These Monroe County town parks offer more than just a typical baseball diamond and playground. Each has a unique offering of woods, wildlife, and water features to explore.
Some parks have even, paved surfaces with very little change in elevation. Others feature a combination of hard-pack dirt, wood chips, gravel and boardwalk.
1. North Ponds Park
Webster
The 1-mile loop trail circumnavigates both ponds. It is perfect for a leisurely stroll, jog, or bike ride with little change in elevation along its route. This makes it a great place for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. There are also eight fitness stops optimized for varied ability and height.
2. Tinker Park
Henrietta
There is a 1-mile perimeter trail that takes you through woodland, meadow, and wetland environments. There are several small trails that connect with the Perimeter trail, including the Labyrinth walking path. The trails themselves are hard-packed gravel and boardwalk. Of all the town parks in Monroe County, Tinker Park is my favorite.
3. Channing H Philbrick Park
Penfield
The Mills Trail is a short loop leading down to the main cascades with an accessible viewing platform. The Irondequoit Creek Trail consists of narrow, dirt paths that are fairly easy to walk. It crosses over several boardwalks and wooden bridges along the way.
4. Corbett’s Glen Nature Park
Brighton
When you visit, you will notice you seem to be walking through people’s back yards, because you are! Corbett’s Glen is a hidden green space in a suburban jungle, nestled in between an express way and 2 highly trafficked roads near the Penfield/Brighton Town border.
5. Braddock Bay Park
Greece
This 375-acre town-operated park, leased from New York State, is part of the greater Braddock Bay Fish and Wildlife Management Area. Here you’ll find a hard-pack gravel pathway leading to a viewing platform and wetland boardwalk. There is a fully accessible kayak launch near the marina.
Ready to explore a few more town parks?
There are hundreds of town and village parks spread throughout the county. rochesterparks.org has done a commendable job gathering the parks together. Here are a few more of our favorites.
Webster Arboretum at Kent Park
Follow the pathways that meander around Webster Arboretum–40 acres of open spaces, flower & herb gardens, water elements, and a wide variety of trees.
Brighton Town Park is surprisingly serene, despite it being bordered on one side by office buildings and across the pond by a major express way.
Breese Park is located along the Genesee River in the small community of Riverton on the far west side of Henrietta. Set your sights on late-April to early-May to see the native bluebelles, trilliums, and ferns in their full spring glory!
Old Erie Canal Lock 62 is tucked just far enough off the beaten path that many do not realize it’s there, just over the hill behind Pittsford Plaza.
Brickyard Trail at Frankel Nature Park
Sandra L. Frankel Nature Park is a 72-acre linear park connecting the Brighton Town Hall and Library on Elmwood Ave with Buckland Park on Westfall Road. The 0.8-mile Brickyard Trail runs the length of the park.
There are nature paths in Meridian Centre Park & an arboretum in the western part of the park with plantings and wooden arches.
Great Embankment Park has a small sitting area, a few benches, a small boat launch and a dock great for fishing; perfect to start your trip along the canal.
Other parks around Rochester
Try some of our city, county, and state parks as well!
Rochester’s Olmsted Designed Parks
Rochester is fortunate to be one of a handful of American cities that have a park system comprised of Frederick Law Olmsted-designed parks.
County Parks: Our Favorite 5 to Explore
The Monroe County Parks systems includes 20 parks that are all worth exploring, but these are the five you absolutely must see if you haven’t already!
Geologic History of the Rochester Area
These day trips into Rochester’s geologic history, filled with drumlins, fossils, house-sized boulders and a meromictic lake, will leave you awe-struck!
State Parks: Our Favorite 5 to Explore
Within a 2-hour drive of Rochester, there are 44 New York State Parks all worthy of exploration, but try our favorite five if you haven’t already!
Many of our City of Rochester parks have beginnings embedded in Rochester’s youth. Some were even designed by notable landscape architects.
There are over 200 Rochester area parks (New York State Parks, Monroe County Parks, Town Parks, and City Parks) within a 2-hour drive.
Where are your favorite town parks?
Share your thoughts with us in the comments. Your insight and experience is invaluable!