First pick
Confederation Park
Park or garden
42 ha6.9 km of path
1 h 30 minto walk all 6.9 km of path
Centralin the middle of Heights
Trans Canada TrailConfederation Nature Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: https://www.flickr.com/people/sillygwailo/ - sillygwailo / Richard Eriksson · CC BY 2.06.7%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Heights · parks, protected land & trails
Heights is on the The Trans Canada Trail
Swimmers have 52 beaches within 5 km, Trout Lake Beach the nearest. The nearest provincial park, Mount Seymour Park, is 3.1 km away. 49 km separate the town from Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, its nearest national park.
Protected land
6.7%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
11
within 10 km, 11 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
49 km
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
3.1 km
Mount Seymour Park
Walking routes
3
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
52
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What Heights has going for it outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
On a national routeThe The Trans Canada Trail passes within 2 kmBeaches52 beaches within 5 kmProtected land all round6.7% of the land within 10 km, more than 77% of Canadian townsWalking routes3 named routes within 2 km
Heights’ best card is the The Trans Canada Trail, with its beaches close behind.
Against other towns
Each figure for Heights, set against 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 km6.7%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 areas11Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes3Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches52Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Among 40 towns its size, Heights ranks 11th for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (21,636 to 22,633 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
Heights6.7%
Towns its size2.3%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Heights11
Towns its size5
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Heights3
Towns its size1
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Among its peers, Heights’ strong point is walking routes, where 6 of 39 top it.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electoral Area A, Metro Vancouver BC | 26% | 34% | 203 | 11 | 269 |
| 2 | Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac QC | 19% | 0.1% | 28 | 0 | 7 |
| 3 | Mont-Bleu QC | 17% | 12% | 33 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | Cornell ON | 12% | 16% | 9 | 2 | 1 |
| 5 | South End NS | 11% | 4.5% | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| 6 | Snowdon QC | 10% | 0% | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Berczy Village ON | 9.3% | 0% | 17 | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | Rivière-des-Prairies QC | 8.8% | 8.6% | 41 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Petite-Bourgogne QC | 8.4% | 0% | 24 | 1 | 5 |
| 10 | Parcours-du-Cerf - Du Tremblay QC | 6.9% | 0% | 32 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Heights BC | 6.7% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 52 |
| 12 | Du College/Hodge QC | 6% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Old Barrhaven West ON | 6% | 0% | 18 | 2 | 0 |
| 14 | Uxbridge ON | 4.8% | 5.1% | 25 | 2 | 1 |
| 15 | Sandalwood East (mountainash) ON | 4.3% | 11% | 12 | 0 | 1 |
| 16 | Cité-Universitaire QC | 4.1% | 0% | 20 | 1 | 5 |
| 17 | Brentwood BC | 4% | 0% | 12 | 2 | 29 |
| 18 | Riverview NB | 2.7% | 2.3% | 10 | 1 | 1 |
| 19 | Flemingdon Park ON | 2.4% | 17% | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| 20 | Church-Wellesley ON | 2.3% | 0% | 11 | 9 | 20 |
| 21 | East End-Danforth ON | 2.2% | 0% | 13 | 3 | 24 |
| 22 | Port Colborne ON | 2% | 2.1% | 10 | 0 | 8 |
| 23 | Sainte-Lucie QC | 2% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Bayview Village ON | 1.7% | 16% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Bedford Park-Nortown ON | 1.4% | 0% | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| 26 | Sunningdale ON | 1.4% | 1.6% | 18 | 2 | 0 |
| 27 | South Parkdale ON | 1.3% | 0% | 10 | 4 | 22 |
| 28 | Joliette QC | 1.2% | 0.8% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Red Deer County AB | 1.1% | 1.1% | 76 | 1 | 60 |
| 30 | Kingsview Village-The Westway ON | 0.9% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Binbrook ON | 0.9% | 0.2% | 22 | 2 | 1 |
| 32 | Willowridge-Martingrove-Richview ON | 0.7% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 33 | High Park North ON | 0.6% | 0% | 10 | 4 | 15 |
| 34 | Middlesex Centre ON | 0.5% | 0.5% | 22 | 5 | 0 |
| 35 | Humber Bay Shores ON | 0.3% | 0% | 6 | 3 | 18 |
| 36 | Rockcliffe-Smythe ON | 0.3% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 8 |
| 37 | Lakeview ON | 0.2% | 0.8% | 5 | 1 | 7 |
| 38 | Cobourg ON | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 39 | Steinbach MB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 40 | Riverside ON | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 3 |
The map
Heights on the map: green space, protected land and paths
The neighbourhood’s parks, woods, protected land and paths, with its named places numbered.
