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Alberta Barns (8748798339)Photo: Thank you for visiting my page from Canada · CC BY 2.0
0.5%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Rocky View County · parks, protected land & trails

Walk from Rocky View County: 9 mapped routes

For a swim, Main Beach is the nearest of 19 beaches within 5 km. The closest of Canada’s national parks is Banff National Park, at 30 km. Within 10 km of the town, 0.5% of the land is protected, against 2.3% around a typical Canadian town.

Protected land
0.5%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
20
within 10 km, 8 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
30 km
Banff National Park
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Big Hill Springs Provincial Park
Walking routes
9
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
19
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character

The outdoors in Rocky View County, in short

Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.

Rocky View County’s best card is its choice of walking routes, with its beaches close behind. Less going for it: protected land nearby.

Against other towns

How Rocky View County 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 km0.5%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
040
Protected in town0.6%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
none50
Public protected areas8Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
nonetypical 440+
Walking routes9Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
none12+
Beaches19Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
none40+

CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.

Towns its size

Among 40 towns its size, Rocky View County is 10th from the bottom for protected land

The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (43,243 to 58,010 residents), by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected. Hover for each one’s figures; click for its page.

Rocky View County 0.5%
Dollard-Des OrmeauxCornwall
015%29%
Protected within 10 km
Rocky View County0.5%
Towns its size4%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Rocky View County8
Towns its size10
Towns in Alberta2
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Rocky View County9
Towns its size1
Towns in Alberta0
Typical Canadian town0

Against towns its size, Rocky View County does best for walking routes: 5 of the other 39 have more. It trails them for protected land nearby, where 30 of 39 have more.

Every town in the comparison
TownProtected within 10 kmIn townAreasRoutesBeaches
1Dollard-Des Ormeaux QC27%3.7%4006
2Shawinigan QC24%61%401610
3Vaudreuil-Dorion QC20%0.7%73010
4Châteauguay QC19%0.8%3403
5Mission BC19%3.5%28333
6Newton BC15%7.3%17461
7Sault-Saint-Louis QC11%10%2404
8Rouyn-Noranda QC11%14%90158
9Saint-Eustache QC9.9%0%4207
10Pointe-aux-Trembles QC9.5%7.3%3802
11Rimouski QC8.8%3.6%431048
12Salaberry-de-Valleyfield QC8.8%1.9%2702
13West Vancouver BC8.6%21%5610132
14Vernon BC8.4%1.9%17027
15Whalley BC8.2%1%12557
16Anjou QC6.5%2.4%2801
17Hagerman's Corners ON6.4%0%2611
18Stouffville ON5.9%0.5%5111
19Fabreville QC5.8%3%3904
20Mascouche QC4%0%3200
21Port-Maurice QC4%0%1700
22Spruce Grove AB3.1%0%1100
23Timmins ON2.7%1.8%706
24Alliston ON2.1%0.4%3623
25Charlottetown PE2%2%152513
26Quinte West ON1.4%0.6%2231
27Bradford ON1.1%1.3%2851
28Keswick ON0.7%0.9%13114
29Roseborough ON0.7%0%400
30Hurontario ON0.7%0%400
31Rocky View County AB0.5%0.6%20919
32Paris ON0.4%0.2%2673
33Woodstock ON0.4%0%532
34Lakeshore ON0.4%0%403
35Churchill Meadows ON0.4%0%300
36Innisfil ON0.3%0.1%6117
37Victoriaville QC0.2%0%102
38Caledonia ON0.2%0.4%1747
39St. Thomas ON0.2%0%330
40Cornwall ON0.1%0%401
The map

Rocky View County on the map: green space, protected land and paths

The town’s parks, woods, protected land and paths, with its named places numbered.

12345678
Green: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, playing fields and woods. Hatched: CPCAD protected areas.© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); CPCAD (OGL-Canada)
Places to walk

Walk in Rocky View County: 27 named parks and woods

Largest first: A leads with 4,584 ha. Numbers match the map.

