First pick
Mill Creek Ravine Park
Park or garden
141 ha24.1 km of path
5 h 20 minto walk all 24.1 km of path
3.3 km south-eastfrom the centre
The TrapRidge RunnerOff-Leash Path+4 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: CnekYT · CC BY-SA 4.00.1%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Ritchie · parks, protected land & trails
Ritchie is 34 km from Elk Island National Park
The closest provincial park is Big Island Provincial Park, 12 km from the edge of town. The protected share within 10 km is 0.1%, where a typical Canadian town has 2.3%. The Amisk Wacîw Mêskanaw is the one mapped walking route close by.
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
34 km
Elk Island National Park
Nearest provincial park
12 km
Big Island Provincial Park
Walking routes
1
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
1
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Against other towns
Ritchie against 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 km0.1%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 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
Ritchie sits 5th from last of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (5,138 to 5,292 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
Ritchie0.1%
Towns its size1.9%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Ritchie1
Towns its size4
Towns in Alberta2
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Ritchie1
Towns its size1
Towns in Alberta0
Typical Canadian town0
Where Ritchie trails its peers is protected land nearby; 33 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Bay-Westfield NB | 29% | 1% | 21 | 1 | 39 |
| 2 | Electoral Area A, Cowichan Valley BC | 23% | 0.9% | 58 | 4 | 24 |
| 3 | Oliver BC | 19% | 0.8% | 24 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Metchosin BC | 18% | 9.6% | 31 | 2 | 22 |
| 5 | Lake Echo NS | 16% | 33% | 25 | 2 | 5 |
| 6 | Montréal-Ouest QC | 16% | 0% | 24 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | Inverness NS | 13% | 5.1% | 141 | 4 | 20 |
| 8 | Upper Tantallon NS | 13% | 19% | 157 | 3 | 12 |
| 9 | Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac QC | 11% | 1% | 3 | 6 | 3 |
| 10 | Saint-Denis-de-Brompton QC | 9.4% | 1.6% | 19 | 2 | 3 |
| 11 | Antigonish NS | 7.6% | 0% | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| 12 | Gourley ON | 6.5% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Uplands SK | 5.4% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Trumpeter Area AB | 5.4% | 1.6% | 9 | 7 | 0 |
| 15 | Electoral Area B, Central Kootenay BC | 4.5% | 7.4% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Heritage SK | 4% | 0% | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 17 | Rushdale ON | 3.9% | 0% | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | Crown Point East ON | 3.1% | 0% | 23 | 1 | 6 |
| 19 | Centre Hastings ON | 2.5% | 1.4% | 30 | 2 | 3 |
| 20 | Coverdale NB | 1.9% | 4.4% | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| 21 | Southdale ON | 1.9% | 0% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Waverley Heights MB | 1.7% | 0% | 22 | 0 | 1 |
| 23 | Mt. Hope Huron Park ON | 1.5% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Earl Grey MB | 1.4% | 0% | 25 | 3 | 0 |
| 25 | West Alexander MB | 1.4% | 0% | 19 | 4 | 0 |
| 26 | Mount Royal SK | 1.3% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| 27 | Shaughnessy Park MB | 1.1% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Marystown NL | 0.6% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| 29 | St. Boniface Industrial Park MB | 0.6% | 0.1% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Bannerman AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 31 | Bearspaw AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 32 | Ogilvie Ridge AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 33 | Kirkness AB | 0.2% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 34 | Saint-Cyrille-de-Wendover QC | 0.1% | 0.5% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 35 | Edmonton Energy And Technology Park AB | 0.1% | 0.8% | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 36 | Ritchie AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 37 | Tweddle Place AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 38 | Carstairs AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Didsbury AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Rundle Heights AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 1 | 0 |
The map
Where the green is in Ritchie
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
12 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Ritchie
Mill Creek Ravine Park is the largest, at 141 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
12 named parks and woods, 275 ha in all
Parks & gardens 172 haWoods 103 ha
Two places, Mill Creek Ravine Park and Mill Creek Ravine, make up 89% of the total.
