First pick
Karl Baker Off-Leash Park
Park or garden
12 ha0.3 km of path
Centralin the middle of West Hillhurst
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Oceanflynn · CC BY-SA 4.00.5%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in West Hillhurst · parks, protected land & trails
West Hillhurst is 12 km from Fish Creek Provincial Park
One mapped walking route passes within 2 km: the Calgary Plus 15. Trout Beach is the one beach within 5 km. Of the country within 10 km, 0.5% lies in protected areas; the median Canadian town has 2.3%.
Protected land
0.5%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
2
within 10 km, 2 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
74 km
Banff National Park
Nearest provincial park
12 km
Fish Creek Provincial Park
Walking routes
1
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
1
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Against other towns
Each figure for West Hillhurst, set against 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. Outdoors isn’t one of Canada’s graded subjects, so there’s no letter here: each figure is set against other Canadian towns instead.
Protected within 10 km0.5%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 areas2Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes1Named 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
West Hillhurst has the 12th least protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (10,129 to 10,498 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
West Hillhurst0.5%
Towns its size2.6%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
West Hillhurst2
Towns its size3
Towns in Alberta2
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
West Hillhurst1
Towns its size0
Towns in Alberta0
Typical Canadian town0
Where West Hillhurst trails its peers is protected land nearby; 28 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury QC | 21% | 24% | 17 | 14 | 0 |
| 2 | Du Parc QC | 14% | 32% | 38 | 5 | 5 |
| 3 | Vanier North ON | 11% | 0.6% | 40 | 2 | 2 |
| 4 | Markham Village ON | 9.8% | 0% | 12 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 | New Glasgow NS | 9.2% | 0.5% | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | Saint-Zotique QC | 7.5% | 0.1% | 12 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | Leeds and the Thousand Islands ON | 5.8% | 8.6% | 44 | 1 | 10 |
| 8 | Notre-Dame-de-Grâces QC | 5.8% | 0% | 21 | 0 | 4 |
| 9 | Corman Park No. 344 SK | 5.4% | 2.7% | 37 | 1 | 8 |
| 10 | Professors Lake ON | 4.8% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Portland Estates NS | 4.5% | 0% | 19 | 4 | 18 |
| 12 | Stittsville East ON | 4.5% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Quesnel BC | 4.3% | 0% | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Coal Harbour BC | 3.9% | 0% | 12 | 3 | 76 |
| 15 | Upper Thornhill Estates ON | 3.5% | 12% | 39 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | East St. Paul MB | 3.4% | 0% | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Lynden ON | 3.1% | 5.4% | 33 | 3 | 3 |
| 18 | Greely ON | 2.7% | 0.7% | 17 | 0 | 3 |
| 19 | Rosemont/Mount Royal SK | 2.7% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 20 | Rexdale-Kipling ON | 2.6% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Northwood Park ON | 2.5% | 0% | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | Centreville Chicopee ON | 2.5% | 5.1% | 23 | 1 | 0 |
| 23 | Masonville ON | 2% | 7.5% | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| 24 | Saint-Félicien QC | 1.6% | 0.5% | 11 | 0 | 7 |
| 25 | Arbour Lake AB | 1.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 26 | Dover AB | 1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 27 | Citadel AB | 0.9% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 28 | Glenbrook AB | 0.7% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | West Hillhurst AB | 0.5% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 30 | Temiskaming Shores ON | 0.4% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 31 | Humber Heights-Westmount ON | 0.3% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 32 | Runnymede-Bloor West Village ON | 0.3% | 0% | 6 | 3 | 13 |
| 33 | Falconridge AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Monterey Park AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Wheatland County AB | 0.2% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | City Centre ON | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 37 | South Central ON | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 38 | McConachie AB | 0.2% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Seaforth ON | 0.1% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Taber AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
The green map of West Hillhurst
The neighbourhood’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 West Hillhurst: 14 named parks and woods
Karl Baker Off-Leash Park is the largest, at 12 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
14 named parks and woods, 40 ha in all
Parks & gardens 40 ha
Most of it sits in Karl Baker Off-Leash Park and West Campus Park: 49% together.
West Campus Park
Park or garden · 140 m outside town
8.2 ha1.5 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.5 km of path
1.9 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Grasshopper Hill
Park or garden
5.6 ha1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
1.1 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Pumphouse Park
Park or garden
4.1 ha0.8 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.8 km of path
1.6 km south-eastfrom the centre
Bow River Pathway (South)
Directionsto a point inside
Cowboys Park
Park or garden · 170 m outside town
3.0 ha1.3 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.3 km of path
2.6 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
North Hill Lions Park
Park or garden · 320 m outside town
2.4 ha1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
1.8 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Nat Christie Park
Park or garden
0.9 ha0.3 km of path
2.5 km south-eastfrom the centre
Bow River Pathway (South)
Directionsto a point inside
Green Park
Park or garden · 110 m outside town
1.1 ha0.2 km of path
1.2 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 14 named parks and green spaces
Karl Baker Off-Leash ParkPark or garden · 12 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsWest Campus ParkPark or garden · 8.2 ha · 1.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsGrasshopper HillPark or garden · 5.6 ha · 1.2 km of path
DirectionsPumphouse ParkPark or garden · 4.1 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsCowboys ParkPark or garden · 3.0 ha · 1.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsNorth Hill Lions ParkPark or garden · 2.4 ha · 1.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsNat Christie ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsGreen ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsWestmount PlaygroundPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsPaul (Smokey) Wilkinson ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsBrawn Family Foundation Rotary ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSunalta ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsGrand Trunk Park & PlaygroundPark or garden · 0.7 ha
DirectionsBroadview Road & 16th Street ParkPark or garden · 0.2 ha
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 West Hillhurst 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%)
West Hillhurst100%
Towns in Alberta100%
Typical Canadian town83%
Against the typical Canadian town’s 83%, that is high.
