First pick
Police Point Park
Park or garden
84 ha6.9 km of path
1 h 30 minto walk all 6.9 km of path
3.1 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Festbock · CC BY-SA 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Medicine Hat · parks, protected land & trails
None of the land within 10 km of Medicine Hat is protected
No national park lies within 100 km. One unnamed beach is mapped within 5 km. 41 km from town is Cypress Hills Provincial Park, the nearest provincial park.
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 provincial park
41 km
Cypress Hills Provincial Park
Beaches
1
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Against other towns
Medicine Hat 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. 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%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 routes0Named 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
Medicine Hat has the least protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (51,739 to 90,201 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
Medicine Hat0%
Towns its size2.9%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Medicine Hat0
Towns its size8
Towns in Alberta2
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Medicine Hat0
Towns its size1
Towns in Alberta0
Typical Canadian town0
Where Medicine Hat trails its peers is walking routes; 28 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort McMurray AB | 34% | 35% | 21 | 1 | 289 |
| 2 | Langford BC | 27% | 18% | 41 | 7 | 19 |
| 3 | Shawinigan QC | 24% | 61% | 40 | 16 | 10 |
| 4 | Châteauguay QC | 19% | 0.8% | 34 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | Port Coquitlam BC | 15% | 5.6% | 125 | 3 | 30 |
| 6 | Saint John NB | 14% | 11% | 63 | 3 | 97 |
| 7 | Rimouski QC | 8.8% | 3.6% | 43 | 10 | 48 |
| 8 | Whalley BC | 8.2% | 1% | 125 | 5 | 7 |
| 9 | Fleetwood BC | 7.8% | 7.9% | 162 | 10 | 0 |
| 10 | Lindsay ON | 7.6% | 9.2% | 60 | 5 | 9 |
| 11 | North Vancouver BC | 7.5% | 0% | 13 | 4 | 66 |
| 12 | North Bay ON | 7.4% | 5.6% | 4 | 4 | 13 |
| 13 | Mirabel QC | 5.9% | 0.3% | 76 | 1 | 2 |
| 14 | Stouffville ON | 5.9% | 0.5% | 51 | 1 | 1 |
| 15 | Bolton ON | 4.8% | 5.9% | 113 | 11 | 3 |
| 16 | Fredericton NB | 4.3% | 0% | 26 | 2 | 16 |
| 17 | Mascouche QC | 4% | 0% | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Chomedey QC | 3.9% | 0.1% | 43 | 0 | 2 |
| 19 | St. Albert AB | 3.4% | 2.1% | 7 | 7 | 1 |
| 20 | Welland ON | 3.2% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Granby QC | 2.5% | 3.6% | 18 | 0 | 6 |
| 22 | Simcoe ON | 2.3% | 4.7% | 102 | 5 | 36 |
| 23 | Aurora ON | 2.2% | 0.6% | 42 | 1 | 0 |
| 24 | Georgetown ON | 1.8% | 3.5% | 38 | 6 | 2 |
| 25 | Grande Prairie AB | 1.7% | 0% | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| 26 | Sault Ste. Marie ON | 1.6% | 7.5% | 10 | 0 | 3 |
| 27 | Belleville ON | 1.2% | 1.8% | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| 28 | Blainville QC | 1.1% | 0% | 27 | 2 | 0 |
| 29 | Brandon MB | 1.1% | 0.9% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Saint-Jérôme QC | 1% | 0.1% | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| 31 | Saint-Hyacinthe QC | 0.7% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Keswick ON | 0.7% | 0.9% | 13 | 1 | 14 |
| 33 | Roseborough ON | 0.7% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Woodstock ON | 0.4% | 0% | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 35 | Prince George BC | 0.3% | 0.5% | 5 | 1 | 51 |
| 36 | Caledonia ON | 0.2% | 0.4% | 17 | 4 | 7 |
| 37 | Sarnia ON | 0.2% | 0.3% | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| 38 | Drummondville QC | 0.1% | 0.2% | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 39 | Cornwall ON | 0.1% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 40 | Medicine Hat AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1 |
The map
The green map of Medicine Hat
Green space, woods, protected areas and footpaths in and around the town; 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
Walk in Medicine Hat: 30 named parks and woods
The biggest is Police Point Park, 84 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
30 named parks and woods, 314 ha in all
Parks & gardens 314 ha
Police Point Park and Echo Dale Regional Park together hold 51% of it.
