First pick
Dorothy Community Park
Park or garden
1.8 ha
60 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Mascdman · CC BY-SA 2.52%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Special Area No. 2 · parks, protected land & trails
A provincial park at Special Area No. 2’s edge: Dinosaur Provincial Park
17 beaches are mapped within 5 km, the nearest Prairie Oasis Campground. There is no national park within 100 km of the town. Within 10 km are 9 protected areas.
Protected land
2%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
9
within 10 km, 7 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Dinosaur Provincial Park
Beaches
17
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
The outdoors in Special Area No. 2, in short
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Above all, Special Area No. 2 offers a provincial park at its edge, with its beaches close behind.
Against other towns
Special Area No. 2 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 graded in Canada. The page compares each figure with other towns and leaves it there.
Protected within 10 km2%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town0.6%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas7Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes0Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches17Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Special Area No. 2 comes 18th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (1,837 to 2,587 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
Special Area No. 22%
Towns its size1.6%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Special Area No. 27
Towns its size4
Towns in Alberta2
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Special Area No. 20
Towns its size0
Towns in Alberta0
Typical Canadian town0
Special Area No. 2 beats most towns its size for public protected areas; 13 of 39 do better.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anmore BC | 22% | 47% | 16 | 5 | 98 |
| 2 | Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska QC | 19% | 0% | 28 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Gracefield QC | 19% | 19% | 34 | 0 | 6 |
| 4 | East Preston NS | 16% | 6.3% | 20 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | Clearwater BC | 7.7% | 4.1% | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | Roberval QC | 6.1% | 1.2% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague QC | 5.8% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | North Frontenac ON | 5.7% | 5.2% | 13 | 6 | 4 |
| 9 | Cap-Chat QC | 5.3% | 0.4% | 13 | 0 | 10 |
| 10 | Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards ON | 4.4% | 1.5% | 9 | 0 | 4 |
| 11 | Saint-Polycarpe QC | 4.2% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| 12 | Macassa ON | 4.1% | 0% | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| 13 | Saint-Damien QC | 4% | 3.2% | 22 | 1 | 9 |
| 14 | Unity SK | 3.4% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Sherwood ON | 3.4% | 0% | 19 | 2 | 0 |
| 16 | McNab SK | 2.6% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 17 | Mandeville QC | 2.5% | 1.8% | 19 | 4 | 7 |
| 18 | Special Area No. 2 AB | 2% | 0.6% | 9 | 0 | 17 |
| 19 | Esterhazy SK | 1.8% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | City Commercial Core ON | 1.8% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Caswell Hill SK | 1.4% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| 22 | Fossambault-sur-le-Lac QC | 1.3% | 7.8% | 15 | 0 | 14 |
| 23 | Pembina MB | 1.1% | 1.8% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Burrows-Keewatin MB | 1% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Elmwood AB | 0.8% | 0% | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 26 | Hatley QC | 0.7% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 5 |
| 27 | Munroe West MB | 0.4% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Brooke-Alvinston ON | 0.3% | 0.2% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Rosedale AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 30 | Minchau AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 31 | Lunenburg NS | 0.1% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 5 |
| 32 | Salisbury NB | 0.1% | 2.1% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Dufferin MB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Ekota AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 35 | Satoo AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 36 | Saint-Éphrem-de-Beauce QC | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 37 | Magrath AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Nanton AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Rimbey AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Sexsmith AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Special Area No. 2 on the map: green space, protected land and paths
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
One park or wood to walk in, in or near Special Area No. 2
Dorothy Community Park is the largest, at 1.8 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
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
In Special Area No. 2, parks are rarely a short walk away
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 (0%)Further (100%)
Special Area No. 20%
Towns in Alberta100%
Typical Canadian town83%
For about 1,800 people, the nearest park is over 400 m away. The typical Canadian town does better, at 83%.
Protected areas
Protected areas cover 2% of the land near Special Area No. 2
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Special Area No. 20.6%
Within 10 km2%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public ownership covers 7 of the 9. Canadian Forces Base Suffield National Wildlife Area is the biggest, 45,836 ha. 2 more areas within 10 km are private land, held by landowners or conservation groups: counted here, not named.
Canadian Forces Base Suffield National Wildlife AreaWildlife area · 45,836 ha · reaches Special Area No. 2
Dinosaur Provincial ParkProvincial park · 8,077 ha · reaches Special Area No. 2
Hand Hills Ecological ReserveNature reserve · 2,314 ha · reaches Special Area No. 2
Antelope Hill Provincial ParkProvincial park · 377 ha · reaches Special Area No. 2
Spiers Lake National Wildlife AreaWildlife area · 65 ha · 6.9 km from the edge of town
2 areas recorded only by their type (provincial layers such as wildlife habitat areas) are counted, not listed.