Protected areas
West Hillhurst has 2 protected areas within 10 km
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside West Hillhurst0%
Within 10 km0.5%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Governments or Indigenous nations hold all 2. Inglewood Migratory Bird Sanctuary leads for size with 111 ha.
Inglewood Migratory Bird SanctuaryWildlife area · 111 ha · 5.8 km from the edge of town
Griffith Woods ParkMunicipal park · 110 ha · 6.3 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 74 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
Fish Creek Provincial Park
12 km south14 km²since 1975
National park
Banff National Park
74 km north-west6,641 km²since 1885
A provincial park is closer: Fish Creek Provincial Park, at 12 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: 104 km in and around West Hillhurst
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
104 km
in and around the town (16.9 km²)
Woodland
3.2%
about 0.5 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
West HillhurstTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths6.1
048 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
West HillhurstTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Woodland3.2%
0%50%100%
It has more footpath per km² than 96% of Canadian towns. 69% of Canadian towns are more wooded.
Source: OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Mapping varies by place: a dense figure can mean keen local mappers as much as many paths.
Walking routes
One mapped route to walk from West Hillhurst
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Local
Calgary Plus 1510.5 km
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 West Hillhurst: May and July to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Calgary (Airport) (11 km), and daylight at the town’s latitude. Good months: 12½+ hours of daylight, highs of 15–30 °C, little 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 | 14.5 | 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 |
About 139 cm of snow falls in a year. January brings highs of -2 °C, July highs of 24 °C. June is the wettest month (113 mm) and January the driest (10 mm). The climate in West Hillhurst →
Beaches
Trout Beach, 3.5 km away, is the beach near West Hillhurst
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Trout Beachrock · 3.5 km from town
DirectionsNo 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
Near West Hillhurst: 4 viewpoints on the map
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
The most common are playgrounds: 105 on the map.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 4
Plus 4 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 12
Picnic Site 40.9 km from town
DirectionsPicnic Site 30.9 km from town
DirectionsPicnic Site 61.0 km from town
DirectionsPicnic Site 81.0 km from town
DirectionsPicnic Site 71.0 km from town
DirectionsPicnic Site 91.1 km from town
DirectionsPicnic Site 11.1 km from town
DirectionsPicnic Site 21.2 km from town
DirectionsPlus 4 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 105
University of Calgary Child Development Playground0.9 km from town
DirectionsAlberta Children's Hospital Playground1.1 km from town
DirectionsShaganppi Village Playground1.3 km from town
DirectionsTerrace Road School Playground1.5 km from town
DirectionsNew Edinborough Park1.6 km from town
DirectionsMontgomery Community Centre Playground1.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 99 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 11
Karl Baker Off-Leash Parkin town
DirectionsKillarney Off Leash Dog Park1.4 km from town
DirectionsKnobhill Off-Leash Park1.7 km from town
DirectionsPlus 8 dog parks 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.
Gardens to visit
Near West Hillhurst: 5 gardens and parks to visit
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
Barb Scott ParkGarden or park · 1.0 km from town
DirectionsDevonian GardensGarden or park · 1.6 km from town
DirectionsPrince's Island ParkGarden or park · 1.7 km from town
DirectionsRotary ParkGarden or park · 2.4 km from town
DirectionsOlympic PlazaGarden or park · 2.5 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 West Hillhurst
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Spruce CliffWildwoodUniversity HeightsHillhurstBanff TrailCapitol HillWest Hillhurst
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Hillhurst | 0.5% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Spruce Cliff 1.5 km | 0.6% | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Wildwood 1.6 km | 0.5% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| University Heights 1.9 km | 0.6% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Hillhurst 2.0 km | 0.6% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Banff Trail 2.2 km | 0.6% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Capitol Hill 2.5 km | 0.4% | 2 | 0 | 1 |
None of its neighbours has twice the protected land around it that West Hillhurst has.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- Walking routes. The list is OpenStreetMap’s, so a missing trail may just be unmapped. The Trans Canada Trail appears where OSM maps it.
- Protected land. Measured on CPCAD’s outlines: the part of a 10 km band around the town that lies in a protected or conserved area, water included.
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
- Private land. Private conservation land is in the totals, not the lists. Many such areas are easements on working farms or woodlots.
Questions about the outdoors in West Hillhurst
When should you visit West Hillhurst for the outdoors?
May and July to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
What is the nearest national park to West Hillhurst?
Banff National Park is closest, at 74 km.
Are there protected areas near West Hillhurst?
Yes: 0.5% of the land within 10 km is protected.
Is there a beach near West Hillhurst?
Trout Beach, 3.5 km from town; it is the one beach mapped within 5 km.
Are there hiking trails near West Hillhurst?
Try the Calgary Plus 15.
What is the biggest park or reserve near West Hillhurst?
Inglewood Migratory Bird Sanctuary: 111 ha, a wildlife area.
How far is the nearest provincial park from West Hillhurst?
Fish Creek Provincial Park, 12 km from the edge of town.
Sources
Sources for this page on West Hillhurst
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).