First pick
Cobble Hill Mountain Regional Recreation Area
Park or garden
406 ha29 km of path
6 h 25 minto walk all 29 km of path
3.6 km westfrom the centre
Buck TrailWolf TrailBear Trail+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Alasdair McLellan · CC BY-SA 3.06.6%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Cobble Hill · parks, protected land & trails
Within 7.5 km of Cobble Hill: Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
For a provincial park, West Shawnigan Lake Park lies 4.7 km off. Count 51 protected areas within 10 km of town. The largest named area nearby is Greater Victoria Water Supply Area, 20,620 ha, 7.7 km away.
Protected land
6.6%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
51
within 10 km, 19 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
7.5 km
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
4.7 km
West Shawnigan Lake Park
Beaches
6
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
Where Cobble Hill stands out outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
A national park nearbyGulf Islands National Park Reserve, 7.5 km awayProtected land all round6.6% of the land within 10 km, more than 77% of Canadian townsBeaches6 beaches within 5 km
Cobble Hill’s best card is Gulf Islands National Park Reserve within easy reach, with protected land around it close behind.
Against other towns
Cobble Hill 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. Canada’s grades don’t include the outdoors, so this page compares the figures rather than grading them.
Protected within 10 km6.6%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town4.5%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas19Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes0Named 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
Among 40 towns its size, Cobble Hill ranks 10th for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (4,989 to 5,156 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
Cobble Hill6.6%
Towns its size2.1%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Cobble Hill19
Towns its size12
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Cobble Hill0
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Cobble Hill beats most towns its size for protected land nearby; 9 of 39 do better.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint-Donat QC | 41% | 6.7% | 21 | 1 | 6 |
| 2 | Electoral Area F, Cariboo BC | 29% | 27% | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 | Electoral Area A, Cowichan Valley BC | 23% | 0.9% | 58 | 4 | 24 |
| 4 | Electoral Area D, Peace River BC | 19% | 18% | 56 | 3 | 123 |
| 5 | Inverness NS | 13% | 5.1% | 141 | 4 | 20 |
| 6 | Northern Bruce Peninsula ON | 11% | 30% | 97 | 2 | 13 |
| 7 | Starlight Village NB | 9.2% | 3.1% | 23 | 0 | 11 |
| 8 | Montréal-Est QC | 7.7% | 0.4% | 38 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Lemoyne QC | 7.6% | 0% | 26 | 0 | 5 |
| 10 | Cobble Hill BC | 6.6% | 4.5% | 51 | 0 | 6 |
| 11 | Electoral Area C, North Okanagan BC | 6.1% | 19% | 7 | 0 | 3 |
| 12 | Webber Greens AB | 6.1% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Nipawin SK | 4.1% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Annapolis County, Subdivision B NS | 3.9% | 0.9% | 44 | 0 | 4 |
| 15 | Rushdale ON | 3.9% | 0% | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| 16 | Tyendinaga ON | 3% | 2.8% | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Huntington ON | 2.9% | 0% | 19 | 3 | 0 |
| 18 | Idlewood ON | 2.8% | 12% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | Gibsons BC | 2.7% | 4.8% | 43 | 0 | 57 |
| 20 | Morin-Heights QC | 2.2% | 0.9% | 23 | 0 | 3 |
| 21 | Hearst ON | 2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 22 | Big Lakes County AB | 1.8% | 1.9% | 20 | 0 | 12 |
| 23 | Meinzinger Park-Lakeside ON | 1.7% | 4.4% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Bridgwater Forest MB | 1.7% | 4.1% | 20 | 0 | 1 |
| 25 | River-Osborne MB | 1.5% | 0% | 22 | 4 | 0 |
| 26 | Earl Grey MB | 1.4% | 0% | 25 | 3 | 0 |
| 27 | Lord Roberts MB | 1.4% | 0% | 25 | 1 | 0 |
| 28 | Edgemont AB | 1.4% | 0% | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| 29 | Kneehill County AB | 1.3% | 1.1% | 26 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Westmount ON | 1.3% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| 31 | Robertson MB | 0.7% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | North Park SK | 0.7% | 0% | 14 | 1 | 3 |
| 33 | Sussex NB | 0.5% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 34 | Kildonan Drive MB | 0.3% | 1.3% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Twin Brooks AB | 0.3% | 0.4% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 36 | Saint-Germain-de-Grantham QC | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Queen Alexandra AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 38 | Carbonear NL | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 39 | Altona MB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Capilano AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1 |
The map
Parks, woods and paths around Cobble Hill
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
18 named parks and woods to walk in near Cobble Hill
Largest first: Cobble Hill Mountain Regional Recreation Area leads with 406 ha. Numbers match the map.