Green: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, playing fields and woods. Hatched: CPCAD protected areas.© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); CPCAD (OGL-Canada)
Places to walk
18 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Heights
Confederation Park is the largest, at 42 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
18 named parks and woods, 117 ha in all
Parks & gardens 97 haWoods 19 ha
Most of it sits in Confederation Park and Kensington Park: 59% together.
Kensington Park
Park or garden
27 ha4.3 km of path
1 hto walk all 4.3 km of path
2.1 km eastfrom the centre
Frances Union BikewayTrans Canada TrailFrances Union Bikeway / Trans Canada Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Second Narrows Park
Wood or forest
15 ha1.8 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.8 km of path
1.4 km north-westfrom the centre
Trans Canada Trail - Burnaby Heights Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Willingdon Heights Park
Park or garden · 200 m outside town
5.5 ha1.3 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.3 km of path
1.3 km south-westfrom the centre
Gilmore Urban Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Burnaby Heights Park
Park or garden
4.4 ha1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
1.2 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Adanac Park
Park or garden
4.5 ha0.1 km of path
1.7 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Brentwood Park
Park or garden · 280 m outside town
2.6 ha1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1 km of path
1.4 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Willingdon Linear Park
Park or garden
1.7 ha1.4 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.4 km of path
1.1 km southfrom the centre
Willingdon Urban Trail
Directionsto a point inside
All 18 named parks and green spaces
Confederation ParkPark or garden · 42 ha · 6.9 km of path
DirectionsKensington ParkPark or garden · 27 ha · 4.3 km of path
DirectionsSecond Narrows ParkWood or forest · 15 ha · 1.8 km of path
DirectionsWillingdon Heights ParkPark or garden · 5.5 ha · 1.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsBurnaby Heights ParkPark or garden · 4.4 ha · 1.2 km of path
DirectionsAdanac ParkPark or garden · 4.5 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsBrentwood ParkPark or garden · 2.6 ha · 1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsWillingdon Linear ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 1.4 km of path
DirectionsBeecher ParkPark or garden · 3.0 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsHarbourview ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsBeecher Creek Ravine woodlandWood or forest · 4.0 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsCharles ParkPark or garden · 1.5 ha · 0.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsMcGill ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsGeorge Green ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsBates ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsWest-Sells ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsCapitol Hill Reservoir ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsDynes ParkPark or garden · 0.3 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
Nearly all of Heights 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 (2.2%)
Heights98%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
Against the typical Canadian town’s 83%, that is high.
Protected areas
6.7% of the country within 10 km of Heights 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 Heights0%
Within 10 km6.7%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Governments or Indigenous nations hold all 11. Say Nuth Khaw Yum Park [A.K.A. Indian Arm Park] leads for size with 6,689 ha.
Maplewood Flats Conservation AreaNature reserve · 23 ha · 1.1 km from the edge of town
Mount Seymour ParkProvincial park · 3,509 ha · 3.1 km from the edge of town
Renfrew Ravine ParkMunicipal park · 4.6 ha · 3.2 km from the edge of town
Burnaby Lake Regional ParkNature reserve · 29 ha · 4.0 km from the edge of town
Belcarra Regional ParkNature reserve · 1,030 ha · 4.0 km from the edge of town · Indigenous name: təmtəmíxʷtən
Captain Cook ParkMunicipal park · 3.7 ha · 6.2 km from the edge of town
Lynn Headwaters Regional ParkNature reserve · 895 ha · 6.7 km from the edge of town
Stanley ParkProtected area · 302 ha · 6.8 km from the edge of town
Everett Crowley ParkMunicipal park · 21 ha · 7.0 km from the edge of town
Capilano River Regional ParkNature reserve · 100 ha · 8.0 km from the edge of town
1 more named area within 10 km is in the comparison figures.
