First pick
Dawson Park
Park or garden · 120 m outside town
50 ha12.4 km of path
2 h 45 minto walk all 12.4 km of path
1.6 km westfrom the centre
Dawson Park AccessBaker's FollyDawson Access+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Johntwrl · Public domain–Not graded
Outdoors in Forest Heights · parks, protected land & trails
Within 32 km of Forest Heights: Elk Island National Park
13 km from town is Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park, the nearest provincial park. Out to 10 km from the town’s edge, 0% of the land is protected; 2.3% is typical for a Canadian town. 2 mapped walking routes pass within 2 km, among them the Amisk Wacîw Mêskanaw and Edmonton Pedway Network.
Protected land
0%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
0
within 10 km, 0 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
32 km
Elk Island National Park
Nearest provincial park
13 km
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park
Walking routes
2
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
1
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Against other towns
Each figure for Forest Heights, 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. There is no Outdoors grade for Canadian towns; the figures stand beside the country’s towns of 2,500+ without a letter.
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 areas0Areas 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
Among 40 towns its size, Forest Heights is 3rd from the bottom for protected land
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (4,057 to 4,177 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
Forest Heights0%
Towns its size2%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Forest Heights0
Towns its size3
Towns in Alberta2
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Forest Heights2
Towns its size1
Towns in Alberta0
Typical Canadian town0
Among its peers, Forest Heights’ strong point is walking routes, where 3 of 39 top it. It trails them for public protected areas, where 32 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mistissini QC | 26% | 1.4% | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges QC | 12% | 0% | 25 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Electoral Area C, Okanagan-Similkameen BC | 12% | 12% | 52 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | Fort Nelson BC | 11% | 9.8% | 36 | 0 | 330 |
| 5 | Carleton-sur-Mer QC | 10% | 0.1% | 26 | 0 | 4 |
| 6 | Merivale Gardens - Grenfell Glen - Pineglen - Country Place ON | 9.5% | 23% | 29 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | Spring Valley ON | 6.4% | 0% | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | L'Ange-Gardien QC | 6.3% | 0% | 37 | 0 | 4 |
| 9 | Balfour ON | 5.7% | 0% | 19 | 1 | 3 |
| 10 | Electoral Area B, Cariboo BC | 5.4% | 4.8% | 10 | 1 | 3 |
| 11 | Lake of Bays ON | 4.8% | 1.8% | 12 | 1 | 6 |
| 12 | Woodlands MB | 4.8% | 6.6% | 12 | 1 | 1 |
| 13 | Electoral Area E, Kitimat-Stikine BC | 4.8% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Inch Park ON | 4.8% | 0% | 21 | 1 | 3 |
| 15 | North Norfolk MB | 4.5% | 0.5% | 10 | 0 | 6 |
| 16 | Barry's Bay ON | 3.9% | 1.9% | 13 | 0 | 4 |
| 17 | Pioneer Tower West ON | 2.3% | 3.9% | 23 | 2 | 0 |
| 18 | West River PE | 2.2% | 2.9% | 18 | 8 | 15 |
| 19 | Haut-Madawaska NB | 2.2% | 7.7% | 8 | 0 | 7 |
| 20 | Sainte-Anne-des-Lacs QC | 2% | 2.9% | 19 | 2 | 2 |
| 21 | Elbow Park AB | 2% | 0% | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 22 | Kirkfield MB | 1% | 0.3% | 14 | 1 | 37 |
| 23 | Northern Lights County AB | 0.9% | 0.6% | 30 | 0 | 67 |
| 24 | Island Lakes MB | 0.6% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Banff Trail AB | 0.6% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 26 | Sunalta AB | 0.6% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 27 | Wildwood AB | 0.5% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 28 | Beaumaris AB | 0.5% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Patterson AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 30 | Tuxedo Park AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 31 | Leger AB | 0.3% | 0% | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 32 | Malmo Plains AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 33 | Meyokumin AB | 0.2% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 34 | Matt Berry AB | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Lac-Etchemin QC | 0% | 0% | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| 36 | Crossfield AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Balwin AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 38 | Forest Heights AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 39 | Killarney AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 40 | McCauley AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 3 | 1 |
The map
Where the green is in Forest Heights
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
17 named parks and woods to walk in near Forest Heights
The biggest is Dawson Park, 50 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
17 named parks and woods, 227 ha in all
Parks & gardens 208 haWoods 19 ha
The area is spread out: the biggest holds 22% of it.