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
Dinosaur Provincial Park starts at the edge of Special Area No. 2
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
Dinosaur Provincial Park
At the edge81 km²since 1955
Provincial park
Antelope Hill Provincial Park
At the edge3.8 km²since 2015
No national park lies within 100 km of Special Area No. 2; the provincial parks are the big protected land within reach. 2 provincial parks lie within 10 km.
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: 21 km in and around Special Area No. 2
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
21 km
in and around the town (10,310 km²)
Footpaths · km per km²
Special Area No. 2Towns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0
024 km per km²
Paths are thinner on the ground than in 99% 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
OpenStreetMap shows no walking route near Special Area No. 2
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 walking or hiking route is mapped near the town; local paths may simply not be on OpenStreetMap as routes.
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 Special Area No. 2 in May and July to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Coronation, 56 km away). Good months: long days, highs of 15–30 °C, light rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 8.3 | 9.9 | 11.7 | 13.8 | 15.6 | 16.6 | 16.2 | 14.6 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.7 | 7.8 |
| High (°C) | -8 | -6 | -1 | 10 | 17 | 20 | 24 | 23 | 18 | 10 | 0 | -7 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 12 | 9 | 13 | 25 | 39 | 69 | 61 | 43 | 29 | 17 | 15 | 9 |
Expect 69 mm in June, the wettest month, and 9 mm in December. Highs peak near 24 °C in July and fall to -8 °C in January. The climate in Special Area No. 2 →
Beaches
Beaches near Special Area No. 2: 17 within 5 km
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Prairie Oasis Campgroundsand · in town
DirectionsOpenStreetMap shows 16 more, nameless. 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 Special Area No. 2
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Campsites lead the count with 9. Hunting Hill tops the hills nearby, 740 m.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 3
Plus 3 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 1
Hunting Hill740 m · in town
DirectionsNature reserves 2
Antelope Hill Provincial Parkin town
DirectionsHand Hills Ecological Reservein town
DirectionsPicnic sites 3
Plus 3 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 4
Plus 4 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 9
Fox Lake Park & Playgroundin town
DirectionsEmerson Bridge Park Campground0.2 km from town
DirectionsEmpress Uptown Campground0.3 km from town
DirectionsNorth Campground0.3 km from town
DirectionsParadise Corner RV Campground0.3 km from town
DirectionsHanna RV Park0.3 km from town
DirectionsSouth Campground0.6 km from town
DirectionsPlus 2 campsites without a name on the map.
Slipways 3
Empress Red Deer River Boat Launch0.0 km from town
DirectionsPlus 2 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Special Area No. 2
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page. No closer places have figures: these lie 24–78 km from Special Area No. 2.
HannaSpecial Area No. 3Special Area No. 4Starland CountyDrumhellerSpecial Area No. 2
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special Area No. 2 | 2% | 9 | 0 | 17 |
| Hanna 24 km | 0.8% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Special Area No. 3 58 km | 1.1% | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| Special Area No. 4 63 km | 1.8% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Starland County 69 km | 5.5% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Drumheller 78 km | 1% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
For protected land, Starland County has twice as much or more.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Private land. Private conservation land is in the totals, not the lists. Many such areas are easements on working farms or woodlots.
- Walking routes. Only named route relations count; a park’s own path network may not show unless it is mapped as a route.
- National and provincial parks. A park at 0 km touches or overlaps the town’s outline; directions point from the town’s centre.
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
- Protected land. The share is of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s outline, from CPCAD’s mapped areas; marine areas count, so a coastal town can score high on water.
Questions about the outdoors in Special Area No. 2
When is the best time for walking in Special Area No. 2?
May and July to September, on the 1991–2020 normals and the daylight: long days, highs of 15 °C or more, light rain for the place.
What is the nearest national park to Special Area No. 2?
None within 100 km of Special Area No.
How much land around Special Area No. 2 is protected?
Protected areas cover 2% of the land within 10 km.
Is there a beach near Special Area No. 2?
Prairie Oasis Campground, in town, is the nearest mapped beach.
Which is the biggest protected area near Special Area No. 2?
Canadian Forces Base Suffield National Wildlife Area: 45,836 ha, a wildlife area.
What is the nearest provincial park to Special Area No. 2?
Dinosaur Provincial Park, which reaches the edge of town.
Sources
Sources for this page on Special Area No. 2
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).