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
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is 49 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
Mount Seymour Park
3.1 km north-east35 km²since 1936
Provincial park
Say Nuth Khaw Yum Park [A.K.A. Indian Arm Park]
8.0 km north-east67 km²since 1995
National park reserve
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
49 km south-west67 km²since 2010
Closer to home, Mount Seymour Park is 3.1 km away. Within 10 km are 2 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
Heights and its edge hold 61 km of footpath
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
61 km
in and around the town (19 km²)
Woodland
7.8%
about 1.5 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
HeightsTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths3.2
024 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
HeightsTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland7.8%
0%50%100%
Woods cover less of it than in 53% of Canadian towns. It has more footpath per km² than 74% 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
Walks near Heights
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
NationalRegionalLocal
The Trans Canada Trail195.9 km
Central Valley Greenway28.8 km
North Shore Spirit Trail16.0 km
10.5 km of the The Trans Canada Trail runs within 2 km of town; mapped end to end, it is 196 km. Among local routes, the Central Valley Greenway is longest at 28.8 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
The best months for walking in Heights: May to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Vancouver (Harbour), 8.6 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) | 8.6 | 10.1 | 11.7 | 13.7 | 15.3 | 16.2 | 15.8 | 14.4 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.0 | 8.2 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 19 | 14 | 10 | 7 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 237 | 117 | 163 | 118 | 73 | 66 | 44 | 49 | 71 | 157 | 245 | 200 |
November is the wettest month (245 mm) and July the driest (44 mm). The warmest days come in July (23 °C highs), the coldest in December (7 °C). Winter brings about 37 cm of snow. The climate in Heights →
Beaches
Heights has 52 beaches close by
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Trout Lake Beachsand · 3.7 km from town
DirectionsMaple Beachpebbles · 4.0 km from town
DirectionsWhiteshell Bankgravel · 4.1 km from town
DirectionsBole Beachgravel · 4.3 km from town
DirectionsSouth Beachgravel · 4.5 km from town
DirectionsMain Beachgravel · 4.6 km from town
Directions46 further beaches go unnamed. The coast is close: 50 km of shoreline within 5 km. Whether the water is fit for a swim isn’t in any open national dataset; public health posts the local advisories.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Heights has 24 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.
The most common are playgrounds: 100 on the map. For a climb, Capitol Hill rises to 201 m.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 24
Otter Point Viewpoint1.1 km from town
DirectionsOsprey Point1.4 km from town
DirectionsMaplewood Lookout1.5 km from town
DirectionsPlus 21 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 1
Capitol Hill201 m · in town
DirectionsNature reserves 2
Capitol Hill Conservation Areain town
DirectionsMaplewood Conservation Area1.4 km from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 100
Plus 100 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 7
Plus 7 dog parks without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
Near Heights: 3 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.
Park and Tilford GardensGarden or park · 2.2 km from town
DirectionsQueen Elizabeth ParkGarden or park · 7.6 km from town
DirectionsStanley ParkNational Historic Site · 8.5 km from town
Its pageA National Historic Site is among them.
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 Heights
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
BrentwoodHoldomHastings-SunriseLochdaleBroadviewBurrard Inlet 3Heights
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heights | 6.7% | 11 | 3 | 52 |
| Brentwood 1.8 km | 4% | 12 | 2 | 29 |
| Holdom 2.4 km | 4.9% | 19 | 2 | 48 |
| Hastings-Sunrise 2.7 km | 4.7% | 12 | 4 | 27 |
| Lochdale 3.2 km | 7.2% | 15 | 2 | 71 |
| Broadview 3.5 km | 2.6% | 14 | 4 | 25 |
| Burrard Inlet 3 3.6 km | 12% | 10 | 3 | 66 |
None of its neighbours has twice the protected land around it that Heights has.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Private land. Areas held by land trusts or private owners stay unnamed here, though they count in the shares.
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- Protected land. Measured on CPCAD’s outlines: the part of a 10 km band around the town that lies in a protected or conserved area, water included.
- Walking routes. Routes are what OpenStreetMap’s volunteers have mapped as named walking or hiking routes; many good trails aren’t mapped that way.
Questions about the outdoors in Heights
Are there protected areas near Heights?
Within 10 km, 6.7% of the land lies in protected areas.
What is the nearest national park to Heights?
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is closest, at 49 km.
Are there hiking trails near Heights?
Try the The Trans Canada Trail, Central Valley Greenway and North Shore Spirit Trail; more are on the map.
Is there a beach near Heights?
The nearest is Trout Lake Beach, 3.7 km from town.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Heights?
May to September, on the 1991–2020 normals and the daylight: long days, highs of 15 °C or more, light rain for the place.
Which is the biggest protected area near Heights?
Indian Arm Park]: 6,689 ha, a provincial park.
How far is the nearest provincial park from Heights?
Mount Seymour Park, 3.1 km from the edge of town.
Sources
Where Heights’ 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).