27 named parks and woods, 4,858 ha in allA4,584 ha · 0.9 km of pathA: 4,584 ha, 0.9 km of pathPerrenoud Wildlife Habitat Area: 122 haCochrane Ranche: 53 ha, 6.1 km of pathHaskayne Legacy Park: 26 ha, 2 km of pathYamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary: 17 haOff-Leash Dog Park: 9.0 ha, 2.3 km of pathMidsummer Common: 6.6 ha, 0.7 km of pathBulrush Park: 5.8 ha, 0.3 km of pathCrystal Park: 5.6 ha, 1 km of pathThe Owl Forest: 5.0 ha, 0.8 km of pathCove Park: 3.8 ha, 0.9 km of pathBow Ridge Field Park: 3.5 ha, 0.2 km of pathCattail Park: 3.4 ha, 0.5 km of pathNorth Winters Park: 3.1 ha, 0.3 km of pathW.D. Kerfoot Park: 2.9 haAmery Park: 1.0 ha, 0.2 km of pathPaint Brush Park: 1.0 haLions Centennial Park: 0.9 ha, 0.1 km of pathMillennium Park: 0.8 ha, 0.2 km of pathKen's Meadow (dog park at Play Unleashed): 0.6 haAspenmere Gazeebo Tot Lot: 0.6 haRoger's Retreat: 0.6 haEllen Park: 0.5 haEnchanted Forest (dog park at Play Unleashed): 0.5 haBrent's Woods (dog park at Play Unleashed): 0.3 haBeiseker Dog Park: 0.3 haMarjorie's Meadow (dog park at Play Unleashed): 0.3 ha
Parks & gardens 152 haWoods 4,706 ha

The bulk, 97%, is A and Perrenoud Wildlife Habitat Area.

First pick

A

Wood or forest
4,584 ha0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
36 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside

Cochrane Ranche

Park or garden
53 ha6.1 km of path
1 h 20 minto walk all 6.1 km of path
16 km westfrom the centre
Stockmen's Trail
Directionsto a point inside

Perrenoud Wildlife Habitat Area

Wood or forest
122 ha
35 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside

Haskayne Legacy Park

Park or garden · 310 m outside town
26 ha2 km of path
25 minto walk all 2 km of path
4.3 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside

Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary

Park or garden
17 ha
27 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside

Off-Leash Dog Park

Park or garden · 240 m outside town
9.0 ha2.3 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.3 km of path
33 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside

Midsummer Common

Park or garden
6.6 ha0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
29 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside

Crystal Park

Park or garden · 210 m outside town
5.6 ha1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1 km of path
33 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 27 named parks and green spaces
AWood or forest · 4,584 ha · 0.9 km of path
Directions
Cochrane RanchePark or garden · 53 ha · 6.1 km of path
Directions
Perrenoud Wildlife Habitat AreaWood or forest · 122 ha
Directions
Haskayne Legacy ParkPark or garden · 26 ha · 2 km of path · just outside town
Directions
Yamnuska Wolfdog SanctuaryPark or garden · 17 ha
Directions
Off-Leash Dog ParkPark or garden · 9.0 ha · 2.3 km of path · just outside town
Directions
Midsummer CommonPark or garden · 6.6 ha · 0.7 km of path
Directions
Crystal ParkPark or garden · 5.6 ha · 1 km of path · just outside town
Directions
The Owl ForestPark or garden · 5.0 ha · 0.8 km of path
Directions
Bulrush ParkPark or garden · 5.8 ha · 0.3 km of path
Directions
Cove ParkPark or garden · 3.8 ha · 0.9 km of path · just outside town
Directions
Cattail ParkPark or garden · 3.4 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
Directions
Bow Ridge Field ParkPark or garden · 3.5 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
Directions
North Winters ParkPark or garden · 3.1 ha · 0.3 km of path
Directions
W.D. Kerfoot ParkPark or garden · 2.9 ha · just outside town
Directions
Amery ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
Directions
Millennium ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
Directions
Lions Centennial ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.1 km of path · just outside town
Directions
Paint Brush ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha
Directions
Ken's Meadow (dog park at Play Unleashed)Park or garden · 0.6 ha
Directions
Aspenmere Gazeebo Tot LotPark or garden · 0.6 ha · just outside town
Directions
Roger's RetreatPark or garden · 0.6 ha
Directions
Ellen ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · just outside town
Directions
Enchanted Forest (dog park at Play Unleashed)Park or garden · 0.5 ha
Directions
Beiseker Dog ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · just outside town
Directions
Brent's Woods (dog park at Play Unleashed)Park or garden · 0.3 ha
Directions
Marjorie's Meadow (dog park at Play Unleashed)Park or garden · 0.3 ha
Directions

Source: 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

About 1 in 10 of Rocky View County’s residents are a short walk from 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 (6.3%)Further (94%)
Rocky View County6.3%
Towns in Alberta100%
Typical Canadian town83%

For comparison, the typical Canadian town has 83%. Around 47,000 residents are further than 400 m from a park.

Protected areas

Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park reaches Rocky View County

Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.

Inside Rocky View County0.6%
Within 10 km0.5%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%

On public land: 8 of the 20. The others are private conservation land. Fish Creek Provincial Park covers 1,361 ha, the most of any named area. Another 12 are privately owned conservation land; they count in the figures but aren’t named, as private land isn’t a place to visit.

