Portage Quarry

At 23 acres, Portage is among the largest diveable quarries anywhere. And, as you would expect, more area to dive means more area to explore and more things to see. Once an active source of building materials for local highways, quarry operations ceased when natural springs turned a 70-foot-deep hole in the ground into one of the Midwest’s leading dive sites.

Today, numerous boats, a small plane, a motorcycle, a phone booth, old cars, a school bus, a semicab and a large tractor-trailer lie scattered at various depths around the bottom. And if the visibility alone (which typically ranges from 30 to 50 feet) did not make these items easy enough to find, there is an extensive system of navigation lines linking objects to one another.

Another noteworthy feature is the stone and concrete ledge that runs around three sides of the lake. Only a couple of feet beneath the surface, it forms a convenient platform for entries and exits. This means instructors can stage their classes almost anywhere, preventing the congestion often associated with limited water access points.

Another unique feature is the silo, a large, roofed structure that is a remnant of quarry operations. It lies just off the north shore near the swimming area,

For overnight stays, there is camping on site and several hotels and eateries in nearby Bowling Green.

Visit the quarry website for latest information on admission fees.

Portage Quarry
12701 S Dixie Hwy
Portage, OH 43451
(419) 352-9203
www.PortageQuarry.com

Dive Training Magazine Article on Portage Quarry »

Directions

• Take I-80 west to Exit 64. Go south.
• Continue south on I-75 to Exit 179. Go west.

• Take US-6 toward Napoleon. Go 1.1 miles.
• Take the OH-25 exit toward Portage/Bowling Green.
• Turn left at South Main Street.
• Continue south 0.9 miles on Dixie Highway. The quarry will be on your right.

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Gilboa Quarry: At 137 feet, Gilboa has the distinction of being the deepest inland diver training site in the Midwest. You don’t have to be a technical diving student, however, to dive Gilboa. There is plenty to see and do at much shallower depths, More…

 

Nelson Ledges Quarry Park: Nelson Ledges Quarry Park has the distinction of being the closest inland dive site to the Cleveland metro area. Its topography is also distinctly different from that found in rock quarries further west, More…

 

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