First pick
Seal Bay Regional Nature Park
Wood or forest
696 ha38.1 km of path
8 h 30 minto walk all 38.1 km of path
6.7 km northfrom the centre
ʔayigən (Forest Loop)Melda's Marsh Looptaχamay (Red Cedar)+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Ken Walker · CC BY-SA 3.01.4%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Courtenay · parks, protected land & trails
Within 10 km of Courtenay: 32 public protected areas
A provincial park, Kin Beach Park, lies 2.5 km away. For a swim, Little Mexico is the beach within 5 km. Lazo Marsh-North East Comox Wildlife Management Area (127 ha) is the biggest, 2.1 km from town.
Protected land
1.4%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
54
within 10 km, 32 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
79 km
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
2.5 km
Kin Beach Park
Beaches
1
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Against other towns
Each figure for Courtenay, 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. Canada’s grades don’t include the outdoors, so this page compares the figures rather than grading them.
Protected within 10 km1.4%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town2.9%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas32Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes0Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches1Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Courtenay sits 12th from last of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (30,930 to 34,805 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
Courtenay1.4%
Towns its size3.7%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Courtenay32
Towns its size8
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Courtenay0
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Among its peers, Courtenay’s strong point is public protected areas, where 3 of 39 top it. For protected land nearby, though, 28 of 39 are ahead.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pierrefonds-Ouest QC | 34% | 25% | 48 | 0 | 13 |
| 2 | Des Explorateurs QC | 23% | 12% | 46 | 1 | 10 |
| 3 | Vieux-Lachine - Saint-Pierre QC | 17% | 0% | 30 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | Clayton Park West NS | 13% | 0% | 18 | 13 | 7 |
| 5 | Centretown ON | 12% | 1.5% | 37 | 4 | 6 |
| 6 | Val-d'Or QC | 11% | 19% | 55 | 0 | 4 |
| 7 | Savane QC | 11% | 0% | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | La Cité QC | 9.1% | 0% | 46 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | Fairview BC | 8.2% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 68 |
| 10 | Sainte-Marie QC | 6.3% | 0% | 24 | 0 | 4 |
| 11 | Edmonds BC | 6.2% | 0% | 40 | 4 | 8 |
| 12 | Sainte-Julie QC | 5.8% | 0.7% | 45 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Saint-Constant QC | 5.8% | 0% | 25 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | Johnston Heights BC | 5.8% | 29% | 131 | 7 | 6 |
| 15 | Grande-Prairie QC | 5% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Orangeville ON | 4.2% | 3.5% | 38 | 1 | 1 |
| 17 | Arcola East SK | 4.2% | 8.8% | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Mount Olive-Silverstone-Jamestown ON | 4.1% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | Killarney BC | 4% | 3.5% | 14 | 2 | 6 |
| 20 | North Cowichan BC | 3.9% | 2.3% | 72 | 7 | 10 |
| 21 | West Humber-Clairville ON | 3.4% | 0% | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | Victoria-Fraserview BC | 3.1% | 0% | 15 | 2 | 4 |
| 23 | Chambly QC | 2.7% | 1.1% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Est (Montréal-Nord) QC | 2.6% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Vimont QC | 1.9% | 0% | 33 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | St Lawrence-East Bayfront-The Islands ON | 1.7% | 6.1% | 12 | 9 | 48 |
| 27 | Thorold ON | 1.6% | 4.2% | 16 | 7 | 1 |
| 28 | Parkland County AB | 1.6% | 1.3% | 69 | 15 | 5 |
| 29 | Courtenay BC | 1.4% | 2.9% | 54 | 0 | 1 |
| 30 | Leamington ON | 1.3% | 5.5% | 2 | 0 | 16 |
| 31 | Whitehorse YT | 1.3% | 4.5% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 32 | Elmira ON | 0.8% | 0% | 27 | 10 | 1 |
| 33 | Grimsby ON | 0.7% | 1.5% | 26 | 7 | 8 |
| 34 | Lisgar ON | 0.7% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Chestermere AB | 0.5% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 36 | Applewood ON | 0.3% | 0% | 6 | 1 | 3 |
| 37 | DT Core ON | 0.3% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Okotoks AB | 0.2% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 39 | Saint-Georges QC | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 40 | Fergus ON | 0% | 0% | 4 | 8 | 2 |
The map
Where the green is in Courtenay
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 Courtenay: 30 named parks and woods
Seal Bay Regional Nature Park is the largest, at 696 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
30 named parks and woods, 827 ha in all
Parks & gardens 107 haWoods 720 ha
Two places, Seal Bay Regional Nature Park and Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds, make up 86% of the total.
Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds
Park or garden
17 ha1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
2.3 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Sandwick Park
Park or garden
13 ha1.3 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.3 km of path
2.2 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Ruth Masters Greenway
Park or garden
9.3 ha1.7 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.7 km of path
3.8 km westfrom the centre
Rotary Riverside Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Condensory Park
Park or garden
8.1 ha1.3 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.3 km of path
1.2 km westfrom the centre
Condensory Greenway
Directionsto a point inside
Millard Nature Park
Wood or forest
16 ha1.8 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.8 km of path
3.3 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Puntledge Park
Park or garden
4.7 ha1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
2.6 km westfrom the centre
Puntledge Park Perimeter Path
Directionsto a point inside
Simms Millennium Park
Park or garden
4.1 ha1.4 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.4 km of path
0.9 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Seal Bay Regional Nature ParkWood or forest · 696 ha · 38.1 km of path
DirectionsComox Valley Exhibition GroundsPark or garden · 17 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsSandwick ParkPark or garden · 13 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsRuth Masters GreenwayPark or garden · 9.3 ha · 1.7 km of path
DirectionsCondensory ParkPark or garden · 8.1 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsMillard Nature ParkWood or forest · 16 ha · 1.8 km of path
DirectionsPuntledge ParkPark or garden · 4.7 ha · 1.2 km of path
DirectionsSimms Millennium ParkPark or garden · 4.1 ha · 1.4 km of path
DirectionsBill Moore Memorial ParkPark or garden · 5.8 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsLewis ParkPark or garden · 4.9 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsBear James ParkPark or garden · 3.9 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsMorrison Creek ParkPark or garden · 3.0 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsCapes ParkPark or garden · 3.1 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsValley View ParkPark or garden · 4.0 ha
DirectionsMuir/McLauchlin ParkPark or garden · 2.6 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsIdiens ParkPark or garden · 2.1 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsMillard Creek Conservation AreaWood or forest · 8.6 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsDogwood ParkPark or garden · 2.5 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsCumberland & 20th ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsFirst Street ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsMalahat Storm ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsPinegrove ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsCousins ParkPark or garden · 1.5 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsHobson ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha
DirectionsWoodcote ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha
DirectionsHarmston ParkPark or garden · 1.3 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsMartin ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha
DirectionsLancaster ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsHawk Glen ParkPark or garden · 1.2 ha
DirectionsStan Hagen Nature ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.1 km of path
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 9 in 10 of Courtenay’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 (86%)Further (14%)
Courtenay86%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
It is above the typical Canadian town (83%). For about 5,000 people, the nearest park is over 400 m away.
Protected areas
Protected areas cover 1.4% of the land near Courtenay
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Courtenay2.9%
Within 10 km1.4%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public bodies own 32 of the 54; land trusts and private owners hold the others. Lazo Marsh-North East Comox Wildlife Management Area is the biggest, 127 ha. 19 areas belong to private owners or land trusts and aren’t named here.
McPhee MeadowsNature reserve · 4.6 ha · reaches Courtenay
Hyland Road GreenwayProtected area · 0.5 ha · 0.1 km from the edge of town
Roy Creek ParkMunicipal park · 0.3 ha · 0.7 km from the edge of town
Trillium ParkMunicipal park · 0.9 ha · 0.7 km from the edge of town
Foden ParkMunicipal park · 7.5 ha · 0.8 km from the edge of town
Little River Nature ParkMunicipal park · 6.4 ha · 0.8 km from the edge of town
Hudson ParkMunicipal park · 0.3 ha · 0.9 km from the edge of town
Daye ParkMunicipal park · 0.9 ha · 0.9 km from the edge of town
Royston to Cumberland Railway TrailProtected area · 29 ha · 1.5 km from the edge of town
qax mot Conservation AreaNature reserve · 22 ha · 1.6 km from the edge of town
11 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
79 km to Pacific Rim 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
Kin Beach Park
2.5 km north-east0.1 km²since 1966
National park
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
79 km south-west510 km²since 1970
Closer to home, Kin Beach Park is 2.5 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
Paths to walk: 126 km in and around Courtenay
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
126 km
in and around the town (74.2 km²)
Woodland
31%
about 22.8 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
CourtenayTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths1.7
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
CourtenayTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland31%
0%50%100%
For woods, it beats 74% of Canadian towns. It has more footpath per km² than 51% 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
No named walking route passes Courtenay on the map
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
OpenStreetMap lists no walking route near the town, though paths on the ground may well exist.
