First pick
Dawson Park
Park or garden
50 ha12.4 km of path
2 h 45 minto walk all 12.4 km of path
3.1 km south-westfrom the centre
Dawson Park AccessBaker's FollyDawson Access+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Mack Male from Edmonton, AB, Canada · CC BY-SA 2.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Highlands · parks, protected land & trails
Within 30 km of Highlands: Elk Island National Park
A provincial park, Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park, lies 14 km away. Of the country within 10 km, 0% lies in protected areas; the median Canadian town has 2.3%. OpenStreetMap shows one walking route nearby, the Amisk Wacîw Mêskanaw.
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
30 km
Elk Island National Park
Nearest provincial park
14 km
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park
Walking routes
1
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
1
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Against other towns
How Highlands 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. No letter: the outdoors is described for Canadian towns, not graded.
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 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
Highlands has the least protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (2,639 to 2,718 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
Highlands0%
Towns its size1.6%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Highlands0
Towns its size2
Towns in Alberta2
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Highlands1
Towns its size0
Towns in Alberta0
Typical Canadian town0
For public protected areas, Highlands lags towns its size: 29 of 39 are ahead.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Ronge SK | 49% | 0.2% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Bouctouche NB | 27% | 1.6% | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Electoral Area A, Central Kootenay BC | 26% | 38% | 20 | 0 | 5 |
| 4 | Meadow Lake No. 588 SK | 13% | 15% | 25 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | Tumbler Ridge BC | 12% | 5.1% | 5 | 0 | 51 |
| 6 | Eastman QC | 11% | 7.4% | 49 | 5 | 7 |
| 7 | Swan Valley West MB | 11% | 1% | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Electoral Area F, Sunshine Coast BC | 10% | 15% | 73 | 0 | 231 |
| 9 | Saint George NB | 7.2% | 14% | 28 | 0 | 23 |
| 10 | Russell MB | 4.9% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | East River, Part 1 PE | 4.3% | 9.1% | 38 | 14 | 20 |
| 12 | Emerson-Franklin MB | 3.7% | 0.1% | 123 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Kinburn ON | 3.1% | 0% | 31 | 0 | 6 |
| 14 | Saint-François-Xavier-de-Brompton QC | 2.8% | 5.3% | 16 | 1 | 1 |
| 15 | Trinity ON | 2.6% | 2.8% | 27 | 3 | 0 |
| 16 | Saint-Mathieu QC | 2.4% | 0% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | La Présentation QC | 1.7% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Adelaide/Churchill SK | 1.7% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| 19 | Eastdale ON | 1.6% | 0% | 15 | 3 | 8 |
| 20 | Westmeria ON | 1.6% | 0% | 18 | 2 | 5 |
| 21 | Meadowlark Park AB | 1.6% | 0% | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 22 | Westview SK | 1.4% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 2 |
| 23 | North Point Douglas MB | 1.2% | 0% | 17 | 4 | 0 |
| 24 | Grand Manan NB | 0.8% | 6.1% | 14 | 1 | 31 |
| 25 | Hanna AB | 0.8% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Waterville QC | 0.7% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 27 | Saint-Alexandre QC | 0.6% | 0.6% | 23 | 1 | 0 |
| 28 | Grey MB | 0.6% | 0.7% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Saint-Chrysostome QC | 0.4% | 0.3% | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| 30 | Sundre AB | 0.4% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Macamic QC | 0.3% | 0% | 11 | 2 | 3 |
| 32 | Cy Becker AB | 0.2% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Spaniard's Bay NL | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 34 | Saint-Bernard QC | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Saint-Martin QC | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Plessisville QC | 0% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| 37 | Saint-Léonard-d'Aston QC | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Delton AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 39 | Gold Bar AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 40 | Highlands AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1 |
The map
The green map of Highlands
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 Highlands: 19 named parks and woods
The biggest is Dawson Park, 50 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
19 named parks and woods, 154 ha in all
Parks & gardens 154 ha
Dawson Park plus Gold Bar Park account for 62% of the green.