18 named parks and woods, 438 ha in all
Parks & gardens 438 ha
Two places, Cobble Hill Mountain Regional Recreation Area and Quarry Nature Park, make up 95% of the total.
Quarry Nature Park
Park or garden
12 ha2.9 km of path
40 minto walk all 2.9 km of path
2.4 km westfrom the centre
Rabbit TrailSquirrel TrailThain Access Road+1 path
Directionsto a point inside
Cees and Miep Hof Memorial Park
Park or garden · 200 m outside town
4.4 ha0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
3.2 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Fairfield Road Park
Park or garden
3.4 ha0.3 km of path
1.1 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Farnsworth Park
Park or garden
1.2 ha0.8 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.8 km of path
Centralin the middle of Cobble Hill
Directionsto a point inside
Watson Park
Park or garden
2.0 ha0.2 km of path
1.9 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Boatswain Park
Park or garden
0.8 ha0.6 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
1.3 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 18 named parks and green spaces
Cobble Hill Mountain Regional Recreation AreaPark or garden · 406 ha · 29 km of path
DirectionsQuarry Nature ParkPark or garden · 12 ha · 2.9 km of path
DirectionsCees and Miep Hof Memorial ParkPark or garden · 4.4 ha · 0.9 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsFairfield Road ParkPark or garden · 3.4 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsMerilees Nature ParkPark or garden · 3.0 ha
DirectionsFarnsworth ParkPark or garden · 1.2 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsWatson ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsBoatswain ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsMaple Hills ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsCobble Hill CommonsPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsEmpress ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha · just outside town
DirectionsWilliam Shearing ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsGalliers Road ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsGranfield WayPark or garden · 0.2 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsCherry Point Nature ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsHatch Point TrailPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsHammond WayPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsThain Road ParkPark or garden · 0.4 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
About 6 in 10 of Cobble Hill’s residents are 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 (62%)Further (38%)
Cobble Hill62%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
In the typical Canadian town the share is 83%, higher than here. For about 1,900 people, the nearest park is over 400 m away.
Protected areas
6.6% of the country within 10 km of Cobble Hill 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 Cobble Hill4.5%
Within 10 km6.6%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public bodies own 19 of the 51; land trusts and private owners hold the others. At 20,620 ha, Greater Victoria Water Supply Area is the largest. 24 more areas within 10 km are private land, held by landowners or conservation groups: counted here, not named.
