Highland Park

Use 171 Reservoir Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620 for the administrative and central park area. Navigate directly to Lamberton Conservatory, Warner Castle, Highland Bowl, Lily Pond, Lilac Arches, playgrounds, or Olmsted Lodge for the closest approach.

Peak bloom usually centers on the May Lilac Festival, but weather changes timing and different collections bloom in succession. The park also has magnolias, Japanese maples, rhododendrons, azaleas, bulbs, wildflowers, and a 10,000-plant pansy bed.

General park, arboretum, gardens, paths, playgrounds, memorials, and ordinary recreation are free. Lamberton Conservatory admission is $4 for adults, $2 for youth ages 6-18 and seniors 62+, and free for children five and under.

The normal schedule is daily from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. The official park page currently reports a temporary July 2-3 closure because the air conditioning is not working; confirm repair status before visiting.

Yes. Monroe County lists playgrounds among the park's recreation facilities. They are separate from Lamberton Conservatory, Warner Castle, Highland Bowl, memorial gardens, and the festival footprint.

The memorial area now called Beikirch Park is specifically identified as accessible. Accessibility elsewhere varies among paved garden paths, sloped lawns, historic structures, natural surfaces, and event detours; contact the county for a required route.

Yes, pets are allowed on leash, and owners must remove waste. The entire park follows a carry-in, carry-out policy, so take all trash with you.

Only when Monroe County declares Lily Pond's natural ice safe. When open, hours are normally 10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily, no rentals are available, and a nearby warming hut is provided. Call the county condition line before bringing skates.

Parking is distributed near Reservoir Avenue, Lamberton Conservatory, Highland Bowl, Warner Castle, Beikirch memorial area, and recreation fields. Use the official map to choose the lot nearest your destination; Lilac Festival traffic and closures replace normal access.

The official park map marks a restroom near the Veterans Memorial and Beikirch Park area. Lamberton Conservatory and event facilities may have separate access, so confirm building hours and use the mapped restroom before walking into more distant garden areas.

Routes combine paved garden walks, sidewalks, sloped lawns, stairs, and paths through the arboretum. Use the map to avoid stairs and steep garden sections when a smoother route is needed; festival barricades can alter normal circulation.

The arboretum's exotic trees and dense shrub collections shade many paths, while lawns, Highland Bowl seating, festival areas, and some gardens remain exposed. John Dunbar Memorial Pavilion and Arches Pavilion provide roofed outdoor space; Lamberton Conservatory is a separately operated indoor attraction with its own admission and hours. During lightning, severe wind, or dangerous heat, use an open substantial building or enclosed vehicle rather than trees or an open pavilion.

For a guaranteed indoor group space, Highland Park's only general rentable lodge is Olmsted Lodge, with capacity for about 99 people; reserve and pay through Monroe County's online system. The Lilac Arches and Lamberton Conservatory have separate wedding or reception reservations, while the Sunken Garden may be reserved only for pictures. Casual arboretum visits follow carry-in, carry-out rules, and the County does not list a separate general picnic shelter at Highland Park, so do not assume a pavilion is available for an unreserved party.

No splash pad or swimming facility is listed at Highland Park. The park's family attractions include playgrounds, gardens, the Highland Bowl, and the separately operated Lamberton Conservatory. Lily Pond is not a warm-weather play pool; Monroe County identifies it as a natural ice-skating rink only when winter conditions allow, so keep children out of the pond unless the County has officially opened and posted the rink.

RTS Route 13 South Avenue serves the Reservoir, Lamberton Conservatory, and Highland Bowl side at South and Reservoir. Route 14 serves the Sunken Garden and Warner Castle side near Mount Hope and Highland. Choose the route for the attraction you want because the park's steep sections and separated gardens make crossing it on foot slower than the map suggests.