Highland Park
Designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted in 1888, Highland was the first park established in Rochester’s park system.
Host to Rochester’s renowned Lilac Festival in May, Highland Park features the largest collection of lilacs in the United States, with over 500 varieties across 1,200 shrubs. You’ll also discover a large Japanese maple collection, 35 types of magnolias, 700 rhododendron specimens, and 300 conifer varieties in the pinetum.
Many of the trees are the tallest of their species in the state, though few are native. Highland has even been called a museum or zoo of exotic plants and trees. The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University sent the original specimens to Rochester for simultaneous scientific study. Walk along paved and mown-grass pathways to Lamberton Conservatory, the Poet’s Garden, Highland Bowl, and Warner Castle’s Sunken Garden.
The Rochester Lilac Festival is a 10-day event that features free concerts, art shows, tastings, footraces, and parades. The lilacs in Highland Park usually bloom by mid-May, but the exact timing varies depending on the weather.
Highland Park Conservancy
The Highland Park Conservancy, founded in 1994, is a member-supported, all-volunteer organization and the official not-for-profit partner of Monroe County for managing Highland Park. You can learn more at highlandparkconservancy.org.
