KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — On Friday, Knoxville leaders gathered in Fort Dickerson Park to officially start construction on several upgrades to the Augusta Quarry.
Equipment was already on site and will be used to build the first-ever restrooms at the quarry, changing rooms, an expanded overlook, a smoother pedestrian path to the water and new floating platforms at the beachside and towards the center of the water.
The upgrades mark the second phase of the improvement project and cost around $3.6 million. The amenities are also expected to open late in the fall of 2024. During the first phase of the project, city leaders spent around $1.77 million to build a new entrance and make accessibility improvements to the Augusta Quarry.
In total, the city said it spent around $5.4 million so far to improve the quarry.
Knoxville said online that while construction is underway, the Augusta Avenue entrance and access to the Quarry Lake will be closed. The historic earthworks and the Harold Lambert Overlook will stay open at the 3000 Fort Dickerson Road entrance.
The quarry is a popular destination for adventurers and visitors in Knoxville, partly because the park connects to around four miles of natural trails that offer sights over the 350-foot-deep quarry. The Fort Dickerson also connects with trails from Knoxville's Urban Wilderness.