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 Courtenay: May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Comox (6.5 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 | 10.0 | 11.7 | 13.7 | 15.4 | 16.3 | 15.9 | 14.4 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 9.0 | 8.1 |
| High (°C) | 6 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 19 | 13 | 9 | 6 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 177 | 112 | 108 | 64 | 40 | 42 | 24 | 31 | 47 | 125 | 189 | 194 |
Snowfall averages 51 cm a year. Daytime highs run from 6 °C in December up to 23 °C in July. Most rain and snow falls in December, 194 mm; July sees 24 mm. The climate in Courtenay →
Beaches
The beach near Courtenay: Little Mexico, 2.7 km away
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Little Mexicosand · 2.7 km from town
DirectionsThe coast is close: 44 km of shoreline within 5 km. 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
Near Courtenay: 20 viewpoints, 1 waterfalls
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
20Viewpoints3Hills and peaks1Waterfalls9Nature reserves3Picnic sites43Playgrounds1Dog parks2Slipways
Look up to Ryan Hill: 94 m. Count 43 playgrounds, the biggest group.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 20
Jeanie's Lookoutin town
DirectionsMillard Lookoutin town
DirectionsRoyston Wharf Viewing Stand1.1 km from town
DirectionsPlus 17 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 1
Stotan Falls1.6 km from town
DirectionsNature reserves 9
Hurford Hill Nature Parkin town
DirectionsLerwick Nature Parkin town
DirectionsMillard Creek Conservation Areain town
DirectionsMillard Nature Parkin town
DirectionsRoy Stewart Morrison Nature Parkin town
DirectionsSeal Bay Regional Nature Park0.6 km from town
DirectionsLinton Conservation Area1.8 km from town
Directionsqax mot Conservation Area1.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 nature reserve more.
Picnic sites 3
Plus 3 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 43
Courtenay Elementary Playgroundin town
DirectionsCourtenay Rotary Waterparkin town
DirectionsIdiens Park Playgroundin town
DirectionsLewis Park Playgroundin town
DirectionsPuntledge Park Playgroundin town
DirectionsQueneesh Elementary Playgroundin town
DirectionsLancaster Park Playground0.1 km from town
DirectionsRoyston Elementary Playground0.6 km from town
DirectionsPlus 35 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Comox Dog Park1.7 km from town
DirectionsSlipways 2
Royston Small Craft Boat Launch1.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 slipway without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Courtenay
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
ComoxElectoral Area B (Lazo North), Comox ValleyCumberlandElectoral Area C (Puntledge - Black Creek), Comox ValleyElectoral Area A, Comox ValleyCourtenay
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Courtenay | 1.4% | 54 | 0 | 1 |
| Comox 4.4 km | 1.4% | 45 | 0 | 2 |
| Electoral Area B (Lazo North), Comox Valley 5.5 km | 1.3% | 64 | 0 | 3 |
| Cumberland 8.8 km | 2.6% | 44 | 1 | 1 |
| Electoral Area C (Puntledge - Black Creek), Comox Valley 12 km | 22% | 74 | 1 | 7 |
| Electoral Area A, Comox Valley 15 km | 4% | 97 | 2 | 19 |
For walking routes, Electoral Area A, Comox Valley leads the area with 2. Around Electoral Area C (Puntledge - Black Creek), Comox Valley and Electoral Area A, Comox Valley the protected share is at least double.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- 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. 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. Only named route relations count; a park’s own path network may not show unless it is mapped as a route.
- 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.
Questions about the outdoors in Courtenay
When is the best time for walking in Courtenay?
On the normals, May to September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
Is there a provincial park near Courtenay?
Kin Beach Park, 2.5 km from the edge of town.
What is the nearest national park to Courtenay?
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is closest, at 79 km.
What is the largest protected area near Courtenay?
It is Lazo Marsh-North East Comox Wildlife Management Area, a wildlife area covering 127 ha.
How much land around Courtenay is protected?
Protected areas cover 1.4% of the land within 10 km.
What is the nearest beach to Courtenay?
The nearest is Little Mexico, 2.7 km from town.
Sources
Sources for this page on Courtenay
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).