First pick
Grey Nuns White Spruce Park
Park or garden
38 ha3.9 km of path
50 minto walk all 3.9 km of path
3.1 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: WinterE229 WinterforceMedia · CC03.4%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in St. Albert · parks, protected land & trails
7 named trails run within 2 km of St. Albert
The closest of Canada’s national parks is Elk Island National Park, at 40 km. One beach is mapped within 5 km: Jubilation Beach. The 10 km around town hold 7 protected areas.
Protected land
3.4%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
7
within 10 km, 2 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
40 km
Elk Island National Park
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park
Walking routes
7
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
1
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What sets St. Albert apart outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Walking routes7 named routes within 2 kmA provincial park at the edgeLois Hole Centennial Provincial Park reaches the town
Out of doors, St. Albert leads with its choice of walking routes, with a provincial park at its edge close behind.
Against other towns
St. Albert beside other Canadian towns, figure by figure
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. There is no Outdoors grade for Canadian towns; the figures stand beside the country’s towns of 2,500+ without a letter.
Protected within 10 km3.4%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town2.1%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas2Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes7Named 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
St. Albert has the 19th most protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (55,572 to 97,845 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
St. Albert3.4%
Towns its size2.9%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
St. Albert2
Towns its size9
Towns in Alberta2
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
St. Albert7
Towns its size1
Towns in Alberta0
Typical Canadian town0
For walking routes, St. Albert sits near the top of its size group: 3 of 39 have more. For public protected areas, though, 27 of 39 are ahead.
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 | North Vancouver BC | 15% | 22% | 18 | 11 | 169 |
| 4 | Port Coquitlam BC | 15% | 5.6% | 125 | 3 | 30 |
| 5 | Saint John NB | 14% | 11% | 63 | 3 | 97 |
| 6 | Repentigny QC | 8.3% | 1.6% | 41 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | New Westminster BC | 8% | 0% | 83 | 4 | 9 |
| 8 | Fleetwood BC | 7.8% | 7.9% | 162 | 10 | 0 |
| 9 | Lindsay ON | 7.6% | 9.2% | 60 | 5 | 9 |
| 10 | North Vancouver BC | 7.5% | 0% | 13 | 4 | 66 |
| 11 | North Bay ON | 7.4% | 5.6% | 4 | 4 | 13 |
| 12 | Mirabel QC | 5.9% | 0.3% | 76 | 1 | 2 |
| 13 | Stouffville ON | 5.9% | 0.5% | 51 | 1 | 1 |
| 14 | Brossard QC | 5.6% | 9.1% | 31 | 0 | 6 |
| 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 | Newmarket ON | 1.3% | 1.8% | 27 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Belleville ON | 1.2% | 1.8% | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| 29 | Blainville QC | 1.1% | 0% | 27 | 2 | 0 |
| 30 | Brandon MB | 1.1% | 0.9% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Saint-Jérôme QC | 1% | 0.1% | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| 32 | Saint-Hyacinthe QC | 0.7% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Peterborough ON | 0.6% | 0% | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| 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 | Medicine Hat AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 40 | Airdrie AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
The green map of St. Albert
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 St. Albert: 30 named parks and woods
Grey Nuns White Spruce Park is the largest, at 38 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
30 named parks and woods, 286 ha in all
Parks & gardens 286 ha
Many small places make up the total; the biggest is 13%.
Riel Recreation Park
Park or garden
37 ha1.8 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.8 km of path
2.9 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Lacombe Lake Park
Park or garden
20 ha5 km of path
1 h 5 minto walk all 5 km of path
2.3 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Kingswood Park
Park or garden
17 ha1.5 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.5 km of path
2.3 km north-eastfrom the centre
Red Willow Trails
Directionsto a point inside
Red Willow Park
Park or garden
12 ha1.4 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.4 km of path
2.2 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Legion Memorial Ball Park
Park or garden
12 ha1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
1.2 km north-eastfrom the centre
Red Willow Trails
Directionsto a point inside
Dixon Pond Park
Park or garden
8.6 ha2.6 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.6 km of path
3.1 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Larose Park
Park or garden
9.5 ha1.6 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.6 km of path
1.5 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Grey Nuns White Spruce ParkPark or garden · 38 ha · 3.9 km of path
DirectionsRiel Recreation ParkPark or garden · 37 ha · 1.8 km of path
DirectionsLacombe Lake ParkPark or garden · 20 ha · 5 km of path
DirectionsKingswood ParkPark or garden · 17 ha · 1.5 km of path
DirectionsRed Willow ParkPark or garden · 12 ha · 1.4 km of path
DirectionsLegion Memorial Ball ParkPark or garden · 12 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsDixon Pond ParkPark or garden · 8.6 ha · 2.6 km of path
DirectionsLarose ParkPark or garden · 9.5 ha · 1.6 km of path
DirectionsGrosvenor ParkPark or garden · 9.5 ha · 1.5 km of path
DirectionsFountain ParkPark or garden · 11 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsMission ParkPark or garden · 8.7 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsGarden Nature ParkPark or garden · 7.8 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsSt. Albert Botanic ParkPark or garden · 5.3 ha · 1.8 km of path
DirectionsGloucester ParkPark or garden · 6.2 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsErin Ridge ParkPark or garden · 5.5 ha · 1.6 km of path
DirectionsDorchester ParkPark or garden · 6.4 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsGrenadier ParkPark or garden · 6.3 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsMacMillian ParkPark or garden · 5.4 ha · 1.4 km of path