Glenbow Ranch Provincial ParkProvincial park · 1,337 ha · reaches Rocky View County
Elbow Valley Provincial Park (expansion)Provincial park · 1,040 ha · reaches Rocky View County
Bragg Creek Provincial ParkProvincial park · 129 ha · reaches Rocky View County
Big Hill Springs Provincial ParkProvincial park · 32 ha · reaches Rocky View County
Griffith Woods ParkMunicipal park · 110 ha · reaches Rocky View County
Inglewood Migratory Bird SanctuaryWildlife area · 111 ha · 6.2 km from the edge of town
Ole Buck Mountain Natural AreaNature reserve · 355 ha · 6.5 km from the edge of town
Fish Creek Provincial ParkProvincial park · 1,361 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

30 km to Banff National Park

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.

10 km20 km30 km40 kmNGlenbow Ranch Provincial Parkat the edgeGlenbow Ranch Provincial Park: at the edge · 13 km²Elbow Valley Provincial Park (expansion)at the edgeElbow Valley Provincial Park (expansion): at the edge · 10 km²Bragg Creek Provincial Parkat the edgeBragg Creek Provincial Park: at the edge · 1.3 km²Big Hill Springs Provincial Parkat the edgeBig Hill Springs Provincial Park: at the edge · 0.3 km²Fish Creek Provincial Park7.0 km south-eastFish Creek Provincial Park: 7.0 km south-east · 14 km²Banff National Park30 km westBanff National Park: 30 km west · 6,641 km²Rocky View County
National parkProvincial park
Provincial park

Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park

At the edge13 km²since 2008
Provincial park

Elbow Valley Provincial Park (expansion)

At the edge10 km²
Provincial park

Bragg Creek Provincial Park

At the edge1.3 km²since 1960
Provincial park

Big Hill Springs Provincial Park

At the edge0.3 km²since 1957
Provincial park

Fish Creek Provincial Park

7.0 km south-east14 km²since 1975
National park

Banff National Park

30 km west6,641 km²since 1885

Within 10 km are 5 provincial parks.

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: 575 km in and around Rocky View County

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
575 km
in and around the town (4,422.4 km²)
Woodland
6.4%
about 281.7 km² of mapped woods

Footpaths · km per km²

Rocky View CountyTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.1
024 km per km²

Share of the land · mapped woods and forest

Rocky View CountyTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Woodland6.4%
0%50%100%

For woods, 57% of Canadian towns have more. 82% of Canadian towns have more footpath per km².

Source: OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Mapping varies by place: a dense figure can mean keen local mappers as much as many paths.

Walking routes

Walks near Rocky View County

Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.

Local
Hike: Long Distance8.5 km
MTB: Snowy Owl6.1 km
Hike: Snagmore5.2 km
Hike: Ranger Summit4.0 km
Hike: Sugar Daddy3.8 km
Hike: Braggin Rights3.6 km
Hike: Strange Brew3.6 km
Hike: Disconnect1.6 km
Reconnect1.6 km

Among local routes, the Hike: Long Distance is longest at 8.5 km. 2 are short walks under 3 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 Rocky View County: May and July to September

Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Calgary (Airport), 18 km away). Good months: long days, highs of 15–30 °C, light rain.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Daylight (h)8.49.911.713.815.516.516.114.612.510.68.87.9
High (°C)-2041116202423181140
Rain & snow (mm)1012183061113665437171613

About 139 cm of snow falls in a year. January brings highs of -2 °C, July highs of 24 °C. The wettest month, June, brings 113 mm, against 10 mm in January. The climate in Rocky View County →

Beaches

19 beaches within 5 km of Rocky View County

Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.

Main Beachsand · in town
Directions
Upper Beachsand · in town
Directions
Cove Beach0.2 km from town
Directions
Dog Park Beach0.7 km from town
Directions
Bowmont Beach2.9 km from town
Directions
Bowmont Beach3.0 km from town
Directions

Add 13 unnamed beaches to the count. OpenStreetMap marks 2 as sandy. 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

Near Rocky View County: 11 viewpoints on the map

Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.

The map shows 351 playgrounds, ahead of the rest. The tallest named summit close by is Taipiti Ridge (1,655 m).

Every named place, with directions

Viewpoints 11

Men of Vision0.8 km from town
Directions

Plus 10 viewpoints without a name on the map.

