About Gilboa quarry
& Adventure Center
WELCOME TO GILBOA QUARRY –
the premier Midwest destination for divers of all levels, freedivers, and snorkelers. Boasting spring fed clear waters, a wide variety of fishes, and a host of underwater attractions – Gilboa Quarry has been serving the SCUBA diving community for over 30 years. With max depths sitting at 60ft on the shallow side and 140ft on the deep, Gilboa has long been the perfect location for both novice and technical divers to practice their skills.
In April 2021, Gilboa Quarry was purchased by Full Tank LLC. The new Gilboa Quarry staff is dedicated to providing a safe, enjoyable, and friendly visit for everyone, regardless of activity. Not a SCUBA diver? Freedivers and snorkelers are welcome too! We’ve even installed a small beach specifically for those wanting to swim or sunbath.
Are you interested in learning to dive? While Gilboa doesn’t have a SCUBA school yet, we work with a variety of incredible SCUBA outfits that can get your fins wet. We’ve compiled a list of SCUBA shops within 400miles of Gilboa to give you a place to start. (SCUBA SHOPS)
For those interested in camping on site, tent camping is first come first serve and limited RV parking is available by reservation only. A bathhouse with hot water showers and changing space is available for use 24/7. Future plans include an expanded RV park, additional bathhouse facilities, and expanded concessions. Concessions are currently limited to cold drinks and light snacks, so make sure to pack your cooler.
A Look Into Our Past –
Gilboa Quarry began as a limestone rock quarry in the 1890s. Written records are hard to come by, but we do know that the Ottawa Stone Company operated the quarry from the late 1950s to the early 1980s. The most common mineral mined here was dolomite rock, a type of limestone well suited for construction and concrete. In 1957, it was reported that purple fluorite crystals up to 1mm in size were found in the quarry.
A scuba diving quarry since 1990, previous owner Mike Williams provided a space for both technical and novice divers to practice their skills. For decades, divers of all levels have enjoyed the underwater attractions that Williams installed during his tenure, such as our token Grumman airplane and Sikorsky helicopter. Because the bottom temperature in the quarry never rises above the low 40s, the conditions are consistent with those required to maintain the integrity of a ‘shipwreck’ for decades, or in our case, our airplane, helicopter, school bus, and various other items.