Mount Hope Cemetery

Mount Hope Cemetery, established in 1838, is a popular destination for Rochester residents seeking a peaceful retreat from the bustling city. Walkers, runners, and bikers often use the well-maintained main roadways, even during the colder months.

While the landscape is delightful year-round, this beautiful Victorian cemetery is extraordinary in October. The diversity of trees in the arboretum displays a vibrant array of colors, with bold yellows and reds carpeting the ground before the snow arrives.

The cemetery is divided into two sections: the south side, the newer area, and the north side, which is older and home to notable figures such as Nathaniel Rochester, Susan B. Anthony, and Frederick Douglass. The north section’s winding cobblestone roads are best explored on foot and provide a glimpse into the cemetery’s rich history, ecology, and geology. Maps and guided tours are available to provide more in-depth information about the land’s fascinating past, including ice age landforms and fossils. Several entrances include the main south entrance at 1133 Mount Hope Avenue and the north gatehouse entrance at 791 Mount Hope Avenue.

Wandering Around

The main roads are well-maintained, which attracts visitors looking for a safe place to walk and run. You can slowly drive along the winding roads (some are one-lane, making it tricky when a car approaches from the other direction) and observe the vast expanse of monuments, mausoleums, flora, and fauna. The south side of the cemetery is considered the “new” section, and the north side is the “old.” The difference is evident in the layout of the roadways and the age of the headstones.

In the north section, you will find the final resting places of Nathaniel Rochester, Susan B. Anthony, and Frederick Douglass. The north section roadways are well-worn; some are cobblestone and uneven, and some may be better to explore on foot. Look for the “I Voted” stickers on the protective covers for Susan B Anthony’s headstone inside the north section’s visitor center.

Mount Hope in the Fall

Mount Hope Cemetery is a special place year-round, but something about Autumn turns it into a virtual painting. Because of the diversity of trees, you are presented with a new color pallet everywhere you turn. Whether sunlight is present or not, you can experience a different vista each time you visit.

In late October, before it snows, when the leaves have come to their final resting place, the ground is carpeted in the boldest yellows and reds. The maintenance staff does periodic leaf cleanup on the roads, but the leaves stay where they lay in the valleys, undisturbed even by the wind.

Mount Hope in Winter

Mount Hope is the perfect place for a winter walk. As best as it can be, the roads are plowed, which is ideal for getting outside. And the long shadows cast by trees and manufactured structures are lovely.

Mount Hope in Spring

Daffodil enthusiasts will enjoy a hike to the Daffodil Meadow in Powder Mills Park around May 1 or stop by Mount Hope Cemetery, near the fountain, to observe Dan Whitney’s 15,000 daffodils  (growing in quantity every year!) in bloom. The peek season for daffodils is roughly April 20–May 10. Read the article in the Upstate Gardner’s Journal to learn more.

Mount Hope in Summer

The cemetery is draped in green and is an excellent place to walk, run, or bike safely, with few cars. And with a later sunset, it’s an ideal destination for early evening walks.

Guided Tours

The knowledgeable tour guides who give tours of both the north and south sections can teach you quite a bit. On a walking tour of Mount Hope Cemetery, you’ll hear the stories about the cemetery’s history, its residents, and the land on which it was created. They are also helpful in assimilating you to the lay of the land, helping you to navigate independently.

The guided geology tour is a personal favorite. The land and the rocks tell a fascinating billion-year-old story. You’ll learn about ice age landforms (kames, moraines, kettles), the type of stones that make up gravestones, mausoleums, and the ground you’re standing on, and residents who influenced the sciences during their time above ground.

More information about Mount Hope Cemetery

“Set in a picturesque landscape shaped by retreating glaciers, the cemetery features more than 80 mausoleums, soaring Egyptian obelisks, winged angels of mercy, a Florentine cast-iron fountain, two stone chapels in Gothic Revival style, a Moorish gazebo, and infinitely varied tombstones marking 350,000 graves across 196 acres.”

Cost: Free, except for tours or special events

Located in the City of Rochester (get directions)

More information on the Friends of Mount Hope website: fomh.org

What is your favorite time of year to visit Mount Hope Cemetery?

I’d love to hear from you—please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.