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Rockwood Park ... Saint John's best kept secret is a haven for budding botanists, golfers, hikers, walkers, skaters, swimmers, joggers, bird-watchers, animal lovers, cross country skiers, berry pickers and all-round happy campers.

Rockwood Park is located just five minutes from the city centre, with the main entrance on Mount Pleasant avenue.
If you are west bound on highway 1, take Exit 113 where you'll find Rockwood Park just around the corner.
If your east bound on Highway 1 , take the city-centre Exit 111, turn right at Union St., on to Route 100 (City Rd.), then up the overpass at Haymarket square to the main entrance to the Park.

Go for a Dip

If you have a fondness for water, Rockwood Park is the place to cool off. With over 10 fresh water lakes, you can soak up the sun and swim the day away.
Our most popular sandy beaches are at Lily Lake and the Fisher Lakes - both have lifeguard supervision.
For family fun, pack a picnic lunch and partake in a feast on a picnic table under a shady tree, or spread a blanket on a grassy knoll.

Be a Happy Camper

There will be lots of smiles when you arrive at the Rockwood Park Campground with your tent or trailer.
Whether you prefer to pitch your tent under a tree and be one with nature, or back your trailer up to an electrical hook-up and enjoy the amenities of home - we've got accommodation for both. Our campground is equipped with comfort stations, picnic tables, fireplaces and hot showers.

Gone Golfing

From amateur to pro, even the most ardent of golfers will revel in the beauty of our challenging 18-hole Municipal Golf Course which takes in some of the most superb scenery you'll find anywhere.
The course has been carved out of lush forest, and trees line most of the fairways. Natural obstacles, such as water and shrubbery, test your skill.
Sharpen your swing and improve your distance at our popular and unique Aquatic Driving Range which is lit for evening use.
The Aquatic Driving Range in Rockwood Park is the only one of its kind in the Maritimes. Special floating golf balls make collection by boat possible.
Open to the general public, Rockwood Park Municipal Golf Course and the Aquatic Driving Range are only minutes from the city centre.

Meet me at the Zoo

It may be jungle out there, but wait until you see the jungle that awaits you here! Rockwood Park is home to numerous exotic species at the Cherry Brook Zoo, just beyond the golf course on the Sandy Point Road.
Here in a pleasant woodland setting, you'll find rare animals on the endangered species list including the Siberian Tiger, Golden Lion Tamarin, Goldie Monkeys and the Snow Leopard.
The Zoo also is home to the 18-hole Tiger Claws Miniature Golf Course. And there are loads of photo opportunities in the Vanished Kingdom Park that features life-size replicas of now-extinct species such as the Giant Elephant Bird. .

Check it out on their new site at:www.cherrybrookzoo.com

Take a Hike

Rockwood Park has been the natural recreation playground of Saint John for nearly a century.
Rockwood Park traces its origins back to the mid-1800s. The park's architect was Downing Vaux, who was a member of the architectural team responsible for the design of Central Park in New York City.
Situated just five minutes from city centre, the park is a haven of magnificent trees and lush green fields encompassing 870 hectares or 2,200 acres. It is within this rustic setting that you will find miles of marked nature trails and foot-paths ideal for hiking, jogging or strolling.
There's even a paved nature trail for seniors and individuals with disabilities.
Families will delight in viewing the variety of familiar domestic animals along wooded pathways at the Children's Animal Farm

Winter Fun

Year-round, Rockwood Park captures the colors of the season. In the summer the park explodes in various shades of green, while the fall brings out a rainbow of reds and oranges with the changing of the leaves.
During winter, Rockwood Park turns into a frosty playground for outdoor enthusiasts. Cross-country skiing and skating are among the most popular winter sports.

Charles I. Gorman was perhaps one of Saint John's most notable sports figures from the early 1900s. In 1926, thousands of residents gathered around the banks of Lily Lake to see Charles Gorman take home the 220 yard and 440 yard medals in the World Speed Skating Championship.

FOR PARK MAP

The Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre is located between the Rockwood Park Campground and the Fisher Lake Road just inside the main park entrance. The Centre serves as an education centre for the park and a 40-acre Arboretum. There are exhibits on the Park's geology, horticulture and wildlife. A meeting room for groups up to 50 is available.

Open daily 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
from Victoria Day weekend through Labour Day Weekend.
Tel: (506( 658-2829

Rockwood Facts

   Rockwood Park, built around Lily Lake in the late 19th century, was named in a vote that included citizens in the area around the park. A ballot cost 25¢. Some of the highlights in the park's history include:

• In 1903, 10 years after the first Ferris wheel appeared at the Chicago world's fair, there was one operating at Rockwood's amusement park, which has since been dismantled.
• In 1907, a court battle tried to settle the question of who has the rights to the ice - the ice cutters (because no one had freezers at that time, of course) and the skaters. The skaters won.
• In 1926, Charlie Gorman won the World Speedskating Championships Feb. 7, before 25,000 fans.

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