First pick
Deer Lake Park
Park or garden
210 ha16.9 km of path
3 h 45 minto walk all 16.9 km of path
1.7 km northfrom the centre
Deer Lake Parkway Urban TrailSecond Beach TrailRoyal Oak Urban Trail+3 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Northwest · CC BY-SA 4.04.1%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Royal Oak · parks, protected land & trails
Royal Oak has 26 public protected areas within 10 km
The nearest provincial park, Mount Seymour Park, is 9.1 km away. A drive of 43 km reaches Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, the nearest national park. OpenStreetMap shows 3 walking routes nearby, including the BC Parkway and Deer Lake COVID-19 One-way Loop.
Protected land
4.1%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
27
within 10 km, 26 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
43 km
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
9.1 km
Mount Seymour Park
Walking routes
3
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
6
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What Royal Oak has going for it outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Many protected areas26 public areas within 10 kmWalking routes3 named routes within 2 kmBeaches6 beaches within 5 km
What Royal Oak has most to offer outdoors is the number of public protected areas close by, with its choice of walking routes close behind.
Against other towns
How Royal Oak 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. Outdoors isn’t graded in Canada. The page compares each figure with other towns and leaves it there.
Protected within 10 km4.1%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 areas26Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes3Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches6Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Royal Oak comes 12th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (17,818 to 18,922 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
Royal Oak4.1%
Towns its size2.3%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Royal Oak26
Towns its size5
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Royal Oak3
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Against towns its size, Royal Oak does best for public protected areas: 1 of the other 39 has more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L'Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève QC | 29% | 40% | 48 | 0 | 13 |
| 2 | Fallingbrook ON | 14% | 0% | 41 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Deux-Montagnes QC | 14% | 2.1% | 33 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | Central Saanich BC | 9.2% | 3.3% | 35 | 2 | 29 |
| 5 | Desmarchais-Crawford QC | 8.8% | 1.4% | 21 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | Schmidtville NS | 5.9% | 0% | 16 | 4 | 18 |
| 7 | Bracebridge ON | 5.4% | 3.4% | 13 | 1 | 6 |
| 8 | Oak Bay BC | 5.4% | 3.4% | 17 | 2 | 26 |
| 9 | Iberville QC | 5.1% | 0% | 21 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Woodbridge ON | 5.1% | 0.5% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Dewdney East SK | 4.5% | 0% | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 12 | Royal Oak BC | 4.1% | 0% | 27 | 3 | 6 |
| 13 | L'Ancienne-Lorette QC | 3.9% | 0% | 29 | 1 | 1 |
| 14 | Centre ON | 3.8% | 12% | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | Parc-Laurier QC | 3.5% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| 16 | Auburn Bay AB | 2.9% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| 17 | North St.James Town ON | 2.4% | 0% | 10 | 8 | 16 |
| 18 | Downtown Yonge East ON | 2.3% | 0% | 11 | 10 | 39 |
| 19 | O'Connor-Parkview ON | 2.3% | 19% | 13 | 1 | 14 |
| 20 | Medway ON | 2.3% | 4.4% | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| 21 | Kensington-Chinatown ON | 2.2% | 0% | 12 | 8 | 29 |
| 22 | Credit Valley ON | 2.2% | 5.5% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Fletchers West ON | 2.2% | 0% | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 24 | Thornhill ON | 2.1% | 0.4% | 29 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Greater Napanee ON | 1.9% | 1.2% | 34 | 0 | 1 |
| 26 | Port Elgin ON | 1.6% | 6.2% | 8 | 0 | 25 |
| 27 | Saint-Sulpice QC | 1.5% | 2.1% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Mahogany AB | 1.4% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 13 |
| 29 | Downsview ON | 1.1% | 0% | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| 30 | Collingwood BC | 0.8% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 6 |
| 31 | Edmundston NB | 0.6% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| 32 | Swift Current SK | 0.6% | 0.2% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Listowel ON | 0.5% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Sylvan Lake AB | 0.5% | 0.1% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 35 | Eringate-Centennial-West Deane ON | 0.4% | 0% | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 36 | Weston ON | 0.4% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Port Hope ON | 0.3% | 0.1% | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 38 | Mimico-Queensway ON | 0.3% | 0% | 6 | 3 | 20 |
| 39 | DT Fairview ON | 0.2% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Taradale AB | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
The map
The green map of Royal Oak
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
26 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Royal Oak
Largest first: Deer Lake Park leads with 210 ha. Numbers match the map.
