Ethan Allen Homestead
Nature preserve
249 acres3.7 mi of trail
Intervale BikepathWetlands walk
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith · Public domainA+Outdoors
Outdoors in Burlington
22% of Burlington’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. 37 miles of mapped trail cross Burlington, 3.6 per square mile of land. 22% of Burlington’s land is conserved, about 1,460 acres.
Ahead of 98% of U.S. towns · #1 of 71 in Vermont. What drives it
Conserved land
22%
1,460 acres · of 10.3 sq mi of land
Trails
37 mi
3.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
961 ac
22 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
44 mi
16 mi lanes · 22 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
2
15 beaches · 6 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Burlington?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Burlington have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Burlington is ahead of 98% of U.S. towns, #1 of 71 in Vermont. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Burlington’s overall grade.
Conserved land22% of the land · typical VT town 14% · U.S. 4%ATrails3.6 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (37 mi) · VT 0.6 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land22 acres of park per 1,000 residents (961 acres) · VT 97 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to homeVirtually all residents within a half mile of a park · VT 38% · U.S. 72%A+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 98%
LessMore
Vermont towns of 2,500+ (71)#1 of 71
Vermont towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 14%; the U.S., 4%), so Burlington’s 22% is ahead of 80% of Vermont towns, while its trails per square mile lead 99% of them.
Water is 33% of Burlington’s area (5 of 15 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 15%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Ethan Allen Homestead, with 3.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Rock Point
Managed by Episcopal Dioces of Vermont
129 acres2.7 mi of trail
Holy Trinity TrailLone Rock Point TrailSunset Ridge TrailEly Universal Access Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Centennial Woods Natural Area
Managed by University Of Vermont
77 acres2.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Ethan Allen Park
Managed by Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront
64 acres2.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Leddy Park
Park
68 acres1.8 mi of trail
Burlington Bike Park
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
McKenzie Park
Nature preserve
66 acres1.2 mi of trail
McKenzie TrailBlue TrailIntervale Bikepath
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Derway Island Natural Area
Managed by Winooski Valley Park District
145 acres0.9 mi of trail
Derway Island Nature TrailDerway Cove Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Arms Forest
Managed by Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront
30 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 31 parks & preserves
Ethan Allen Homestead249 acres · 3.7 mi of trail
DirectionsRock Point129 acres · 2.7 mi of trail · Episcopal Dioces of Vermont
DirectionsCentennial Woods Natural Area77 acres · 2.4 mi of trail · University Of Vermont
DirectionsEthan Allen Park64 acres · 2.2 mi of trail · Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront
DirectionsLeddy Park68 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsMcKenzie Park66 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
Derway Island Natural Area145 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Winooski Valley Park District
DirectionsArms Forest30 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront
DirectionsOakledge Park43 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsKieslich Park12 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · City of Burlington Parks, Recreation and Waterfront
DirectionsNorth Beach Park20 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsCalahan Park18 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsIntervale Wildlife Management Area198 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department
DirectionsMount Calvary Red Maple Wetland12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront
Waterfront Park9 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsArthur Park23 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBattery Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSmalley Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBaird Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDerway Cove2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Winooski Valley Park District
DirectionsSchifilliti Park9 acres
DirectionsStarr Farm Park7 acres
DirectionsAppletree Park4 acres
Schmanska Park3 acres
DirectionsRoosevelt Park3 acres
DirectionsPerkins Pier Park3 acres
DirectionsRoundhouse Park3 acres · Burlington Parks Department
DirectionsCity Hall Park2 acres · City Of Burlington
DirectionsLakeside Park2 acres
DirectionsPomeroy Park1 acres
Water Works Park1 acres · City Of Burlington
DirectionsWho protects it
1,460 conserved acres
22% of Burlington’s land. Water is left out: Burlington has 10.3 square miles of land and 5.1 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Burlington’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits1,003 ac
State fish & wildlife391 ac
Town or city376 ac
Regional agency271 ac
Other state land193 ac
Joint94 ac
Private owners88 ac
Conservation Easement · 828 acLocal Park · 624 acLocal Conservation Area · 399 acUnknown Easement · 283 acAgricultural Easement · 233 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 576 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 23 of 88 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winooski Valley Park District Local Park | Not recorded | 279 | Unknown |
| Ethan Allen Homestead Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 240 | Open |
| Howe Farm State Conservation Area | Other state land | 102 | Open |
| Rock Point Local Conservation Area | Private owners | 88 | Restricted |
| Ethan Allen Park Local Park | Town or city | 64 | Open |
| Leddy Park Local Park | Town or city | 50 | Open |
| Urban Reserve Local Park | Town or city | 38 | Open |
| Arms Grant Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 35 | Open |
| Starr Farm Park Local Park | Town or city | 33 | Open |
| Old Landfill Local Park | Town or city | 30 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
72 places to go in Burlington
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Burlington
Blanchard BeachIn Oakledge Park
DirectionsBlodgett Beach
DirectionsBurlington Surf Club
DirectionsLakeside Beach Access
DirectionsLeddy Park BeachIn Leddy Park
DirectionsNorth Beach
DirectionsOakledge CoveIn Oakledge Park
DirectionsTexaco Beach
DirectionsPlus 7 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Burlington
Forever Young TreehouseIn Oakledge Park
DirectionsOakledge Park PlaygroundIn Oakledge Park
DirectionsRoosevelt Park Playground
Directions35 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Burlington
Boat launches in Burlington
Auer's Boat House
DirectionsPlus 5 boat launches without a name on the map.