Satellite Channel Ecological ReserveNature reserve · 340 ha · 2.7 km from the edge of town
Mount Tuam Ecological ReserveNature reserve · 362 ha · 4.0 km from the edge of town
Mill Farm Regional Park ReserveMunicipal park · 315 ha · 4.4 km from the edge of town
West Shawnigan Lake ParkProvincial park · 9.7 ha · 4.7 km from the edge of town
Koksilah River ParkProvincial park · 230 ha · 6.6 km from the edge of town
Horth Hill Regional ParkMunicipal park · 36 ha · 7.0 km from the edge of town
Burgoyne Bay ParkProvincial park · 524 ha · 7.1 km from the edge of town
Coles Bay Regional ParkMunicipal park · 3.6 ha · 7.2 km from the edge of town
Gulf Islands National Park ReserveNational park reserve · 6,731 ha · 7.5 km from the edge of town
Memory Island ParkProvincial park · 0.9 ha · 7.6 km from the edge of town
6 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
The parks within reach of Cobble Hill
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
West Shawnigan Lake Park
4.7 km south-west0.1 km²since 1979
Provincial park
Koksilah River Park
6.6 km south-west2.3 km²since 1959
Provincial park
Burgoyne Bay Park
7.1 km north-east5.2 km²since 2004
National park reserve
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
7.5 km east67 km²since 2010
Provincial park
Memory Island Park
7.6 km south-west0.0 km²since 1945
Provincial park
Bamberton Park
7.8 km south0.3 km²since 1960
A provincial park is closer: West Shawnigan Lake Park, at 4.7 km. 7 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
35 km of paths in and around Cobble Hill
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
35 km
in and around the town (46.5 km²)
Woodland
49%
about 22.8 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Cobble HillTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.8
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Cobble HillTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland49%
0%50%100%
It is more wooded than 83% of Canadian towns. Paths are thinner on the ground than in 61% 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 Cobble Hill
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
Walking season in Cobble Hill: May to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Victoria (Airport), 12 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) | 8.7 | 10.1 | 11.7 | 13.6 | 15.2 | 16.1 | 15.8 | 14.3 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.1 | 8.3 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 14 | 10 | 7 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 155 | 85 | 80 | 48 | 37 | 29 | 20 | 24 | 36 | 96 | 146 | 146 |
In July the typical high is 23 °C; in December, 7 °C. Most rain and snow falls in January, 155 mm; July sees 20 mm. A typical year sees 39 cm of snow. The climate in Cobble Hill →
Beaches
Musgrave Landing Beach, 3.5 km away, is the beach near Cobble Hill
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Musgrave Landing Beach3.5 km from town
DirectionsThe map adds 5 unnamed stretches of beach. The shoreline runs 61 km within 5 km of town. Beach water tests aren’t published as open data across Canada, so swimming advisories come from the local health unit.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Near Cobble Hill: 12 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.
Viewpoints lead the count with 12. Cobble Hill tops the hills nearby, 329 m.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 12
Plus 12 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 3
Cobble Hill329 m · 0.1 km from town
DirectionsPlus 2 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 1
Manley Creek Parkin town
DirectionsPicnic sites 2
Plus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 11
Plus 11 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
South Cowichan Off-Leash Dog Parkin town
DirectionsSlipways 2
Plus 2 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Cobble Hill
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Cowichan BayElectoral Area A, Cowichan ValleyShawniganNorth SaanichCowichanElectoral Area E, Cowichan ValleyCobble Hill
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobble Hill | 6.6% | 51 | 0 | 6 |
| Cowichan Bay 5.6 km | 4.2% | 64 | 2 | 10 |
| Electoral Area A, Cowichan Valley 6.0 km | 23% | 58 | 4 | 24 |
| Shawnigan 7.0 km | 22% | 66 | 4 | 8 |
| North Saanich 11 km | 9.2% | 37 | 0 | 24 |
| Cowichan 12 km | 5.9% | 58 | 3 | 4 |
| Electoral Area E, Cowichan Valley 12 km | 2.8% | 42 | 3 | 2 |
For protected land, Electoral Area A, Cowichan Valley and Shawnigan have twice as much or more. Electoral Area A, Cowichan Valley has the most mapped walking routes nearby: 4.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Private land. Private conservation land is in the totals, not the lists. Many such areas are easements on working farms or woodlots.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
Questions about the outdoors in Cobble Hill
When should you visit Cobble Hill for the outdoors?
May to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
What is the biggest park or reserve near Cobble Hill?
It is Greater Victoria Water Supply Area, a protected area covering 20,620 ha.
How far is Cobble Hill from a national park?
The nearest is Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, 7.5 km away.
Is there protected land near Cobble Hill?
Protected areas cover 6.6% of the land within 10 km.
Is there a beach near Cobble Hill?
Musgrave Landing Beach, 3.5 km from town, is the nearest mapped beach.
Is there a provincial park near Cobble Hill?
The closest is West Shawnigan Lake Park, at 4.7 km.
Sources
Where Cobble Hill’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.
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).