First pick
Mill Creek Ravine Park
Park or garden · 160 m outside town
141 ha24.1 km of path
5 h 20 minto walk all 24.1 km of path
6.2 km south-eastfrom the centre
The TrapRidge RunnerOff-Leash Path+4 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Simon Law from Montréal, QC, Canada · CC BY-SA 2.00.1%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Downtown · parks, protected land & trails
A national park 35 km from Downtown: Elk Island National Park
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park is the closest provincial park, at 11 km. 0.1% of the land and water within 10 km is protected (the typical Canadian town: 2.3%). 2 mapped walking routes pass within 2 km, among them the Amisk Wacîw Mêskanaw and Edmonton Pedway Network.
Protected land
0.1%
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
35 km
Elk Island National Park
Nearest provincial park
11 km
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park
Walking routes
2
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
1
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Against other towns
Downtown 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. No letter: the outdoors is described for Canadian towns, not graded.
Protected within 10 km0.1%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 routes2Named 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
Downtown has the 2nd least protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (12,605 to 13,160 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
Downtown0.1%
Towns its size2.4%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Downtown1
Towns its size4
Towns in Alberta2
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Downtown2
Towns its size1
Towns in Alberta0
Typical Canadian town0
For walking routes, Downtown sits near the top of its size group: 10 of 39 have more. It trails them for protected land nearby, where 38 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | View Royal BC | 21% | 45% | 35 | 3 | 20 |
| 2 | Westboro ON | 13% | 5.5% | 32 | 3 | 8 |
| 3 | Centre-Ville QC | 11% | 22% | 40 | 4 | 5 |
| 4 | North Saanich BC | 9.2% | 5.1% | 37 | 0 | 24 |
| 5 | Quantztown ON | 8.5% | 0% | 12 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | Windsor Park NS | 7.6% | 0% | 18 | 4 | 17 |
| 7 | Rothesay NB | 5.5% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 37 |
| 8 | Prince Rupert BC | 5.5% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | Deerfield ON | 5.2% | 6.3% | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Madoc ON | 5.1% | 0% | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 11 | Carrville Corners ON | 4.1% | 0.5% | 33 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Peel Village ON | 3.8% | 0.9% | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 13 | Highland Creek ON | 3.5% | 0.6% | 14 | 0 | 5 |
| 14 | New Springbrook ON | 3.1% | 2.4% | 19 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | Lakeview AB | 2.9% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| 16 | New Brighton AB | 2.9% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 11 |
| 17 | Stratford PE | 2.7% | 0.9% | 19 | 12 | 13 |
| 18 | Carignan QC | 2.7% | 2.1% | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Albert Park SK | 2.7% | 0% | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 20 | Ayr ON | 2.4% | 1.8% | 36 | 8 | 4 |
| 21 | Regent Park ON | 2.3% | 0% | 10 | 8 | 40 |
| 22 | Yonge-Bay Corridor ON | 2.2% | 0% | 11 | 9 | 38 |
| 23 | Erin ON | 2.1% | 0.2% | 48 | 6 | 1 |
| 24 | Kings County, Subdivision B NS | 1.7% | 5.9% | 19 | 2 | 9 |
| 25 | Rawdon QC | 1.7% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 5 |
| 26 | Forest ON | 1.7% | 6.7% | 9 | 2 | 18 |
| 27 | Brighton ON | 1.3% | 4.2% | 14 | 2 | 2 |
| 28 | Winchester ON | 1.2% | 0.6% | 28 | 0 | 1 |
| 29 | Meaford ON | 1.1% | 2.1% | 70 | 4 | 21 |
| 30 | Dakota Crossing MB | 0.8% | 2.1% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Gander NL | 0.7% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| 32 | Amos QC | 0.5% | 0.2% | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| 33 | Lloydminster (Part) SK | 0.5% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Lac Ste. Anne County AB | 0.5% | 0.4% | 33 | 0 | 2 |
| 35 | Centre-Nord (Montréal-Nord) QC | 0.5% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Varsity AB | 0.3% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 37 | Rutherford AB | 0.3% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 38 | Sainte-Julienne QC | 0.2% | 1.7% | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 39 | Downtown AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 40 | Thompson MB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
The green map of Downtown
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
30 named parks and woods to walk in near Downtown
Largest first: Mill Creek Ravine Park leads with 141 ha. Numbers match the map.
