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Looking for hiking trails in Burlington, Vermont? Look no further than Burlington's hidden gem, Rock Point Property . Each year, nearly 10,000 people come to Rock Point, finding a place to walk, seek solitude, learn, play, sing, pray, think, share, and be. Rock Point is a welcoming sanctuary in the heart of Burlington, and our hiking trails are accessible for visitors of all abilities. We welcome community members and ask you to respect the guidelines below, which will keep this unique natural area protected for others to enjoy.
Groups of more than 10 persons are requested to contact Rock Point Center in advance of your arrival. Thank you!
There is no charge to use Rock Point's Hiking Trails, but we ask that you obtain a trail pass before arriving (see information below).
We invite you to consider a voluntary contribution to help maintain Rock Point and its trails.
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Winter
The forests at Rock Point are a great place for anyone to enjoy winter! Some sections of trail can get very dangerous with ice, so please use extreme caution and consider spending time on easier options. You can download our Cross Country Ski Trail Map here, and see the rest of our trails below.
CAUTION:
Please be extremely careful on the Holy Trinity Trail when there is ice or snow. Some sections become very icy next to 60 foot cliffs! Micro-spikes are strongly encouraged.
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To view map: right-click (long-press on mobile), and save the image
Trails
Rock Point offers over two miles of accessibly walking and hiking trails on 130 acres of privately owned and conserved land along the shores of Lake Champlain in Burlington. Our trails are available for public use thanks to a partnership with the Lake Champlain Land Trust and the City of Burlington (see guidelines). Thanks to a partnership with City of Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront, our trail system links up with the city's. If you are planning an excursion on the Rock Point trails or wish to traverse between Rock Point and city properties, you must obtain a Property Pass in advance of your visit. Be sure to read our Visitor Guidelines and download our Trail Map as well.
Parking
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Limited public parking is available at 5 Rock Point Road from dawn until dusk.
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For additional overflow parking, we suggest parking at the following off-site locations:
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Leddy Beach
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Institute Road
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North Beach
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Handicap Parking: To access, please drive down Rock Point Road and turn left after the bridge crossing. Continuing driving down the path until you see signs for handicapped parking.
Donate to Support our Trails
There is no charge to visit Rock Point. You are invited to make a voluntary contribution to support maintenance of the property and trails. You might consider a donation as suggested below. Donations can be made through our website or you may also mail a check to Rock Point Commons, 5 Rock Point Road, Burlington, VT 50408.
Suggested Donations:
We appreciate your help to keep Rock Point a special place.
Beach & Lake
While routes to the beach and lake can be found on our Trail Map, swimming at Rock Point is limited to those who are participating in Rock Point programs or staying at Rock Point Center. Depending on the time of year, you may walk along the waterfront at certain locations, but we ask that you ALWAYS remain on designated trails and do not climb down the rocks; this is for your own safety and to protect our fragile shoreline ecosystem. Please respect the advisement of Rock Point Volunteers and staff if access to the beach and lake are not permitted during your visit. As a reminder, if you are planning to visit Rock Point, you must obtain a Property Pass. Be sure to read our Visitor Guidelines and download our Trail Map in advance of your journey.
Rock Climbing at Lone Rock Point
(Advanced Climbers Only)
Lone Rock Point is a spectacular and unique limestone crag less than 1 mile from downtown Burlington, VT. It offers an amazing setting with difficult sport routes and magnificent views on the shores of Lake Champlain. Lone Rock Point Cliff is currently open to climbing under a special use agreement signed between CRAG-VT and the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont. Access will only be maintained through strict adherence to the rules outlined below. Not following the property requirements may result in loss of access to the cliff.
Lone Rock Point Cliff Use Guidelines
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All climbers must get a Rock Point Property Pass. We strongly suggest making a donation to the Rock Point Center as part of the process. It will help to mitigate costs incurred by CRAG-VT to ensure access and allow the Rock Point Center to continue to offer this unique property to the general public.
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Every time that climbers access Lone Rock Point, they must sign in at the kiosk located at the Diocesan Offices parking lot and utilize the marked trail to reach the cliff. Please sign out when leaving.
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Climbers must abide by closures as indicated on the calendar at the kiosk. CRAG-VT will try to keep climbers updated via their website at https://cragvt.org, however the Diocese reserves the right to close the property at any time.
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The number of climbers is limited to 8 at any given time. Please check in with the register at the kiosk to ensure that there is adequate capacity.
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Lone Rock Point is open during daylight hours for climbing. No camping or fires are permitted.
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Practice "leave-no-trace" ethics and keep the area cleaner than you found it.
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Stay on established trails and do not trample vegetation.
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CRAG-VT and the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont are not responsible for any fixed anchors found at Lone Rock Point. We make no guarantees about the integrity of any hardware found at Lone Rock Point.
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Climbing is restricted to currently established routes. In the future, the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont will consider opening more of the cliff to climbing provided that we have good compliance with the guidelines described here. Please do not add any additional fixed gear to the cliff without prior authorization from the Rock Point Management Committee.
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Any issues with the process or the property may be directed to info@cragvt.org or the Rock Point liaison, Peter Clark.
Thank you for respecting the rules and please consider a donation of time or money to Rock Point and/or CRAG-VT to help keep Lone Rock Point open!
