First pick
Galloping Goose Regional Trail
Park or garden
97 ha12.9 km of path
2 h 50 minto walk all 12.9 km of path
9.7 km south-westfrom the centre
Galloping Goose Regional Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Kyle Wilson · CC BY-SA 4.019%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Colwood · parks, protected land & trails
More of the land around Colwood is protected than around 9 in 10 Canadian towns
For a national park, Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is 17 km away. 21 beaches are mapped within 5 km, the nearest Glen Lake South Beach. 36 areas within 10 km are protected for nature.
Protected land
19%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
36
within 10 km, 22 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
17 km
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
3.4 km
Goldstream Park
Walking routes
4
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
21
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
The outdoors in Colwood, in short
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round19% of the land within 10 km, more than 95% of Canadian townsMany protected areas22 public areas within 10 kmBeaches21 beaches within 5 kmA national park nearbyGulf Islands National Park Reserve, 17 km away
For someone who likes to get outside, Colwood’s draw is protected land around it, with the number of public protected areas close by close behind.
Against other towns
How Colwood 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. 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 km19%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town2.3%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 routes4Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches21Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Colwood has the most protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (22,141 to 23,515 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
Colwood19%
Towns its size2.4%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Colwood22
Towns its size5
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Colwood4
Towns its size1
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
For protected land nearby, Colwood tops all 39 other towns its size.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colwood BC | 19% | 2.3% | 36 | 4 | 21 |
| 2 | Saint-Lazare QC | 13% | 0% | 42 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | Westmount NS | 11% | 4.8% | 16 | 6 | 18 |
| 4 | Brownsville BC | 11% | 1.3% | 119 | 7 | 6 |
| 5 | Snowdon QC | 10% | 0% | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Berczy Village ON | 9.3% | 0% | 17 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | Saint-Lambert QC | 8.1% | 0.4% | 31 | 0 | 6 |
| 8 | Mont-Royal QC | 7.5% | 0% | 29 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Heights BC | 6.7% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 52 |
| 10 | Du College/Hodge QC | 6% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Rivière-Blanche QC | 5.8% | 8.1% | 45 | 0 | 2 |
| 12 | Uxbridge ON | 4.8% | 5.1% | 25 | 2 | 1 |
| 13 | Cité-Universitaire QC | 4.1% | 0% | 20 | 1 | 5 |
| 14 | Brentwood BC | 4% | 0% | 12 | 2 | 29 |
| 15 | Riverview NB | 2.7% | 2.3% | 10 | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | South Eglinton-Davisville ON | 2.7% | 0% | 13 | 2 | 1 |
| 17 | Eglinton East ON | 2.6% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 5 |
| 18 | Birchcliffe-Cliffside ON | 2.5% | 0% | 14 | 2 | 19 |
| 19 | Cranbrook BC | 2.4% | 0% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Flemingdon Park ON | 2.4% | 17% | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| 21 | Church-Wellesley ON | 2.3% | 0% | 11 | 9 | 20 |
| 22 | Moss Park ON | 2.2% | 0% | 10 | 9 | 43 |
| 23 | Renfrew-Collingwood BC | 2.2% | 0.7% | 12 | 4 | 28 |
| 24 | Sainte-Lucie QC | 2% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Steeles ON | 1.9% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Junction-Wallace Emerson ON | 1.8% | 0% | 11 | 4 | 13 |
| 27 | Bayview Village ON | 1.7% | 16% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Bedford Park-Nortown ON | 1.4% | 0% | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| 29 | Joliette QC | 1.2% | 0.8% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | High Park-Swansea ON | 0.9% | 5% | 9 | 4 | 17 |
| 31 | Binbrook ON | 0.9% | 0.2% | 22 | 2 | 1 |
| 32 | Ouest (Montréal-Nord) QC | 0.8% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Willowridge-Martingrove-Richview ON | 0.7% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 34 | High Park North ON | 0.6% | 0% | 10 | 4 | 15 |
| 35 | New Hamburg ON | 0.4% | 0% | 18 | 3 | 1 |
| 36 | Humber Bay Shores ON | 0.3% | 0% | 6 | 3 | 18 |
| 37 | Rockcliffe-Smythe ON | 0.3% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 8 |
| 38 | Erindale ON | 0.2% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 39 | Cobourg ON | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 40 | Yellowknife NT | 0% | 0% | 0 | 7 | 4 |
The map
Where the green is in Colwood
The town’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
Walk in Colwood: 30 named parks and woods
Largest first: Galloping Goose Regional Trail leads with 97 ha. Numbers match the map.
30 named parks and woods, 316 ha in all
Parks & gardens 316 ha
56% of the area is in just two places: Galloping Goose Regional Trail and Mill Hill Regional Park.