26 named parks and woods, 356 ha in all
Parks & gardens 356 ha
The bulk, 70%, is Deer Lake Park and Byrne Creek Ravine Park.
Byrne Creek Ravine Park
Park or garden · 70 m outside town
41 ha6.8 km of path
1 h 30 minto walk all 6.8 km of path
1.6 km south-eastfrom the centre
Byrne Creek Urban TrailMission Avenue Urban TrailBC Parkway
Directionsto a point inside
BC Parkway
Park or garden
18 ha8.7 km of path
1 h 55 minto walk all 8.7 km of path
1.3 km south-eastfrom the centre
BC Parkway
Directionsto a point inside
Riverway Sports Complex
Park or garden · 240 m outside town
21 ha1.4 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.4 km of path
2.3 km south-westfrom the centre
Glenlyon Urban Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Highland Park
Park or garden
5.5 ha3 km of path
40 minto walk all 3 km of path
1.8 km eastfrom the centre
Highland Park Line
Directionsto a point inside
Froggers Creek Ravine Park
Park or garden
11 ha
1.5 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
John Matthews Creek Ravine Park
Park or garden
7.6 ha
1.4 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Bonsor Park
Park or garden
5.6 ha1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
1.2 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 26 named parks and green spaces
Deer Lake ParkPark or garden · 210 ha · 16.9 km of path
DirectionsByrne Creek Ravine ParkPark or garden · 41 ha · 6.8 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsBC ParkwayPark or garden · 18 ha · 8.7 km of path
DirectionsRiverway Sports ComplexPark or garden · 21 ha · 1.4 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsHighland ParkPark or garden · 5.5 ha · 3 km of path
DirectionsFroggers Creek Ravine ParkPark or garden · 11 ha
DirectionsJohn Matthews Creek Ravine ParkPark or garden · 7.6 ha
DirectionsBonsor ParkPark or garden · 5.6 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsKisbey ParkPark or garden · 6.5 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsStride Avenue Ravine ParkPark or garden · 3.3 ha · 0.8 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsGray Creek Ravine ParkPark or garden · 4.6 ha
DirectionsDavid Gray ParkPark or garden · 3.0 ha · 0.8 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsRiverway West ParkPark or garden · 4.0 ha · just outside town
DirectionsRoyal Oakland ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsHaszard ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.4 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsPowerhouse ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsRon McLean ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsBrantford School ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · just outside town
DirectionsRene Memorial ParkPark or garden · 1.5 ha · 0.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSample's PathwayPark or garden · 1.2 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsLewarne ParkPark or garden · 1.4 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsLobley ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsBurnaby South Memorial ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsAlta Vista Reservoir ParkPark or garden · 0.2 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsLedingham ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsPoplar ParkPark or garden · 0.3 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 Royal Oak, a park is close to every home
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 (100%)Further (0%)
Royal Oak100%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
It is above the typical Canadian town (83%).
Protected areas
Within 10 km of Royal Oak, 4.1% 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 Royal Oak0%
Within 10 km4.1%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public ownership covers 26 of the 27. Mount Seymour Park is the biggest, 3,509 ha. One more area, whose owner CPCAD doesn’t record as public, is counted but not named.
