Red Rocks Park

Vermont’s largest city wholeheartedly embraces the outdoors. There are dozens of parks, but Red Rocks Park, in South Burlington, is a gem loved by locals and visitors in all seasons. The park is open year round with summer parking inside the park for easy access to the beach. In the off-season (Labor Day to Memorial Day), parking is available outside the gates, and the trails are open for hiking and cross-country skiing in the winter.

Many years ago, Red Rocks used to be the place where the "bad boys" jumped off cliffs into Lake Champlain. Cliff-jumping is no longer allowed, but there is a sandy beach available for swimming, a wooded picnic area, and 2.5 miles of wooded trail with fantastic views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains. Leashed dogs are welcome, and it is a very popular spot for dog walkers, joggers, and hikers.

The Lake Trail, which is mostly hard-packed gravel, meanders along the cliffs, providing numerous vistas and places to stop and take in the views. There are barriers between the trail and the edge of the cliffs for safety, and signs warn that cliff jumping is forbidden with fines of up to $600 for those who choose to ignore the warnings. Several other trails wind through the woods, which are mostly cedar and hemlock with a few hardwoods mixed in. When Red Rocks Park is open to cars in the summer months, there’s a daily parking fee of $5 for residents and $8 for non-residents. There is a restroom and changing area available next to the beach.