Gold Bar Park
Park or garden
46 ha12.6 km of path
2 h 50 minto walk all 12.6 km of path
2.2 km south-eastfrom the centre
Lake Loop50th St LoopGold Bar Park Trail+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Capilano Park
Park or garden
32 ha7.9 km of path
1 h 45 minto walk all 7.9 km of path
1.5 km southfrom the centre
Capilano Park TrailCapilano AccessSideline+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Highlands Park
Park or garden
4.9 ha0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
Centralin the middle of Highlands
Directionsto a point inside
Capilano Community Park
Park or garden · 380 m outside town
4.1 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
1.6 km south-eastfrom the centre
Capilano Community Park Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Montrose Park
Park or garden · 150 m outside town
3.7 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
Centralin the middle of Highlands
Directionsto a point inside
John J. Olinyk Park In Beverly Heights
Park or garden · 250 m outside town
1.7 ha0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
1.5 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 19 named parks and green spaces
Dawson ParkPark or garden · 50 ha · 12.4 km of path
DirectionsGold Bar ParkPark or garden · 46 ha · 12.6 km of path
DirectionsCapilano ParkPark or garden · 32 ha · 7.9 km of path
DirectionsHighlands ParkPark or garden · 4.9 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsCapilano Community ParkPark or garden · 4.1 ha · 0.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsMontrose ParkPark or garden · 3.7 ha · 0.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsGaby Haas ParkPark or garden · 4.2 ha
DirectionsJohn J. Olinyk Park In Beverly HeightsPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSanta Rosa ParkPark or garden · 1.4 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsHighlands Park NorthPark or garden · 1.7 ha
DirectionsHighlands Park SouthPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsEarl Samis ParkPark or garden · 1.2 ha · just outside town
DirectionsBrigham ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha · just outside town
DirectionsVirginia Park Community ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha · just outside town
DirectionsBetty Stanhope-Cole ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsMaurice Poirier ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · just outside town
DirectionsThistle ParlkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · just outside town
DirectionsHenry Martell ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsJames Ingram Gullion ParkPark or garden · 0.3 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 Highlands 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%)
Highlands100%
Towns in Alberta100%
Typical Canadian town83%
The usual figure for a Canadian town is 83%, lower than here.
Protected areas
Within 10 km of Highlands, no land is protected
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
The nearest provincial park is Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park, 14 km away.
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 Highlands
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
14 km west21 km²since 2005
National park
Elk Island National Park
30 km east194 km²since 1913
A provincial park is closer: Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park, at 14 km.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Highlands has 48 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
48 km
in and around the town (10.9 km²)
Woodland
7.9%
about 0.9 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
HighlandsTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths4.4
036 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
HighlandsTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Woodland7.9%
0%50%100%
53% of Canadian towns are more wooded. Paths are denser here than in 87% 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
1 walking route near Highlands
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Regional
Amisk Wacîw Mêskanaw83.8 km
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Highlands is best on foot in May, August and September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Edmonton (City) (5.6 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 |
In July the typical high is 24 °C; in January, -6 °C. July brings both the warmest days and the most rain (83 mm); February is driest (12 mm). A typical year sees 124 cm of snow. The climate in Highlands →
Beaches
Accidental Beach, 2.8 km away, is the beach near Highlands
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Accidental Beach2.8 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
A viewpoint near Highlands
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
The map shows 59 playgrounds, ahead of the rest.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 3
Playgrounds 59
Capilano Playground0.6 km from town
DirectionsHardisty School Playground0.9 km from town
DirectionsFulton Place Spray Park1.2 km from town
DirectionsFulton Place Playground1.3 km from town
DirectionsGold Bar Playground1.5 km from town
DirectionsAmazone Playzone1.9 km from town
DirectionsPlus 53 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 2
Plus 2 dog parks without a name on the map.
Slipways 1
Boat launchin town
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
3 gardens within reach of Highlands
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 · 3.0 km from town
DirectionsWilliam Hawrelak ParkGarden or park · 7.7 km from town
DirectionsMill Woods Sports ParkGarden or park · 11 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 Highlands
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
MontroseNewtonVirginia ParkCapilanoBeacon HeightsBeverly HeightsHighlands
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Montrose 0.8 km | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Newton 1.3 km | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Virginia Park 1.8 km | 0% | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Capilano 1.9 km | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Beacon Heights 2.0 km | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Beverly Heights 2.0 km | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Highlands holds its own on protected land: no neighbour has twice its share.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- 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.
- Private land. Private conservation land is in the totals, not the lists. Many such areas are easements on working farms or woodlots.
- Protected land. The 10 km band starts at the town’s outline, not its centre, so a large municipality reaches further than a small town.
- National and provincial parks. The nearest national park and the nearest provincial park are always shown when they are within 100 km.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
Questions about the outdoors in Highlands
Where can you walk near Highlands?
OpenStreetMap maps the Amisk Wacîw Mêskanaw close by.
Where can you swim near Highlands?
Accidental Beach, 2.8 km from town; it is the one beach mapped within 5 km.
What is the nearest national park to Highlands?
Elk Island National Park, 30 km from the edge of town.
Is there a provincial park near Highlands?
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park, 14 km away.
When is the best time for walking in Highlands?
May, August and September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
Sources
The sources behind Highlands’ 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).