Capilano Park
Park or garden
32 ha7.8 km of path
1 h 45 minto walk all 7.8 km of path
1.3 km north-eastfrom the centre
Capilano Park TrailCapilano AccessSideline+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Forest Heights Park
Park or garden
29 ha7.2 km of path
1 h 35 minto walk all 7.2 km of path
0.7 km westfrom the centre
McNally AccessForest Heights AccessUpper Ewok+4 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Gallagher Park
Park or garden · 260 m outside town
22 ha1.8 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.8 km of path
2.3 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Kinnaird Park
Park or garden · 280 m outside town
22 ha1.8 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.8 km of path
1.6 km northfrom the centre
Cookin' KinnairdMiner Shaft111 Avenue NW
Directionsto a point inside
Strathearn Park
Park or garden
17 ha3.2 km of path
45 minto walk all 3.2 km of path
1.6 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Fulton Ravine
Park or garden
16 ha1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
0.9 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Henrietta Muir Edwards Park
Park or garden · 340 m outside town
10 ha3.7 km of path
50 minto walk all 3.7 km of path
2.1 km westfrom the centre
Edmonton QueenCloverdale AccessBirdhouse+1 path
Directionsto a point inside
All 17 named parks and green spaces
Dawson ParkPark or garden · 50 ha · 12.4 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsCapilano ParkPark or garden · 32 ha · 7.8 km of path
DirectionsForest Heights ParkPark or garden · 29 ha · 7.2 km of path
DirectionsGallagher ParkPark or garden · 22 ha · 1.8 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsKinnaird ParkPark or garden · 22 ha · 1.8 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsStrathearn ParkPark or garden · 17 ha · 3.2 km of path
DirectionsFulton RavinePark or garden · 16 ha · 1.2 km of path
DirectionsHenrietta Muir Edwards ParkPark or garden · 10 ha · 3.7 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsRat Creek RavineWood or forest · 19 ha · 1.7 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsAllan Stein ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsRiverdale ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsMike Finland ParkPark or garden · 2.4 ha
DirectionsBennett CentrePark or garden · 1.2 ha · just outside town
DirectionsBennett Centre ParkPark or garden · 1.2 ha · just outside town
DirectionsMary Finlay ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsGeorge F. Hustler Memorial PlazaPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsMaurice Poirier ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 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 Forest Heights 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%)
Forest Heights100%
Towns in Alberta100%
Typical Canadian town83%
That beats the typical Canadian town, where it is 83%.
Protected areas
No protected area lies within 10 km of Forest Heights
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
For protected land, people look to Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park, 13 km off.
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 Forest Heights
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
13 km north-west21 km²since 2005
National park
Elk Island National Park
32 km east194 km²since 1913
Nearer still is Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park, a provincial park 13 km away.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Forest Heights has 90 km of footpaths in and around it
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
90 km
in and around the town (13.9 km²)
Woodland
9.8%
about 1.4 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Forest HeightsTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths6.5
048 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Forest HeightsTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Woodland9.8%
0%50%100%
More of it is wooded than in 52% of Canadian towns. It has more footpath per km² than 97% 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
2 mapped routes to walk from Forest Heights
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 Amisk Wacîw Mêskanaw is the big one locally: 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 Forest Heights in May, August and September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Edmonton (City) (5.4 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. The wettest month is the warmest, July (83 mm); February has 12 mm. From -6 °C in January to 24 °C in July: that is the range of daytime highs. The climate in Forest Heights →
Beaches
The beach near Forest Heights: Accidental Beach, 0.3 km away
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Accidental Beach0.3 km from town
DirectionsThis page can’t show water quality: no open, Canada-wide record of beach testing exists. Check local advisories first.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Viewpoints and waterfalls near Forest Heights: 6 and 1
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Count 83 playgrounds, the biggest group. Look up to Bellamy Hill: 686 m.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 6
Riverdale Lookout0.8 km from town
DirectionsFrederick G. Todd Lookout1.3 km from town
DirectionsPlus 4 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 3
Grierson Hill678 m · 1.4 km from town
DirectionsMcDougall Hill670 m · 1.6 km from town
DirectionsBellamy Hill686 m · 1.8 km from town
DirectionsWaterfalls 1
EPCOR Waterfall1.7 km from town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
Camel Humps Nature Reserve0.3 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 6
Plus 3 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 83
Riverdale School Playground0.4 km from town
DirectionsHardisty School Playground0.4 km from town
DirectionsFulton Place Spray Park0.8 km from town
DirectionsCapilano Playground0.8 km from town
DirectionsFulton Place Playground0.8 km from town
DirectionsGold Bar Playground1.5 km from town
DirectionsKenilworth Splash pad1.7 km from town
DirectionsPlus 76 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 4
104th Avenue Off-Leash Dog Park1.9 km from town
DirectionsPlus 3 dog parks without a name on the map.
Slipways 1
Boat launch1.3 km from town
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
3 gardens within reach of Forest Heights
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 · 0.9 km from town
DirectionsWilliam Hawrelak ParkGarden or park · 5.4 km from town
DirectionsMill Woods Sports ParkGarden or park · 8.9 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 Forest Heights
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
HolyroodVirginia ParkCapilanoRiverdaleBoyle StreetOttewellForest Heights
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Heights | 0% | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Holyrood 1.5 km | 0% | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Virginia Park 1.6 km | 0% | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Capilano 1.6 km | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Riverdale 1.8 km | 0% | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Boyle Street 1.8 km | 0% | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Ottewell 1.9 km | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Its neighbours have no more than twice Forest Heights’ protected share.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Private land. Land owned by individuals, companies or conservation groups counts toward the figures but is never named: a person’s land isn’t a place to visit.
- National and provincial parks. A park at 0 km touches or overlaps the town’s outline; directions point from the town’s centre.
- Beaches. Beaches are OpenStreetMap’s, named or not; in the north many are unnamed shoreline imports.
- 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.
- Walking routes. Routes are what OpenStreetMap’s volunteers have mapped as named walking or hiking routes; many good trails aren’t mapped that way.
Questions about the outdoors in Forest Heights
When should you visit Forest Heights for the outdoors?
On the normals, May, August and September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
What is the nearest national park to Forest Heights?
Elk Island National Park is closest, at 32 km.
What is the nearest provincial park to Forest Heights?
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park, 13 km from the edge of town.
Where can you swim near Forest Heights?
Accidental Beach, 0.3 km from town; it is the one beach mapped within 5 km.
Where can you walk near Forest Heights?
The Amisk Wacîw Mêskanaw and Edmonton Pedway Network, among the routes mapped within 2 km.
Sources
The sources behind Forest Heights’ outdoors figures
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).