First pick
Cornwall Outdoor Rink
Park or garden · 140 m outside town
0.6 ha
13 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Joli Rumi · CC BY-SA 4.02.4%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Athabasca County · parks, protected land & trails
La Biche River Wildland Provincial Park begins where Athabasca County ends
The nearest national park is Elk Island National Park, 71 km away. One unnamed beach is mapped within 5 km. Count 35 protected areas within 10 km of town.
Protected land
2.4%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
35
within 10 km, 9 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
71 km
Elk Island National Park
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
La Biche River Wildland Provincial Park
Beaches
1
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Against other towns
How Athabasca County compares with other Canadian towns
Each figure against the 2,611 Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+ (not city hubs or reserves), with the town marked and the typical one’s line. Canada’s grades don’t include the outdoors, so this page compares the figures rather than grading them.
Protected within 10 km2.4%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town3.2%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas9Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes0Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches1Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Athabasca County comes 15th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (7,161 to 7,391 residents), by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected. Hover for each one’s figures; click for its page.
Protected within 10 km
Athabasca County2.4%
Towns its size1.8%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Athabasca County9
Towns its size3
Towns in Alberta2
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Athabasca County0
Towns its size0
Towns in Alberta0
Typical Canadian town0
Against towns its size, Athabasca County does best for public protected areas: 10 of the other 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint-Joseph-du-Lac QC | 20% | 1.1% | 33 | 0 | 10 |
| 2 | Hope BC | 15% | 4.1% | 11 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Trent Lakes ON | 14% | 12% | 18 | 1 | 5 |
| 4 | Vanier South ON | 12% | 1.1% | 39 | 2 | 2 |
| 5 | Peace River AB | 8.4% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Saint-Jude QC | 7.1% | 0% | 21 | 0 | 5 |
| 7 | Chandler QC | 5.8% | 0.4% | 22 | 0 | 17 |
| 8 | Portage la Prairie MB | 4.7% | 7% | 18 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | Carlisle ON | 4% | 0% | 30 | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | Coronation Park SK | 4% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Haysboro AB | 3.9% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| 12 | Concord ON | 3.1% | 0% | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Cathedral Village SK | 2.8% | 0% | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 14 | Saint-Paul QC | 2.4% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Athabasca County AB | 2.4% | 3.2% | 35 | 0 | 1 |
| 16 | Twin Lakes SK | 2.3% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Colborne ON | 2.2% | 0.3% | 28 | 1 | 2 |
| 18 | Slave Lake AB | 2.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Currie Barracks AB | 1.9% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Brown's Corners ON | 1.8% | 0% | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Whyte Ridge MB | 1.7% | 0% | 23 | 0 | 1 |
| 22 | Lymburn AB | 1.7% | 0% | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 23 | North River Heights MB | 1.5% | 0% | 26 | 2 | 0 |
| 24 | Wainfleet ON | 1.4% | 5.7% | 16 | 0 | 8 |
| 25 | Bonnyville AB | 1.4% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 26 | King Edward MB | 1.3% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Inglewood AB | 1.3% | 0% | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 28 | Merritt BC | 0.9% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| 29 | Chibougamau QC | 0.8% | 0.1% | 8 | 0 | 7 |
| 30 | Erin Woods AB | 0.6% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| 31 | Ranchlands AB | 0.6% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 32 | La Sarre QC | 0.5% | 0.1% | 9 | 0 | 2 |
| 33 | Sage Creek MB | 0.5% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Brighton SK | 0.5% | 0.1% | 10 | 1 | 2 |
| 35 | Cavanagh AB | 0.2% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 36 | Brentwood AB | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 37 | Val-des-Sources QC | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Niverville MB | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Hamptons AB | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Kincora AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Athabasca County on the map: green space, protected land and paths
The town’s parks, woods, protected land and paths, with its named places numbered.
Green: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, playing fields and woods. Hatched: CPCAD protected areas.© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); CPCAD (OGL-Canada)
Places to walk
Walk in Athabasca County: 2 named parks and woods
The biggest is Cornwall Outdoor Rink, 0.6 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, commons and woods with a name, in the town or within 400 m, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Sizes are the mapped outline’s.
Close to home
In Athabasca County, parks are rarely a short walk away
Residents of each 2021 dissemination area, at a point inside it, within 400 m (about a 5-minute walk) of a park or playing field mapped on OpenStreetMap.
Within 400 m (0%)Further (100%)
Athabasca County0%
Towns in Alberta100%
Typical Canadian town83%
A median Canadian town manages 83%. For about 7,300 people, the nearest park is over 400 m away.
Protected areas
Within 10 km of Athabasca County, 2.4% is protected land
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Athabasca County3.2%
Within 10 km2.4%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public ownership covers 9 of the 35. La Biche River Wildland Provincial Park covers 17,331 ha, the most of any named area. Another 26 are privately owned conservation land; they count in the figures but aren’t named, as private land isn’t a place to visit.
La Biche River Wildland Provincial ParkProvincial park · 17,331 ha · reaches Athabasca County
Poachers' Landing Provincial Recreation AreaProtected area · 1,751 ha · reaches Athabasca County
Meanook National Wildlife AreaWildlife area · 214 ha · reaches Athabasca County
Long Lake Provincial ParkProvincial park · 755 ha · 1.6 km from the edge of town
Garner Orchid Fen Natural AreaNature reserve · 164 ha · 2.4 km from the edge of town
Cross Lake Provincial ParkProvincial park · 2,051 ha · 2.6 km from the edge of town
Tawatinaw Natural AreaNature reserve · 849 ha · 3.2 km from the edge of town
White Earth Valley Natural AreaNature reserve · 2,021 ha · 5.0 km from the edge of town
Spruce Island Lake Natural AreaNature reserve · 826 ha · 5.6 km from the edge of town
Source: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
National & provincial parks
The nearest big park: Elk Island National Park, 71 km away
National parks (Parks Canada) and provincial or territorial parks by direction and distance from the town’s edge: every one within 10 km, and the nearest of each within 100 km.