Echo Dale Regional Park
Park or garden
75 ha8.7 km of path
1 h 55 minto walk all 8.7 km of path
8.7 km westfrom the centre
A JackedEcho Dale River TrailCoal Burner+3 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Strathcona Island Park
Park or garden
35 ha5.4 km of path
1 h 10 minto walk all 5.4 km of path
2.3 km north-eastfrom the centre
Strathcona Island Park Trails
Directionsto a point inside
Viterra Park
Park or garden
22 ha2.9 km of path
40 minto walk all 2.9 km of path
4.9 km northfrom the centre
Viterra Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Lions Park
Park or garden
13 ha1.7 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.7 km of path
2.7 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
South Ridge Community Park
Park or garden
10 ha1.4 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.4 km of path
2.1 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Gilwell Park
Park or garden
7.3 ha0.5 km of path
1.8 km eastfrom the centre
Southview Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Southlands Park
Park or garden
6.7 ha0.4 km of path
2.8 km southfrom the centre
Southlands Trail
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Police Point ParkPark or garden · 84 ha · 6.9 km of path
DirectionsEcho Dale Regional ParkPark or garden · 75 ha · 8.7 km of path
DirectionsStrathcona Island ParkPark or garden · 35 ha · 5.4 km of path
DirectionsViterra ParkPark or garden · 22 ha · 2.9 km of path
DirectionsLions ParkPark or garden · 13 ha · 1.7 km of path
DirectionsSouth Ridge Community ParkPark or garden · 10 ha · 1.4 km of path
DirectionsGilwell ParkPark or garden · 7.3 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsSouthlands ParkPark or garden · 6.7 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsLeinweber ParkPark or garden · 6.0 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsRoss Glen Town CentrePark or garden · 5.5 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsMoose Community Ballpark ComplexPark or garden · 6.1 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsRoss Glen Finger ParkPark or garden · 3.4 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsRossmere Finger ParkPark or garden · 3.2 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsMemorial ArboretumPark or garden · 3.7 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsSaamis Rotary ParkPark or garden · 3.4 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsSouthview ParkPark or garden · 3.2 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsX ParkPark or garden · 2.2 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsJeffries ParkPark or garden · 3.3 ha
DirectionsCentral ParkPark or garden · 3.1 ha
DirectionsMcQueen ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsEast Glen ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsMegan Wahl Memorial ParkPark or garden · 2.7 ha
DirectionsS.F. Scott ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsRiverside Veterans Memorial ParkPark or garden · 1.4 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsRoss Haven Finger ParkPark or garden · 1.4 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsRossland Finger ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsSimpson ParkPark or garden · 1.3 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsRotary ParkPark or garden · 1.2 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsCalder ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha
DirectionsOsborne ParkPark or garden · 1.5 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
A park is within a short walk for 9 in 10 in Medicine Hat
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 (91%)Further (9.3%)
Medicine Hat91%
Towns in Alberta100%
Typical Canadian town83%
That leaves about 6,000 people more than a short walk away. Few do better: the typical Canadian town is at 83%.
Protected areas
There is no protected land within 10 km of Medicine Hat
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 Cypress Hills Provincial Park, 41 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
Cypress Hills Provincial Park is 41 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
Cypress Hills Provincial Park
41 km south-east209 km²since 1951
There is no national park within 100 km; for big parks, Medicine Hat has its province’s.
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: 223 km in and around Medicine Hat
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
223 km
in and around the town (178.8 km²)
Woodland
under 0.1%
about 0.1 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Medicine HatTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths1.2
024 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Medicine HatTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Woodlandunder 0.1%
0%50%100%
Woods cover less of it than in 95% of Canadian towns. It has fewer paths per km² than 55% 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
No mapped walking route near Medicine Hat
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
No named route shows within 2 km of the town; volunteers map trails unevenly from one region to the next.
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 Medicine Hat: May and July to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Medicine Hat (3.6 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) | 8.5 | 10.0 | 11.7 | 13.7 | 15.4 | 16.3 | 15.9 | 14.5 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.9 | 8.1 |
| High (°C) | -3 | -1 | 6 | 14 | 19 | 23 | 28 | 27 | 21 | 13 | 5 | -1 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 14 | 10 | 16 | 23 | 45 | 76 | 35 | 34 | 31 | 20 | 14 | 12 |
Highs peak near 28 °C in July and fall to -3 °C in January. February is the driest month at 10 mm; June the wettest at 76 mm. Snow totals about 85 cm a year. The climate in Medicine Hat →
Beaches
One unnamed beach near Medicine Hat
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
No 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
3 viewpoints near Medicine Hat
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
100 playgrounds top the list.
Every named place, with directions
Picnic sites 4
Strathcona North Cook Hutin town
DirectionsStrathcona South Cook Hutin town
DirectionsPlus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 100
Plus 100 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Saratoga Dog Parkin town
DirectionsCampsites 1
Gas City Campgroundin town
DirectionsSlipways 3
Plus 3 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Medicine Hat
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Cypress CountyRedcliffMedicine Hat
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine Hat | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Cypress County 4.8 km | 7.9% | 46 | 1 | 3 |
| Redcliff 10.0 km | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Cypress County has at least twice the protected share around it.
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.
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
- Walking routes. Only named route relations count; a park’s own path network may not show unless it is mapped as a route.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- Protected land. CPCAD maps each protected area; the page counts how much of the 10 km around the town they cover, lakes and sea included.
Questions about the outdoors in Medicine Hat
When should you visit Medicine Hat for the outdoors?
May and July to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
How far is the nearest provincial park from Medicine Hat?
The closest is Cypress Hills Provincial Park, at 41 km.
What is the nearest beach to Medicine Hat?
There is an unnamed beach within 5 km.
What is the nearest national park to Medicine Hat?
No national park lies within 100 km of Medicine Hat.
Sources
Sources for this page on Medicine Hat
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.
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).