Hills and peaks 6

Last Break1,469 m · in town
Directions
Logan Ridge1,426 m · in town
Directions
Two Pines1,459 m · in town
Directions
VOR1,206 m · in town
Directions
Top Hill1,298 m · 0.4 km from town
Directions
Taipiti Ridge1,655 m · 1.6 km from town
Directions

Nature reserves 6

Bearspaw Summit Trailin town
Directions
Wildcat Island Natural Areain town
Directions
Griffith Woods0.8 km from town
Directions
Gooseberry Provincial Recreation Area1.0 km from town
Directions
Ralph Klein Park1.7 km from town
Directions

Plus 1 nature reserve without a name on the map.

Picnic sites 24

Picinic Areain town
Directions
Picnic Site 71.9 km from town
Directions
Picnic Site 81.9 km from town
Directions
Picnic Site 61.9 km from town
Directions
Picnic Site 52.0 km from town
Directions

Plus 19 picnic sites without a name on the map.

Playgrounds 351

Boulder Creek Eastern Playgroundin town
Directions
Boulder Creek Western Playgroundin town
Directions
Cove Playground0.2 km from town
Directions
Cove Beach Playground0.2 km from town
Directions
Tesoro Treehouse Playground0.4 km from town
Directions
Osprey Park0.4 km from town
Directions
Founder's Park Playground0.6 km from town
Directions
Tuscany Estates Playground0.8 km from town
Directions

Plus 343 playgrounds without a name on the map.

Dog parks 22

Abbie's Acresin town
Directions
Adventure Land (dog park at Play Unleashed)in town
Directions
Brent's Woods (dog park at Play Unleashed)in town
Directions
Enchanted Forest (dog park at Play Unleashed)in town
Directions
Field of Dreams (dog park at Play Unleashed)in town
Directions
Ken's Meadow (dog park at Play Unleashed)in town
Directions
Marjorie's Meadow (dog park at Play Unleashed)in town
Directions
Roger's Retreatin town
Directions

Plus 14 dog parks without a name on the map.

Campsites 7

Bottrel Store and Campgroundin town
Directions
Lost Lake Scout Campin town
Directions
Mountainview Campingin town
Directions
Beiseker Municipal Campground0.1 km from town
Directions
Gooseberry Campground0.9 km from town
Directions
Natures Hideaway Family Campground1.2 km from town
Directions

Plus 1 campsite without a name on the map.

Slipways 6

City of Chestermere Boat Launch0.5 km from town
Directions

Plus 5 slipways without a name on the map.

Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Gardens to visit

Near Rocky View County: 4 gardens and parks to visit

Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.

Griffith Woods ParkGarden or park · 1.9 km from town
Directions
Olympic PlazaGarden or park · 10 km from town
Directions
Prince's Island ParkGarden or park · 11 km from town
Directions
Devonian GardensGarden or park · 11 km from town
Directions

Sources: 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 Rocky View County

The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.

Rocky RidgeRoyal OakTuscanyArbour LakeScenic AcresCitadelRocky View County
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
TownProtected within 10 kmAreasRoutesBeaches
Rocky View County0.5%20919
Rocky Ridge 2.2 km2.5%102
Royal Oak 3.2 km1.4%102
Tuscany 4.0 km2.8%202
Arbour Lake 5.1 km1.2%102
Scenic Acres 5.5 km1.6%202
Citadel 6.1 km0.9%102

Around Rocky Ridge, Royal Oak and Tuscany the protected share is at least double.

How to read these numbers

What this data can and can’t tell you

  • 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. National parks are Parks Canada’s; provincial parks are the province’s or territory’s, Québec’s parcs nationaux among them.
  • Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
  • Walking routes. The list is OpenStreetMap’s, so a missing trail may just be unmapped. The Trans Canada Trail appears where OSM maps it.
  • Beaches. Beaches are OpenStreetMap’s, named or not; in the north many are unnamed shoreline imports.

Questions about the outdoors in Rocky View County

Are there protected areas near Rocky View County?

Yes: 0.5% of the land within 10 km is protected.

What walking routes are near Rocky View County?

OpenStreetMap maps the Hike: Long Distance, Hike: Snagmore and Hike: Sugar Daddy close by, with others.

Where can you swim near Rocky View County?

The nearest is Main Beach, in town.

Which is the biggest protected area near Rocky View County?

Fish Creek Provincial Park: 1,361 ha, a provincial park.

How far is the nearest provincial park from Rocky View County?

Big Hill Springs Provincial Park, which reaches the edge of town.

When should you visit Rocky View County for the outdoors?

On the normals, May and July to September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.

Is Rocky View County near a national park?

Banff National Park, 30 km from the edge of town.

Sources

Where Rocky View County’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).