Mill Hill Regional Park
Park or garden · 240 m outside town
82 ha4.3 km of path
55 minto walk all 4.3 km of path
4.1 km northfrom the centre
Calypso TrailAuburn TrailMillwoods Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites
Park or garden
25 ha3.3 km of path
45 minto walk all 3.3 km of path
3.0 km eastfrom the centre
Historic Nature TrailParade Ground
Directionsto a point inside
Havenwood Park
Park or garden
17 ha3.7 km of path
50 minto walk all 3.7 km of path
1.7 km south-westfrom the centre
Sampler TrailHwy.1
Directionsto a point inside
Colwood Creek Park
Park or garden
14 ha2.6 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.6 km of path
2.0 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Latoria Creek Park
Park or garden
13 ha1.9 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.9 km of path
2.4 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Coburg Peninsula
Park or garden
8.7 ha2.5 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.5 km of path
1.8 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Murray's Pond Park
Park or garden
7.4 ha1.9 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.9 km of path
1.1 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Galloping Goose Regional TrailPark or garden · 97 ha · 12.9 km of path
DirectionsMill Hill Regional ParkPark or garden · 82 ha · 4.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsFort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic SitesPark or garden · 25 ha · 3.3 km of path
DirectionsHavenwood ParkPark or garden · 17 ha · 3.7 km of path
DirectionsColwood Creek ParkPark or garden · 14 ha · 2.6 km of path
DirectionsLatoria Creek ParkPark or garden · 13 ha · 1.9 km of path
DirectionsCoburg PeninsulaPark or garden · 8.7 ha · 2.5 km of path
DirectionsMurray's Pond ParkPark or garden · 7.4 ha · 1.9 km of path
DirectionsAlbert Head Lagoon Regional ParkPark or garden · 7.2 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsHatley GardensPark or garden · 3.6 ha · 1.9 km of path
DirectionsMeadow ParkPark or garden · 3.8 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsLagoon West ParkPark or garden · 5.4 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsNorth Ridge Forest ParkPark or garden · 3.7 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsNorth Ridge ParkPark or garden · 3.7 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsOcean View ParkPark or garden · 2.7 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsCrystalview ParkPark or garden · 3.2 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsOutlook ParkPark or garden · 2.4 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsLookout Lake ParkPark or garden · 2.3 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsRoyal Bay BeachparkPark or garden · 2.2 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsWalled GardenPark or garden · 2.1 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsEd Fisher Memorial ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 0.4 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsPromenade ParkPark or garden · 1.4 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsGamble ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsPerimeter Park 1Park or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsLatoria Walk ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsHerm Williams ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsPerimeter Park 2Park or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsGlen Cove ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha
DirectionsMillstream South ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha
DirectionsVeteran's ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.2 km of path · 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
A park is within a short walk for 9 in 10 in Colwood
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 (92%)Further (7.7%)
Colwood92%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
A typical Canadian town reaches only 83%. About 2,000 residents live further than 400 m from one.
Protected areas
The 36 protected areas near Colwood
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Colwood2.3%
Within 10 km19%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Of those 36, 22 are public and the remainder private. At 20,620 ha, Greater Victoria Water Supply Area is the largest. The count includes 14 areas that are private or not recorded as public; they aren’t named.