30 named parks and woods, 310 ha in all
Parks & gardens 286 haWoods 24 ha
Mill Creek Ravine Park and Kinsmen Park together hold 61% of it.
Kinsmen Park
Park or garden
47 ha9.5 km of path
2 h 5 minto walk all 9.5 km of path
1.5 km south-westfrom the centre
HUB Traverse9160 Walterdale Hill NWKinsmen River's Edge Singletrack+2 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Gallagher Park
Park or garden · 370 m outside town
22 ha1.8 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.8 km of path
1.3 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Louise McKinney Riverfront Park
Park or garden
15 ha5.2 km of path
1 h 10 minto walk all 5.2 km of path
1.1 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Victoria Park
Park or garden · 350 m outside town
18 ha1.8 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.8 km of path
1.7 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Henrietta Muir Edwards Park
Park or garden
10 ha3.7 km of path
50 minto walk all 3.7 km of path
1.3 km eastfrom the centre
Edmonton QueenCloverdale AccessBirdhouse+1 path
Directionsto a point inside
Nellie McClung Park
Wood or forest
13 ha3.5 km of path
45 minto walk all 3.5 km of path
1.0 km south-eastfrom the centre
Old Timers' AccessThe West CoastNellie McLung Lower Access+1 path
Directionsto a point inside
Queen Elizabeth Park
Wood or forest
11 ha2.9 km of path
40 minto walk all 2.9 km of path
1.3 km southfrom the centre
Gnome TrailNellie McLung Lower AccessOld Timers' Access
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Mill Creek Ravine ParkPark or garden · 141 ha · 24.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsKinsmen ParkPark or garden · 47 ha · 9.5 km of path
DirectionsGallagher ParkPark or garden · 22 ha · 1.8 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsLouise McKinney Riverfront ParkPark or garden · 15 ha · 5.2 km of path
DirectionsVictoria ParkPark or garden · 18 ha · 1.8 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsHenrietta Muir Edwards ParkPark or garden · 10 ha · 3.7 km of path
DirectionsNellie McClung ParkWood or forest · 13 ha · 3.5 km of path
DirectionsQueen Elizabeth ParkWood or forest · 11 ha · 2.9 km of path
DirectionsConstable Ezio Faraone ParkPark or garden · 5.0 ha · 1.8 km of path
DirectionsIrene Parlby ParkPark or garden · 4.1 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsRossdale Park 1Park or garden · 3.7 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsRossdale Park 2Park or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsO-day'min ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsÎNÎW River Lot 11∞ Indigenous Art ParkPark or garden · 1.5 ha · 0.9 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsRailtown ParkPark or garden · 1.5 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsDiamond ParkPark or garden · 2.4 ha
DirectionsEast LawnPark or garden · 1.5 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsStrathcona ParkPark or garden · 1.4 ha · just outside town
DirectionsEnd of Steel ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsChinese GardenPark or garden · 0.6 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsBeaver Hill House ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsICE District Fan ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha
DirectionsEcological GardensPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsMcDougall ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsMonsignor William Irwin ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsAlex Decoteau ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsKitchener ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsMcKay School ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha
DirectionsVeterans ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsRossdale Linear ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.1 km of path
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
Every resident of Downtown lives near 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%)
Downtown100%
Towns in Alberta100%
Typical Canadian town83%
That beats the typical Canadian town, where it is 83%.
Protected areas
1 protected area lies within 10 km of Downtown
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Downtown0%
Within 10 km0.1%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
It is public land.
Larch SanctuaryNature reserve · 24 ha · 8.6 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
Big parks near Downtown
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
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park
11 km north-west21 km²since 2005
National park
Elk Island National Park
35 km east194 km²since 1913
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park, a provincial park, is nearer at 11 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: 122 km in and around Downtown
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
122 km
in and around the town (14.4 km²)
Woodland
10%
about 1.5 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
DowntownTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths8.5
0510 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
DowntownTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Woodland10%
0%50%100%
Woods cover more of it than in 53% of Canadian towns. For path density, it beats 100% 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
Downtown has 2 named walking routes
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
RegionalOther waymarked
Amisk Wacîw Mêskanaw83.8 km
Edmonton Pedway Network3.2 km
The longest of the rest is the Amisk Wacîw Mêskanaw, 83.8 km.
