in my yellow T. 

Two of said Buddies, were teenaged sisters named Regina & Eileen, who  often looked after us younger kids.  As time passed we all moved and lost touch, until a few years ago where we reconnected via Facebook.  The Friday before our trip up to VT, Regina posted an old picture of us on Facebook.  Fast forward a day to my arrival at Dorset quarry.  I heard someone call my name and thought "who in the world knows me HERE?"  Sure enough it was Regina and her sister Eileen who were vacationing in Southern VT that week.  They had heard about this swimming hole and decided to check it out with their family for the day .  What are the odds that, after 30 years, we see each other again in Dorset, of all places?  Anyway, we captured our reunion with this photo.  All that was missing was our yellow t-shirts!