Burnaby Lake Regional ParkNature reserve · 29 ha · 1.2 km from the edge of town
Everett Crowley ParkMunicipal park · 21 ha · 1.9 km from the edge of town
Captain Cook ParkMunicipal park · 3.7 ha · 2.1 km from the edge of town
Renfrew Ravine ParkMunicipal park · 4.6 ha · 4.0 km from the edge of town
Tannery ParkMunicipal park · 1.3 ha · 4.7 km from the edge of town
Fraser Islands Regional Park ReserveNature reserve · 198 ha · 5.4 km from the edge of town
Royal Heights ParkMunicipal park · 1.2 ha · 5.4 km from the edge of town
Ravine ParkMunicipal park · 0.8 ha · 5.5 km from the edge of town
Al Cleaver ParkMunicipal park · 5.5 ha · 5.7 km from the edge of town
20C - GreenbeltMunicipal park · 1.0 ha · 6.4 km from the edge of town
16 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
43 km to Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
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
9.1 km north35 km²since 1936
National park reserve
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
43 km south-west67 km²since 2010
Closer to home, Mount Seymour Park is 9.1 km away.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Royal Oak and its edge hold 104 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
104 km
in and around the town (18.7 km²)
Woodland
13%
about 2.4 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Royal OakTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths5.6
03.57 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Royal OakTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland13%
0%50%100%
Paths are denser here than in 95% of Canadian towns. More of it is wooded than in 58% 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
3 mapped routes to walk from Royal Oak
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
RegionalLocalOther waymarked
BC Parkway29.8 km
Deer Lake COVID-19 One-way Loop5.6 km
Trail of Hope2.7 km
The longest of the rest is the BC Parkway, 29.8 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Walking season in Royal Oak: May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Vancouver (Harbour) (13 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 |
December brings highs of 7 °C, July highs of 23 °C. Most rain and snow falls in November, 245 mm; July sees 44 mm. About 37 cm of snow falls in a year. The climate in Royal Oak →
Beaches
6 unnamed beaches near Royal Oak
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Water quality isn’t shown: there’s no open national record of beach tests. Local health authorities post advisories.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Near Royal Oak: 7 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 169 playgrounds, ahead of the rest.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 7
Frog Pond0.2 km from town
DirectionsTurtle Viewing0.5 km from town
DirectionsWest Forest Trails Wetlands0.6 km from town
DirectionsPlus 4 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 4
Picnic Area 21.6 km from town
DirectionsPicnic Area 11.7 km from town
DirectionsPlus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 169
Grey Gum Trail Playground1.6 km from town
DirectionsPromontory Park Playground1.7 km from town
DirectionsChamplain Heights Annex Playground1.9 km from town
DirectionsChamplain Heights Community Centre Playground1.9 km from town
DirectionsPlus 165 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 3
Dog Off Leash Area0.9 km from town
DirectionsWestside Dog Off Leash Area2.0 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 dog park without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
4 gardens within reach of Royal Oak
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
Central ParkGarden or park · 1.3 km from town
DirectionsQueen Elizabeth ParkGarden or park · 8.6 km from town
DirectionsVanDusen Botanical GardenGarden or park · 9.7 km from town
DirectionsStanley ParkNational Historic Site · 13 km from town
Its pageOne carries a national designation.
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 Royal Oak
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Buckingham HeightsMetrotownSouth SlopeEdmondsGarden VillageDeer LakeRoyal Oak
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Oak | 4.1% | 27 | 3 | 6 |
| Buckingham Heights 1.7 km | 4.2% | 34 | 3 | 8 |
| Metrotown 1.7 km | 2.5% | 21 | 3 | 6 |
| South Slope 1.9 km | 5.8% | 39 | 2 | 10 |
| Edmonds 1.9 km | 6.2% | 40 | 4 | 8 |
| Garden Village 2.9 km | 1.3% | 20 | 4 | 6 |
| Deer Lake 3.1 km | 2.9% | 22 | 4 | 25 |
Its neighbours have no more than twice Royal Oak’s protected share.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- 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.
- 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. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- Private land. Areas held by land trusts or private owners stay unnamed here, though they count in the shares.
- 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.
Questions about the outdoors in Royal Oak
What is the biggest park or reserve near Royal Oak?
Mount Seymour Park: 3,509 ha, a provincial park.
How much land around Royal Oak is protected?
Protected areas cover 4.1% of the land within 10 km.
Is Royal Oak near a national park?
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, 43 km from the edge of town.
Where can you walk near Royal Oak?
Try the BC Parkway, Deer Lake COVID-19 One-way Loop and Trail of Hope; more are on the map.
What is the nearest beach to Royal Oak?
The beaches mapped within 5 km have no names on the map.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Royal Oak?
May to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
How far is the nearest provincial park from Royal Oak?
Mount Seymour Park, 9.1 km away.
Sources
Where Royal Oak’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).