First pick
Squint Lake Park
Park or garden
72 ha4.4 km of path
1 hto walk all 4.4 km of path
1.1 km south-eastfrom the centre
Burnaby Mountain Urban Trail
Directionsto a point inside
5.5%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Montecito · parks, protected land & trails
The The Trans Canada Trail passes Montecito
Within 5 km are 53 beaches; Whiteshell Bank is the nearest. The 10 km around town hold 22 protected areas. Mount Seymour Park is the closest provincial park, at 4.1 km.
Protected land
5.5%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
22
within 10 km, 22 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
49 km
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
4.1 km
Mount Seymour Park
Walking routes
2
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
53
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What sets Montecito apart 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 kmBeaches53 beaches within 5 kmMany protected areas22 public areas within 10 km
What Montecito has most to offer outdoors is the The Trans Canada Trail, with its beaches close behind.
Against other towns
How Montecito 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. This page carries no grade, because Canada’s grading doesn’t cover the outdoors; the comparisons are the point.
Protected within 10 km5.5%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 areas22Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes2Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches53Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Montecito comes 11th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (10,463 to 10,998 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
Montecito5.5%
Towns its size2.6%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Montecito22
Towns its size6
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Montecito2
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Against towns its size, Montecito does best for public protected areas: 8 of the other 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ocean Park BC | 27% | 4% | 100 | 3 | 4 |
| 2 | Liverpool NS | 24% | 21% | 230 | 5 | 56 |
| 3 | Vanier North ON | 11% | 0.6% | 40 | 2 | 2 |
| 4 | Hintonburg-Mechanicsville ON | 11% | 1.4% | 32 | 3 | 5 |
| 5 | Rothwell Heights - Beacon Hill North ON | 11% | 7.8% | 42 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | Yellowhead County AB | 11% | 3.4% | 33 | 2 | 11 |
| 7 | Contrecoeur QC | 10% | 6.3% | 40 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Vieux Greenfield Park QC | 7.8% | 0% | 28 | 0 | 5 |
| 9 | Wendover ON | 6.7% | 4.4% | 58 | 0 | 4 |
| 10 | Bassin-de-la-Lièvre QC | 6.2% | 20% | 54 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Montecito BC | 5.5% | 0% | 22 | 2 | 53 |
| 12 | Corman Park No. 344 SK | 5.4% | 2.7% | 37 | 1 | 8 |
| 13 | Yarmouth NS | 4.7% | 4.9% | 79 | 0 | 15 |
| 14 | Stittsville East ON | 4.5% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Birdland BC | 4.3% | 9.7% | 119 | 4 | 6 |
| 16 | Saint-Sacrement QC | 4% | 0% | 19 | 1 | 2 |
| 17 | Eastern Passage NS | 3.6% | 2.2% | 14 | 2 | 21 |
| 18 | Bendale South ON | 2.7% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| 19 | Rosemont/Mount Royal SK | 2.7% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 20 | Shelburne ON | 2.6% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Grand River South ON | 2.5% | 16% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | Dutrisac QC | 1.8% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | East London ON | 1.8% | 1.4% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Bois-des-Filion QC | 1.7% | 3.3% | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Westminster ON | 1.7% | 28% | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| 26 | Victoria Hills ON | 1.6% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Alexandria ON | 1.5% | 0.4% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Exeter ON | 1.5% | 0% | 8 | 0 | 5 |
| 29 | West St. Paul MB | 1.5% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Ponoka County AB | 0.5% | 0.2% | 36 | 0 | 2 |
| 31 | Whitecourt AB | 0.5% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Weston-Pelham Park ON | 0.5% | 0% | 11 | 2 | 9 |
| 33 | Rundle AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 34 | Temple AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Markland Wood ON | 0.2% | 0% | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 36 | Creditview ON | 0.2% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Walkerton ON | 0.1% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 38 | Lethbridge County AB | 0.1% | 0.2% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Morinville AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Hidden Valley AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Where the green is in Montecito
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
13 named parks and woods to walk in near Montecito
Largest first: Squint Lake Park leads with 72 ha. Numbers match the map.
13 named parks and woods, 177 ha in all
Parks & gardens 171 haWoods 5.9 ha
Most of it sits in Squint Lake Park and Burnaby Lake Park: 70% together.
Burnaby Lake Park
Park or garden · 150 m outside town
52 ha3 km of path
40 minto walk all 3 km of path
1.8 km south-westfrom the centre
Central Valley GreenwayKensington Urban TrailPark Access Road
Directionsto a point inside
Kensington Park
Park or garden · 260 m outside town
27 ha4.3 km of path
1 hto walk all 4.3 km of path
1.8 km north-westfrom the centre
Frances Union BikewayTrans Canada TrailFrances Union Bikeway / Trans Canada Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Duthie-Union Park
Park or garden
7.6 ha0.4 km of path
1.1 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Camrose Park
Park or garden
3.8 ha1.4 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.4 km of path
1.3 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Halifax Park
Park or garden
1.9 ha0.5 km of path
Centralin the middle of Montecito
Directionsto a point inside
Sperling Park
Park or garden
1.5 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
0.8 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Lou Moro Park
Park or garden · 330 m outside town
1.9 ha0.2 km of path
1.4 km northfrom the centre
Pandora Street
Directionsto a point inside
All 13 named parks and green spaces
Squint Lake ParkPark or garden · 72 ha · 4.4 km of path
DirectionsBurnaby Lake ParkPark or garden · 52 ha · 3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsKensington ParkPark or garden · 27 ha · 4.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsDuthie-Union ParkPark or garden · 7.6 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsCamrose ParkPark or garden · 3.8 ha · 1.4 km of path
DirectionsHalifax ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsSperling ParkPark or garden · 1.5 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsLou Moro ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsEagle Creek Ravine ParkWood or forest · 5.9 ha
DirectionsMeadowood ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSumas ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsMontecito ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha
DirectionsBroadway-Woolwich ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · just outside town
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
In Montecito, nearly every home is close to 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 (96%)Further (4.1%)
Montecito96%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
About 400 residents live further than 400 m from one. The typical Canadian town manages 83%, so this is better.