Mill Creek Ravine
Wood or forest
103 ha15.4 km of path
3 h 25 minto walk all 15.4 km of path
6.6 km south-eastfrom the centre
PapaschaseStragglerNo Where Man+2 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Argyll Park
Park or garden
17 ha0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
1.2 km south-eastfrom the centre
Argyll bike skills loop
Directionsto a point inside
Mutual Park
Park or garden · 360 m outside town
2.0 ha1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
1.1 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
King Edward Park
Park or garden · 210 m outside town
3.4 ha
1.1 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Ritchie Park
Park or garden
1.8 ha0.2 km of path
Centralin the middle of Ritchie
Directionsto a point inside
Strathcona Park
Park or garden · 320 m outside town
1.4 ha
1.4 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 12 named parks and green spaces
Mill Creek Ravine ParkPark or garden · 141 ha · 24.1 km of path
DirectionsMill Creek RavineWood or forest · 103 ha · 15.4 km of path
DirectionsArgyll ParkPark or garden · 17 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsMutual ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha · 1.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsDonnan ParkPark or garden · 3.8 ha
DirectionsKing Edward ParkPark or garden · 3.4 ha · just outside town
DirectionsRitchie ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsStrathcona ParkPark or garden · 1.4 ha · just outside town
DirectionsLight Horse ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsWest Ritchie Community GardenPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsDr. Wilbert McIntyre ParkPark or garden · 0.2 ha · just outside town
DirectionsLilliput 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
In Ritchie, a park is close to every home
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%)
Ritchie100%
Towns in Alberta100%
Typical Canadian town83%
For comparison, the median Canadian town has 83%.
Protected areas
1 protected area lies within 10 km of Ritchie
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Ritchie0%
Within 10 km0.1%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
It is public.
Larch SanctuaryNature reserve · 24 ha · 7.0 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
Parks around Ritchie
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
Big Island Provincial Park
12 km south-west0.8 km²since 2023
National park
Elk Island National Park
34 km east194 km²since 1913
Nearer still is Big Island Provincial Park, a provincial park 12 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
41 km of paths in and around Ritchie
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
41 km
in and around the town (11 km²)
Woodland
7.2%
about 0.8 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
RitchieTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths3.7
02.55 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
RitchieTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Woodland7.2%
0%50%100%
Few places match it for paths: more than 81% of Canadian towns have fewer. Woods cover less of it than in 54% 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
Ritchie has 1 named walking route
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
Walking season in Ritchie: May, August and September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Edmonton (City) (6.8 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 warmest month, July, is also the wettest (83 mm), while February is driest at 12 mm. From -6 °C in January to 24 °C in July: that is the range of daytime highs. The yearly snowfall is near 124 cm. The climate in Ritchie →
Beaches
Accidental Beach, 2.3 km away, is the beach near Ritchie
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Accidental Beach2.3 km from town
DirectionsNo national or provincial register of beach water quality is published as open data, so check the local health unit before swimming.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Ritchie has 2 viewpoints within 2 km
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Playgrounds lead the count with 72.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 2
Plus 2 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 1
Camel Humps Nature Reserve2.0 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 5
Plus 5 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 72
Hazeldean Spray Park0.6 km from town
DirectionsMcKernan Playground1.7 km from town
DirectionsKenilworth Splash pad1.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 69 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 2
South Bark0.5 km from town
DirectionsPleasantview Dog Park1.9 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 Ritchie
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 · 2.6 km from town
DirectionsWilliam Hawrelak ParkGarden or park · 3.7 km from town
DirectionsMill Woods Sports ParkGarden or park · 6.0 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 Ritchie
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Bonnie DoonHazeldeanStrathconaAvonmoreQueen AlexandraRiverdaleRitchie
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ritchie | 0.1% | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Bonnie Doon 1.1 km | 0.1% | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Hazeldean 1.3 km | 0.1% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Strathcona 1.4 km | 0.1% | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Avonmore 1.9 km | 0.1% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Queen Alexandra 2.2 km | 0.1% | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Riverdale 2.5 km | 0% | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Its neighbours have no more than twice Ritchie’s protected share.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
- National and provincial parks. National parks are Parks Canada’s; provincial parks are the province’s or territory’s, Québec’s parcs nationaux among them.
- 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.
- 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. 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.
Questions about the outdoors in Ritchie
Which is the biggest protected area near Ritchie?
Larch Sanctuary, a nature reserve of 24 ha.
Is there a beach near Ritchie?
Accidental Beach, 2.3 km from town; it is the one beach mapped within 5 km.
Are there hiking trails near Ritchie?
The Amisk Wacîw Mêskanaw, mapped within 2 km.
Is there a provincial park near Ritchie?
The closest is Big Island Provincial Park, at 12 km.
How much land around Ritchie is protected?
Yes: 0.1% of the land within 10 km is protected.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Ritchie?
May, August and September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
What is the nearest national park to Ritchie?
The nearest is Elk Island National Park, 34 km away.
Sources
Where Ritchie’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).