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 Downtown in May, August and September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Edmonton (City) (3.8 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) | 8.0 | 9.7 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 15.9 | 17.0 | 16.5 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| High (°C) | -6 | -3 | 2 | 10 | 18 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 18 | 10 | 1 | -5 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 20 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 44 | 70 | 83 | 61 | 39 | 21 | 18 | 12 |
The yearly snowfall is near 124 cm. From -6 °C in January to 24 °C in July: that is the range of daytime highs. July is warm and wet, 83 mm; the driest month, February, has 12 mm. The climate in Downtown →
Beaches
For a swim near Downtown: Accidental Beach, 0.8 km off
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Accidental Beach0.8 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
Viewpoints and waterfalls near Downtown: 9 and 1
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
9Viewpoints6Hills and peaks1Waterfalls1Nature reserves16Picnic sites78Playgrounds5Dog parks1Slipways
Highest of the named peaks: Bellamy Hill, 686 m. Top of the list: playgrounds, 78 of them.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 9
Frederick G. Todd Lookoutin town
DirectionsRiverdale Lookout0.6 km from town
DirectionsRiverSide 1000.9 km from town
DirectionsPlus 6 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 6
Bellamy Hill686 m · in town
DirectionsGrierson Hill678 m · in town
DirectionsMcDougall Hill670 m · in town
DirectionsPlus 3 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 1
EPCOR Waterfallin town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
Camel Humps Nature Reserve1.1 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 16
Site 60.5 km from town
DirectionsSite 50.8 km from town
DirectionsSite 40.9 km from town
DirectionsSite 11.0 km from town
DirectionsSite 31.0 km from town
DirectionsSite 21.0 km from town
DirectionsPlus 10 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 78
splash pad0.4 km from town
DirectionsRiverdale School Playground1.1 km from town
DirectionsPlus 76 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 5
104th Avenue Off-Leash Dog Park0.0 km from town
DirectionsSouth Bark1.0 km from town
DirectionsPlus 3 dog parks without a name on the map.
Slipways 1
Emily Murphy Park Canoe Launch1.9 km from town
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
3 gardens and historic parks to visit near Downtown
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
Chinese Garden PagodaGarden or park · 0.4 km from town
DirectionsWilliam Hawrelak ParkGarden or park · 2.4 km from town
DirectionsMill Woods Sports ParkGarden or park · 8.6 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 Downtown
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Central McDougallWîhkwêntôwinStrathconaRiverdaleQueen Mary ParkBoyle StreetDowntown
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown | 0.1% | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Central McDougall 1.6 km | 0% | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Wîhkwêntôwin 1.6 km | 0.1% | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Strathcona 1.8 km | 0.1% | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Riverdale 1.8 km | 0% | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Queen Mary Park 1.9 km | 0.1% | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Boyle Street 2.1 km | 0% | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Downtown is not outdone two to one on protected land by any neighbour.
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.
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
- 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.
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
- National and provincial parks. A park at 0 km touches or overlaps the town’s outline; directions point from the town’s centre.
Questions about the outdoors in Downtown
When should you visit Downtown for the outdoors?
May, August and September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
What is the nearest provincial park to Downtown?
It is Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park, 11 km away.
How far is Downtown from a national park?
It is Elk Island National Park, 35 km off.
Which is the biggest protected area near Downtown?
Larch Sanctuary: 24 ha, a nature reserve.
How much land around Downtown is protected?
Protected areas cover 0.1% of the land within 10 km.
Is there a beach near Downtown?
Accidental Beach, 0.8 km from town; it is the one beach mapped within 5 km.
What walking routes are near Downtown?
The Amisk Wacîw Mêskanaw and Edmonton Pedway Network, among the routes mapped within 2 km.
Sources
Where Downtown’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.
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).