Protected areas
Within 10 km of Montecito, 5.5% is protected land
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Montecito0%
Within 10 km5.5%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
All 22 are public land. Say Nuth Khaw Yum Park [A.K.A. Indian Arm Park] leads for size with 6,689 ha.
Burnaby Lake Regional ParkNature reserve · 29 ha · 1.7 km from the edge of town
Belcarra Regional ParkNature reserve · 1,030 ha · 2.7 km from the edge of town · Indigenous name: təmtəmíxʷtən
Maplewood Flats Conservation AreaNature reserve · 23 ha · 3.9 km from the edge of town
Mount Seymour ParkProvincial park · 3,509 ha · 4.1 km from the edge of town
Renfrew Ravine ParkMunicipal park · 4.6 ha · 5.5 km from the edge of town
Captain Cook ParkMunicipal park · 3.7 ha · 6.6 km from the edge of town
Everett Crowley ParkMunicipal park · 21 ha · 7.2 km from the edge of town
Say Nuth Khaw Yum Park [A.K.A. Indian Arm Park]Provincial park · 6,689 ha · 7.3 km from the edge of town
Tannery ParkMunicipal park · 1.3 ha · 7.4 km from the edge of town
10B - GreenbeltMunicipal park · 7.1 ha · 8.0 km from the edge of town
12 more named areas within 10 km are in the 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, 49 km off
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
4.1 km north35 km²since 1936
Provincial park
Say Nuth Khaw Yum Park [A.K.A. Indian Arm Park]
7.3 km north-east67 km²since 1995
National park reserve
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
49 km south-west67 km²since 2010
Mount Seymour Park, a provincial park, is nearer at 4.1 km. 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
Montecito has 67 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
67 km
in and around the town (15.9 km²)
Woodland
22%
about 3.5 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
MontecitoTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths4.2
02.55 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
MontecitoTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland22%
0%50%100%
It is more wooded than 69% of Canadian towns. Paths are denser here than in 85% 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 Montecito
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
NationalRegional
The Trans Canada Trail195.9 km
Central Valley Greenway28.8 km
The The Trans Canada Trail (196 km) keeps within 2 km of town for 7.3 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Montecito is best on foot in May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Vancouver (Harbour) (12 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) | 8.6 | 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 |
About 37 cm of snow falls in a year. December brings highs of 7 °C, July highs of 23 °C. Precipitation runs from 44 mm in July to 245 mm in November. The climate in Montecito →
Beaches
Montecito has 53 beaches close by
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Whiteshell Bankgravel · 2.5 km from town
DirectionsMaple Beachpebbles · 2.6 km from town
DirectionsBole Beachgravel · 3.4 km from town
DirectionsSouth Beachgravel · 3.6 km from town
DirectionsMain Beachgravel · 3.8 km from town
DirectionsThe map adds 48 unnamed stretches of beach. OpenStreetMap maps 41 km of coastline within 5 km. Canada publishes no open register of beach water tests; the local public health unit posts swimming advisories.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
7 viewpoints near Montecito
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
There are 76 playgrounds, more than of anything else. The highest named peak nearby is Capitol Hill, at 201 m.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 1
Capitol Hill201 m · 1.8 km from town
DirectionsNature reserves 2
Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area1.4 km from town
DirectionsCapitol Hill Conservation Area2.0 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 1
Picnic Site #11.9 km from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 76
Plus 76 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 2
Plus 2 dog parks without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
2 gardens and historic parks to visit near Montecito
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
Queen Elizabeth ParkGarden or park · 11 km from town
DirectionsStanley ParkNational Historic Site · 13 km from town
Its pageParks Canada lists one as a National Historic Site.
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 Montecito
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
LochdaleBainbridgeHoldomLake CityDeer LakeBrentwoodMontecito
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
For protected land, no neighbour of Montecito doubles its share. More routes are mapped around Deer Lake (4).
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- National and provincial parks. The nearest national park and the nearest provincial park are always shown when they are within 100 km.
- Walking routes. The list is OpenStreetMap’s, so a missing trail may just be unmapped. The Trans Canada Trail appears where OSM maps it.
- 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.
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
Questions about the outdoors in Montecito
When should you visit Montecito for the outdoors?
May to September, on the 1991–2020 normals and the daylight: long days, highs of 15 °C or more, light rain for the place.
Is Montecito near a national park?
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, 49 km from the edge of town.
What walking routes are near Montecito?
The The Trans Canada Trail and Central Valley Greenway, among the routes mapped within 2 km.
Where can you swim near Montecito?
Try Whiteshell Bank, 2.5 km from town, first of several.
What is the nearest provincial park to Montecito?
Mount Seymour Park, 4.1 km away.
Are there protected areas near Montecito?
Protected areas cover 5.5% of the land within 10 km.
What is the biggest park or reserve near Montecito?
Indian Arm Park]: 6,689 ha, a provincial park.
Sources
Where Montecito’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).