First pick
Nose Hill Park
Park or garden
1,114 ha140.3 km of path
31 h 10 minto walk all 140.3 km of path
3.3 km eastfrom the centre
South Fence TrailSeat Trail
Directionsto a point inside
–Not graded
Outdoors in Dalhousie · parks, protected land & trails
Dalhousie is 9.1 km from Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park
The protected share within 10 km is 0%, where a typical Canadian town has 2.3%. Close by: one protected area. Swimmers have 2 beaches within 5 km, Bowmont Beach the nearest.
Protected land
0%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
1
within 10 km, 1 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
71 km
Banff National Park
Nearest provincial park
9.1 km
Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park
Beaches
2
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Against other towns
Dalhousie beside other Canadian towns, figure by figure
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 km0%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town0%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas1Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes0Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches2Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Of 40 towns its size, none has less protected land around it than Dalhousie
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (8,445 to 8,794 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
Dalhousie0%
Towns its size2.5%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Dalhousie1
Towns its size6
Towns in Alberta2
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Dalhousie0
Towns its size0
Towns in Alberta0
Typical Canadian town0
For protected land nearby, Dalhousie lags towns its size: 37 of 39 are ahead.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hunt Club Park ON | 13% | 0% | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | West Centretown ON | 11% | 0% | 36 | 5 | 5 |
| 3 | Nicolet QC | 11% | 8.5% | 19 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Craig Henry - Manordale ON | 10% | 0% | 24 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | Stone Mills ON | 10% | 11% | 58 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | Carleton Heights-Courtland Park ON | 10% | 8.3% | 37 | 1 | 4 |
| 7 | Wildfield ON | 9.1% | 14% | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Muskoka Lakes ON | 6.3% | 11% | 26 | 1 | 12 |
| 9 | Iqaluit NU | 6.1% | 11% | 2 | 0 | 12 |
| 10 | Lac la Biche County AB | 5.8% | 5.7% | 16 | 0 | 4 |
| 11 | Trinity Commons ON | 5.3% | 0% | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 12 | Vaughan Metropolitan Centre ON | 4.7% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Saint-Philippe QC | 4.2% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | Buckingham Heights BC | 4.2% | 1.4% | 34 | 3 | 8 |
| 15 | Heart Lake North ON | 3.9% | 43% | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | Trail BC | 3.5% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| 17 | Brownsburg-Chatham QC | 3.1% | 2% | 35 | 0 | 3 |
| 18 | Manotick ON | 2.9% | 6.1% | 18 | 0 | 3 |
| 19 | Ogden AB | 2.9% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 20 | Pioneer Park ON | 2.5% | 0.4% | 23 | 2 | 0 |
| 21 | Stanley Park ON | 2.5% | 5.9% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | Prairie View SK | 2.3% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Puslinch ON | 2.2% | 1.1% | 29 | 18 | 5 |
| 24 | Renfrew ON | 1.9% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Crestview MB | 1% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 37 |
| 26 | St. John's MB | 0.9% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Lac-Beauport QC | 0.4% | 0.1% | 10 | 4 | 2 |
| 28 | Edson AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Canterbury Park MB | 0.3% | 0% | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Strathcona Park AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 31 | Tavistock ON | 0.2% | 0% | 9 | 3 | 2 |
| 32 | St. Adolphe MB | 0.2% | 0.2% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Wild Rose AB | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 34 | Hanover ON | 0.1% | 1.1% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Innisfail AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| 36 | Nolan Hill AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Garneau AB | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 38 | Huron-Kinloss ON | 0% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| 39 | Dauphin MB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Dalhousie AB | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
The map
Parks, woods and paths around Dalhousie
Green space, woods, protected areas and footpaths in and around the neighbourhood; tap a number for its park or wood.
Green: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, playing fields and woods. Hatched: CPCAD protected areas.© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); CPCAD (OGL-Canada)
Places to walk
Walk in Dalhousie: 9 named parks and woods
Largest first: Nose Hill Park leads with 1,114 ha. Numbers match the map.
9 named parks and woods, 1,168 ha in all
Parks & gardens 1,168 ha
Nose Hill Park and John Laurie Park together hold 96% of it.
John Laurie Park
Park or garden
13 ha1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
0.9 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs
Park or garden · 190 m outside town
8.9 ha2.9 km of path
40 minto walk all 2.9 km of path
1.6 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Area 1
Park or garden
7.7 ha2 km of path
25 minto walk all 2 km of path
1.8 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Varsity Ravine
Park or garden · 50 m outside town
9.0 ha1.3 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.3 km of path
1.1 km southfrom the centre
Varsity Estates Park regional pathway
Directionsto a point inside
Dalhousie off-leash area 2
Park or garden
6.5 ha2.3 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.3 km of path
1.1 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Area 2
Park or garden · 220 m outside town
3.7 ha1.4 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.4 km of path
1.8 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Brenner Park
Park or garden
4.0 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
1.4 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 9 named parks and green spaces
Nose Hill ParkPark or garden · 1,114 ha · 140.3 km of path
DirectionsJohn Laurie ParkPark or garden · 13 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsBotanical Gardens of Silver SpringsPark or garden · 8.9 ha · 2.9 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsArea 1Park or garden · 7.7 ha · 2 km of path
DirectionsVarsity RavinePark or garden · 9.0 ha · 1.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsDalhousie off-leash area 2Park or garden · 6.5 ha · 2.3 km of path
DirectionsArea 2Park or garden · 3.7 ha · 1.4 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsBrenner ParkPark or garden · 4.0 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsArea 3Park or garden · 1.9 ha · 1.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSource: 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
All of Dalhousie is within a short walk of a park
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 (100%)Further (0%)
Dalhousie100%
Towns in Alberta100%
Typical Canadian town83%
Against the typical Canadian town’s 83%, that is high.