DirectionsErin Ridge RavinePark or garden · 6.3 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsHeritage ParkPark or garden · 4.1 ha · 1.6 km of path
DirectionsOakmont ParkPark or garden · 6.1 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsHodgson ParkPark or garden · 5.3 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsTed Hole ParkPark or garden · 5.4 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsRotary ParkPark or garden · 4.7 ha · 1 km of path
DirectionsWilloughby ParkPark or garden · 5.2 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsNorth Ridge ParkPark or garden · 5.3 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsDeer Ridge ParkPark or garden · 4.2 ha · 1.2 km of path
DirectionsMorgan ParkPark or garden · 4.5 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsButterfield ParkPark or garden · 5.5 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsWoodlands ParkPark or garden · 4.1 ha · 1.1 km of path
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
Nearly all of St. Albert is 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 (98%)Further (2.3%)
St. Albert98%
Towns in Alberta100%
Typical Canadian town83%
That beats the typical Canadian town, where it is 83%. About 2,000 residents live further than 400 m from one.
Protected areas
3.4% of the land around St. Albert is protected
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside St. Albert2.1%
Within 10 km3.4%
Towns in Alberta0.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Of those 7, 2 are public and the remainder private. Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park covers 2,055 ha, the most of any named area. The figures include 5 private conservation areas, left unnamed.
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial ParkProvincial park · 2,055 ha · reaches St. Albert
Wagner Natural AreaNature reserve · 220 ha · 9.4 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
The nearest big park: Elk Island National Park, 40 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
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park
At the edge21 km²since 2005
National park
Elk Island National Park
40 km east194 km²since 1913
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
St. Albert has 209 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
209 km
in and around the town (83.1 km²)
Woodland
7%
about 5.8 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
St. AlbertTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths2.5
024 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
St. AlbertTowns in AlbertaTypical Canadian town
Woodland7%
0%50%100%
55% of Canadian towns are more wooded. For path density, it beats 64% 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
Where to walk from St. Albert
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Local
Moose Trail2.0 km
Coyote Trail1.4 km
Meadow Trail1.3 km
Porcupine Trail1.1 km
Dogwood Loop0.8 km
Poplar Trail0.8 km
Chickadee Trail0.5 km
For a short stroll, 7 are 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
Get out in St. Albert in May, August and September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Edmonton (City) (11 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 | 16.6 | 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 |
Some 124 cm of snow falls each winter. July is warm and wet, 83 mm; the driest month, February, has 12 mm. Summer highs reach 24 °C in July; in January they stay near -6 °C. The climate in St. Albert →
Beaches
1 beach within 5 km of St. Albert
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Jubilation Beachin 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
St. Albert has 6 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.
Top of the list: playgrounds, 112 of them.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 6
John E. Poole Interpretive Wetlandin town
DirectionsLake Viewpoint - Big Lake Environment Support Society0.0 km from town
DirectionsPlus 4 viewpoints more.
Picnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 112
Napoleon Park Playgroundin town
DirectionsPlus 111 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 5
Dodger Dog Parkin town
DirectionsLacombe Lake Dog Parkin town
DirectionsPlus 3 dog parks without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
The garden near St. Albert: William Hawrelak Park, 9.8 km off
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
William Hawrelak ParkGarden or park · 9.8 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 St. Albert
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
AlbanyCarltonOxfordCumberlandRapperswillHudsonSt. Albert
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Albert | 3.4% | 7 | 7 | 1 |
| Albany 4.7 km | 1.6% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Carlton 4.9 km | 2% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Oxford 5.6 km | 1.7% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Cumberland 5.8 km | 2% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Rapperswill 6.1 km | 1.2% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Hudson 6.4 km | 2.1% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
No neighbouring place reaches twice St. Albert’s protected 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.
- 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. 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.
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
Questions about the outdoors in St. Albert
What is the nearest national park to St. Albert?
It is Elk Island National Park, 40 km off.
When is the best time for walking in St. Albert?
On the normals, May, August and September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
Are there protected areas near St. Albert?
Protected areas cover 3.4% of the land within 10 km.
What walking routes are near St. Albert?
Try the Moose Trail, Coyote Trail and Meadow Trail; more are on the map.
Where can you swim near St. Albert?
The nearest is Jubilation Beach, in town.
Which is the biggest protected area near St. Albert?
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park: 2,055 ha, a provincial park.
How far is the nearest provincial park from St. Albert?
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park, which reaches the edge of town.
Sources
The sources behind St. Albert’s 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).