National parkProvincial park
Provincial park
La Biche River Wildland Provincial Park
At the edge173 km²since 2000
Provincial park
Long Lake Provincial Park
1.6 km south-east7.6 km²since 1957
Provincial park
Cross Lake Provincial Park
2.6 km west21 km²since 1955
National park
Elk Island National Park
71 km south194 km²since 1913
There are 3 provincial parks within 10 km.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Paths to walk: 17 km in and around Athabasca County
OpenStreetMap footpaths, paths, bridleways and steps, and tracks open on foot, in the town and 1 km around it; woods as mapped (landuse=forest, natural=wood).
Footpaths
17 km
in and around the town (5,576.7 km²)
Footpaths · km per km²
Athabasca CountyTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0
024 km per km²
Paths are thinner on the ground than in 99% of Canadian towns.
Source: OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Mapping varies by place: a dense figure can mean keen local mappers as much as many paths.
Walking routes
OpenStreetMap shows no walking route near Athabasca County
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
OpenStreetMap has no named walking route within 2 km of the town. Trails may exist without being mapped as routes.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Get out in Athabasca County in May, August and September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Fort Saskatchewan, 103 km away). Good months: long days, highs of 15–30 °C, light rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 7.8 | 9.6 | 11.7 | 14.0 | 16.1 | 17.3 | 16.7 | 14.9 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.3 | 7.3 |
| High (°C) | -9 | -5 | 0 | 9 | 17 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 16 | 8 | -1 | -7 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 30 | 14 | 22 | 27 | 49 | 78 | 82 | 56 | 39 | 23 | 29 | 23 |
In July the typical high is 23 °C; in January, -9 °C. Expect 82 mm in July, warm and wet, and 14 mm in February. The climate in Athabasca County →
Beaches
One unnamed beach near Athabasca County
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
No open data on beach water quality covers every province, so check with public health before a swim.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
2 viewpoints near Athabasca County
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
There are 12 campsites, more than of anything else.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 2
Plus 2 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 5
Karvonen Conservation Sitein town
DirectionsRéserve nationale de faune de Meanookin town
DirectionsRiverside Recreation Parkin town
DirectionsWandering River Public Land Recreation Areain town
DirectionsCalling River Water Access Public Land Recreation Area0.2 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 12
Plus 12 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 12
Chump Lakein town
DirectionsForfar Campgroundin town
DirectionsHope Lake Campgroundin town
DirectionsJackfish Lakein town
DirectionsNarrow Lake Campgroundin town
DirectionsNorth Buck Lake Provincial Recreation Areain town
DirectionsNorth Buck Lake Recreational Areain town
DirectionsPoacher's Landingin town
DirectionsPlus 4 campsites without a name on the map.
Slipways 4
Plus 4 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Athabasca County
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page. Athabasca County has few close neighbours with figures, so the list reaches 14–73 km out.
AthabascaThorhild CountySmoky LakeLac la Biche CountyWestlock CountyAthabasca County
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athabasca County | 2.4% | 35 | 0 | 1 |
| Athabasca 14 km | 0.4% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Thorhild County 54 km | 1.2% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Smoky Lake 71 km | 0.5% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Lac la Biche County 72 km | 5.8% | 16 | 0 | 4 |
| Westlock County 73 km | 2.6% | 35 | 0 | 0 |
For protected land, Lac la Biche County has twice as much or more.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Beaches. Beaches are OpenStreetMap’s, named or not; in the north many are unnamed shoreline imports.
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
- Protected land. The share is of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s outline, from CPCAD’s mapped areas; marine areas count, so a coastal town can score high on water.
- National and provincial parks. A park at 0 km touches or overlaps the town’s outline; directions point from the town’s centre.
- Walking routes. A route counts when 300 m or more of it lies within 2 km of the town. Coverage of trails on OpenStreetMap varies by region.
Questions about the outdoors in Athabasca County
What is the nearest provincial park to Athabasca County?
La Biche River Wildland Provincial Park touches the town.
Which is the biggest protected area near Athabasca County?
La Biche River Wildland Provincial Park: 17,331 ha, a provincial park.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Athabasca County?
May, August and September, on the 1991–2020 normals and the daylight: long days, highs of 15 °C or more, light rain for the place.
What is the nearest national park to Athabasca County?
Elk Island National Park, 71 km from the edge of town.
Is there a beach near Athabasca County?
There is an unnamed beach within 5 km.
Is there protected land near Athabasca County?
Protected areas cover 2.4% of the land within 10 km.
Sources
Where Athabasca County’s outdoors figures come from
Protected areas: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2026: every area within 10 km and the nearest national and provincial parks, measured outline to outline.
Walking routes and beaches: OpenStreetMap, November 2026: named hiking, foot and walking route relations within 2 km and beaches within 5 km.
Towns: Statistics Canada 2021 Census boundaries and populations; the comparison is the Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+, not city hubs or reserves.
When to go: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020, from the nearest station that publishes them.
Green space, paths, woods, things to do: OpenStreetMap (Geofabrik’s Canada extract), November 2026: parks, gardens, playing fields, woods, footpaths, the coastline and things to do in and around each town.
Residents: Statistics Canada 2021 Census dissemination areas (population, boundaries), each at a point inside it.
Walking routes and beaches © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence (ODbL).
Not on this page: trailheads and trail grades, and beach water quality. No open Canadian dataset gives these for every town yet.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).