Protected areas
1 protected area lies within 10 km of Dalhousie
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Dalhousie0%
Within 10 km0%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Governments hold it.
Glenbow Ranch Provincial ParkProvincial park · 1,337 ha · 9.1 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
Banff National Park is 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
Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park
9.1 km north-west13 km²since 2008
National park
Banff National Park
71 km west6,641 km²since 1885
A provincial park is closer: Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park, at 9.1 km.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
82 km of paths in and around Dalhousie
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
82 km
in and around the town (14 km²)
Woodland
1.2%
about 0.2 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
DalhousieTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths5.9
03.57 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
DalhousieTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Woodland1.2%
0%50%100%
80% of Canadian towns are more wooded. For path density, it beats 95% 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
No mapped walking route near Dalhousie
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
There is no mapped walking route within 2 km of the neighbourhood; a local trail club’s maps may show more.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
The best months for walking in Dalhousie: May and July to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Calgary (Airport), 10 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) | 8.4 | 9.9 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.5 | 16.5 | 16.1 | 14.6 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.8 | 7.9 |
| High (°C) | -2 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 16 | 20 | 24 | 23 | 18 | 11 | 4 | 0 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 10 | 12 | 18 | 30 | 61 | 113 | 66 | 54 | 37 | 17 | 16 | 13 |
The warmest days come in July (24 °C highs), the coldest in January (-2 °C). June is the wettest month (113 mm) and January the driest (10 mm). Winter brings about 139 cm of snow. The climate in Dalhousie →
Beaches
Beaches near Dalhousie: 2 within 5 km
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Bowmont Beach2.0 km from town
DirectionsBowmont Beach2.2 km from town
DirectionsBeach water tests aren’t published as open data across Canada, so swimming advisories come from the local health unit.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Near Dalhousie: 5 viewpoints, 3 waterfalls
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Most numerous: playgrounds (102).
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 5
Plus 5 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 3
Plus 3 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 3
Plus 3 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 102
Hathor Playground0.4 km from town
DirectionsDigger Park0.5 km from town
DirectionsEdgebyne Community Playground1.3 km from town
DirectionsMonkey Around1.4 km from town
DirectionsHawktree Playground1.7 km from town
DirectionsHaqet Playground1.9 km from town
DirectionsPlus 96 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 7
Dalhousie off-leash area 2in town
DirectionsVarsity Ravine0.5 km from town
DirectionsNose Hill Park Off-Leash Area2.0 km from town
DirectionsPlus 4 dog parks without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
3 gardens within reach of Dalhousie
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
Prince's Island ParkGarden or park · 7.2 km from town
DirectionsDevonian GardensGarden or park · 7.8 km from town
DirectionsOlympic PlazaGarden or park · 8.5 km from town
DirectionsSources: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL, and Wikidata (CC0), as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic places from Parks Canada’s Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, the Canadian Register of Historic Places and Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel.
Next door
Next to Dalhousie
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
VarsityBrentwoodRanchlandsHawkwoodSilver SpringsEdgemontDalhousie
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalhousie | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Varsity 1.9 km | 0.3% | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Brentwood 2.3 km | 0.1% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Ranchlands 2.4 km | 0.6% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Hawkwood 2.5 km | 0.5% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Silver Springs 2.5 km | 0.8% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Edgemont 2.6 km | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Around Dalhousie, nobody nearby has double its protected land.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Walking routes. Routes are what OpenStreetMap’s volunteers have mapped as named walking or hiking routes; many good trails aren’t mapped that way.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- Protected land. Protected here means in CPCAD, Canada’s official list: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and other conserved land, measured within 10 km of the town’s edge.
- Private land. Private conservation land is in the totals, not the lists. Many such areas are easements on working farms or woodlots.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
Questions about the outdoors in Dalhousie
Is there protected land near Dalhousie?
Protected areas cover 0% of the land within 10 km.
What is the nearest provincial park to Dalhousie?
It is Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park, 9.1 km away.
Where can you swim near Dalhousie?
Bowmont Beach, 2.0 km from town, is the nearest mapped beach.
What is the largest protected area near Dalhousie?
Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park: 1,337 ha, a provincial park.
When should you visit Dalhousie for the outdoors?
May and July to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
What is the nearest national park to Dalhousie?
It is Banff National Park, 71 km off.
Sources
Sources for this page on Dalhousie
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.
Gardens: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden) and Wikidata gardens within 15 km, as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic gardens and parks from Canada’s heritage registers (Parks Canada DFHD, the Canadian Register of Historic Places, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel).
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).