Mill Hill Regional ParkMunicipal park · 81 ha · 0.2 km from the edge of town
Albert Head Lagoon Regional ParkMunicipal park · 7.0 ha · 0.3 km from the edge of town
Witty's Lagoon Regional ParkMunicipal park · 56 ha · 0.9 km from the edge of town
Thetis Lake Regional ParkMunicipal park · 923 ha · 0.9 km from the edge of town
Mount Wells Regional ParkMunicipal park · 121 ha · 2.0 km from the edge of town
Francis/King Regional ParkMunicipal park · 107 ha · 2.3 km from the edge of town
Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional ParkMunicipal park · 4,120 ha · 3.2 km from the edge of town
Goldstream ParkProvincial park · 477 ha · 3.4 km from the edge of town
Greater Victoria Water Supply AreaProtected area · 20,620 ha · 3.9 km from the edge of town
Maltby LakeNature reserve · 77 ha · 4.1 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
The nearest big park: Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, 17 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
Goldstream Park
3.4 km north-west4.8 km²since 1958
Provincial park
Gowlland Tod Park
6.8 km north13 km²since 1995
Provincial park
Sooke Mountain Park
9.4 km west4.5 km²since 1928
National park reserve
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
17 km north-east67 km²since 2010
Closer to home, Goldstream Park is 3.4 km away. There are 3 provincial parks 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
Paths to walk: 114 km in and around Colwood
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
114 km
in and around the town (41.9 km²)
Woodland
17%
about 7 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
ColwoodTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths2.7
024 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
ColwoodTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland17%
0%50%100%
Paths are denser here than in 68% of Canadian towns. Woods cover more of it than in 63% 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
The Trans-Canada Trail - Galloping Goose Regional Trail runs past Colwood
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
NationalRegional
Trans-Canada Trail - Galloping Goose Regional Trail17.4 km
The Great Trail - City of Langford4.8 km
Vancouver Island Trail742.1 km
E&N Rail Trail - Humpback Connector13.9 km
Of the Trans-Canada Trail - Galloping Goose Regional Trail’s 17 km, 8.4 km passes close to town. The longest of the rest is the Vancouver Island Trail, 742.1 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 Colwood in May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Victoria Gonzales (City) (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) | 8.7 | 10.1 | 11.7 | 13.6 | 15.2 | 16.1 | 15.7 | 14.3 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.1 | 8.3 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 14 | 10 | 8 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 111 | 61 | 62 | 36 | 28 | 19 | 13 | 16 | 28 | 85 | 129 | 87 |
For dry weather, July is best (13 mm); November gets 129 mm. The warmest days come in August (21 °C highs), the coldest in December (8 °C). Winter brings about 39 cm of snow. The climate in Colwood →
Beaches
21 beaches within 5 km of Colwood
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Glen Lake South Beach0.4 km from town
DirectionsWitty's Beach1.8 km from town
DirectionsBilston Barpebbles · 2.1 km from town
DirectionsFleming Beach3.0 km from town
DirectionsThe coast is close: 82 km of shoreline within 5 km. 17 more are mapped without a name. No open data on beach water quality covers every province, so check with public health before a swim.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Colwood has 28 viewpoints and 2 waterfalls nearby
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
The highest named peak nearby is Triangular Hill, at 220 m. There are 93 playgrounds, more than of anything else.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 28
Viewtop Summit1.8 km from town
DirectionsGraving Dock1.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 26 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 5
Triangular Hill220 m · in town
DirectionsMetchosin Mountain183 m · 1.0 km from town
DirectionsMill Hill203 m · 1.1 km from town
DirectionsSignal Hill41 m · 1.3 km from town
DirectionsSeymour Hill141 m · 1.6 km from town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
Plus 1 nature reserve without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 93
Parkwood Playgroundin town
DirectionsRotary Playgroundin town
DirectionsWestshore Family Fun Park0.9 km from town
DirectionsPortage Park Playground1.3 km from town
DirectionsPlus 89 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 2
The Langford Station Off-Leash Area0.4 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
2 historic gardens and parks to see in Colwood
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
Hatley CastleNational Historic Site · from 1908 · In Colwood
Its pageHatley Park / Former Royal Roads Military CollegeNational Historic Site · from 1908 · In Colwood
Its pageThe oldest is Hatley Castle, from 1908. 2 are National Historic Sites.
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 Colwood
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
LangfordView RoyalNew Songhees 1AEsquimaltMetchosinVictoriaColwood
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colwood | 19% | 36 | 4 | 21 |
| Langford 3.2 km | 27% | 41 | 7 | 19 |
| View Royal 5.3 km | 21% | 35 | 3 | 20 |
| New Songhees 1A 5.7 km | 14% | 29 | 3 | 16 |
| Esquimalt 6.3 km | 12% | 31 | 4 | 19 |
| Metchosin 7.2 km | 18% | 31 | 2 | 22 |
| Victoria 10 km | 8% | 20 | 4 | 34 |
Langford has the most mapped walking routes nearby: 7. None of the places nearby has twice as much protected land around it as Colwood.
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. A park at 0 km touches or overlaps the town’s outline; directions point from the town’s centre.
- Protected land. Protected here means in CPCAD, Canada’s official list: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and other conserved land, measured within 10 km of the town’s edge.
- 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 Colwood
What is the nearest provincial park to Colwood?
Goldstream Park, 3.4 km away.
What is the largest protected area near Colwood?
Greater Victoria Water Supply Area: 20,620 ha, a protected area.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Colwood?
May to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
What walking routes are near Colwood?
The Trans-Canada Trail - Galloping Goose Regional Trail, The Great Trail - City of Langford and Vancouver Island Trail, among the routes mapped within 2 km.
What is the nearest beach to Colwood?
Try Glen Lake South Beach, 0.4 km from town, first of several.
How much land around Colwood is protected?
Yes: 19% of the land within 10 km is protected.
What is the nearest national park to Colwood?
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, 17 km from the edge of town.
Sources
The sources behind Colwood’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).