Fishing spots in Burlington
Burlington Fishing Pier
DirectionsScenic views in Burlington
Plus 2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Burlington
3 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Burlington
North Beach Campground
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Burlington
Myrtle Street Avant GardenBurlington Parks Department
DirectionsTommy Thompson Community GardenFee
DirectionsTommy Thompson Community GardenFee
DirectionsTrails & water
16 named trails and 2 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 5.4 miUnpaved · 16.8 mi
Calkins Trail2.4 mi
River Walk to Salmon Hole0.8 mi
Derway Island Nature Trail0.8 mi
Intervale Bikepath0.7 mi
Holy Trinity Trail0.7 mi
McKenzie Trail0.5 mi
Lone Rock Point Trail0.4 mi
Burlington Bike Park0.4 mi
Sunset Ridge Trail0.3 mi
Blue Trail0.3 mi
6 more trails
Derway Cove Trail
0.2 miDonohue Sea Cave Trail
0.2 miEly Universal Access Trail
0.2 miThrust Fault Trail
0.2 miMarsh Beach Trail
0.1 miWetlands walk
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
44 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
16 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
22 mi
off-road bike paths
6.2 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Cycle the City and IntervaleBike route
1.8 miCourts & fields
29Tennis
17Basketball
13Baseball
11Tracks
10Soccer
2Beach volleyball
2Skate park
1Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →52 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 16 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Ethan Allen Engine company No. 4Building · listed 1971
About itFollett HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itU.S. Post Office and CustomhouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itGrassemountBuilding · listed 1973
About itHead of Church Street Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1974
About itWinterbotham EstateBuilding · listed 1975
About itCarnegie Building of the Fletcher Free LibraryBuilding · listed 1976
About itBattery Street Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1977
About itOld Ohavi Zedek SynagogueBuilding · listed 1978
About itFirst Methodist Church of BurlingtonBuilding · listed 1978
About itWells-Richardson DistrictDistrict · listed 1979
About itEdward Wells HouseBuilding · listed 1979
About it40 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Burlington: May, August and September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.2 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.5 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°F) | 28 | 31 | 40 | 55 | 68 | 77 | 81 | 79 | 72 | 58 | 46 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 2.2 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
February is the driest month (1.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 4.2 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Burlington →
Next door
Burlington and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington | 22% | 3.6 | 22 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Colchester | 14% | 1.6 | 74 | 46% | A |
| South Burlington | 8% | 2.5 | 22 | 85% | A |
| Winooski | 16% | 3.8 | 6 | 99%+ | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Burlington
Where can I hike in Burlington?
The longest trail networks: Ethan Allen Homestead, 3.7 miles; Rock Point, 2.7 miles; Centennial Woods Natural Area, 2.4 miles; Ethan Allen Park, 2.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Burlington is conserved land?
22% of its land, against a typical 14% for a Vermont town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Burlington’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Derway Island Natural Area (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Burlington?
44 miles of bike routes are on the map: 16 of painted or protected lanes, 22 of off-road paths and 6.2 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Cycle the City and Intervale.
Is there public land near Burlington?
11,904 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Burlington or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,095 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Burlington have?
Ahead of 98% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #1 of 71 in Vermont. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Burlington neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →