First pick
Powder Basin Recreation Site
Park or garden
1,600 ha
62 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center · Public domain13%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Electoral Area E, East Kootenay · parks, protected land & trails
Protected land around Electoral Area E, East Kootenay beats 9 in 10 Canadian towns
A drive of 45 km reaches Kootenay National Park, the nearest national park. CPCAD lists 37 protected areas within 10 km. Swimmers have 2 beaches within 5 km, Wasa Beach the nearest.
Protected land
13%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
37
within 10 km, 15 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
45 km
Kootenay National Park
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Premier Lake Park
Beaches
2
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What Electoral Area E, East Kootenay has going for it outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round13% of the land within 10 km, more than 90% of Canadian townsA provincial park at the edgePremier Lake Park reaches the town
For someone who likes to get outside, Electoral Area E, East Kootenay’s draw is protected land around it, with a provincial park at its edge close behind.
Against other towns
Each figure for Electoral Area E, East Kootenay, 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. 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 km13%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town12%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas15Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes0Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches2Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Electoral Area E, East Kootenay comes 5th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (1,881 to 2,587 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
Electoral Area E, East Kootenay13%
Towns its size1.6%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Electoral Area E, East Kootenay15
Towns its size4
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Electoral Area E, East Kootenay0
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Among its peers, Electoral Area E, East Kootenay’s strong point is protected land nearby, where 4 of 39 top it.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anmore BC | 22% | 47% | 16 | 5 | 98 |
| 2 | Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska QC | 19% | 0% | 28 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Gracefield QC | 19% | 19% | 34 | 0 | 6 |
| 4 | East Preston NS | 16% | 6.3% | 20 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | Electoral Area E, East Kootenay BC | 13% | 12% | 37 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 | Clearwater BC | 7.7% | 4.1% | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 | Roberval QC | 6.1% | 1.2% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague QC | 5.8% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | North Frontenac ON | 5.7% | 5.2% | 13 | 6 | 4 |
| 10 | Cap-Chat QC | 5.3% | 0.4% | 13 | 0 | 10 |
| 11 | Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards ON | 4.4% | 1.5% | 9 | 0 | 4 |
| 12 | Saint-Polycarpe QC | 4.2% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| 13 | Macassa ON | 4.1% | 0% | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| 14 | Saint-Damien QC | 4% | 3.2% | 22 | 1 | 9 |
| 15 | Unity SK | 3.4% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Sherwood ON | 3.4% | 0% | 19 | 2 | 0 |
| 17 | McNab SK | 2.6% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Mandeville QC | 2.5% | 1.8% | 19 | 4 | 7 |
| 19 | Esterhazy SK | 1.8% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | City Commercial Core ON | 1.8% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Caswell Hill SK | 1.4% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| 22 | Fossambault-sur-le-Lac QC | 1.3% | 7.8% | 15 | 0 | 14 |
| 23 | Pembina MB | 1.1% | 1.8% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Burrows-Keewatin MB | 1% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Elmwood AB | 0.8% | 0% | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 26 | Hatley QC | 0.7% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 5 |
| 27 | Munroe West MB | 0.4% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Brooke-Alvinston ON | 0.3% | 0.2% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Rosedale AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 30 | Minchau AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 31 | Lunenburg NS | 0.1% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 5 |
| 32 | Salisbury NB | 0.1% | 2.1% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Dufferin MB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Ekota AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 35 | Satoo AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 36 | Saint-Éphrem-de-Beauce QC | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 37 | Magrath AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Nanton AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Rimbey AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Sexsmith AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
The green map of Electoral Area E, East Kootenay
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
12 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Electoral Area E, East Kootenay
Powder Basin Recreation Site is the largest, at 1,600 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
12 named parks and woods, 2,150 ha in all
Parks & gardens 2,150 ha
The bulk, 84%, is Powder Basin Recreation Site and Horse Barn Valley Interpretive Forest.
Horse Barn Valley Interpretive Forest
Park or garden
203 ha9.9 km of path
2 h 10 minto walk all 9.9 km of path
23 km south-westfrom the centre
Tora Bora (Round the Mountain)The RidgeSummer Trail+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
McNair Lake Recreation Site
Park or garden
102 ha
8.8 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Larchwood Lake Recreation Site
Park or garden
76 ha
15 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Tamarack Lake Recreation Site
Park or garden
56 ha
12 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Johnson Lake Recreation Site
Park or garden
32 ha
16 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Buhl Creek Recreation Site
Park or garden
30 ha
22 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 12 named parks and green spaces
Powder Basin Recreation SitePark or garden · 1,600 ha
DirectionsHorse Barn Valley Interpretive ForestPark or garden · 203 ha · 9.9 km of path
DirectionsMcNair Lake Recreation SitePark or garden · 102 ha
DirectionsLarchwood Lake Recreation SitePark or garden · 76 ha
DirectionsTamarack Lake Recreation SitePark or garden · 56 ha
DirectionsJohnson Lake Recreation SitePark or garden · 32 ha
DirectionsLazy Lake Recreation SitePark or garden · 31 ha
DirectionsBuhl Creek Recreation SitePark or garden · 30 ha
DirectionsLakit Lake Recreation SitePark or garden · 9.6 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsSkookumchuck Creek Recreation SitePark or garden · 6.5 ha
DirectionsCoronation ParkPark or garden · 2.7 ha · just outside town
DirectionsLakit Lookout Recreation SitePark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.1 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
In Electoral Area E, East Kootenay, parks are rarely a short walk away
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 (0%)Further (100%)
Electoral Area E, East Kootenay0%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
Around 1,900 residents are further than 400 m from a park. The typical Canadian town reaches 83%.
Protected areas
37 protected areas around Electoral Area E, East Kootenay
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Electoral Area E, East Kootenay12%
Within 10 km13%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
15 of the 37 are on public land. Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Park leads for size with 201,967 ha. 22 areas belong to private owners or land trusts and aren’t named here.
Purcell Wilderness Conservancy ParkProvincial park · 201,967 ha · reaches Electoral Area E, East Kootenay
Kianuko ParkProvincial park · 11,638 ha · reaches Electoral Area E, East Kootenay
ST. Mary's Alpine ParkProvincial park · 9,146 ha · reaches Electoral Area E, East Kootenay
Top of the World ParkProvincial park · 8,790 ha · reaches Electoral Area E, East Kootenay
Lockhart Creek ParkProvincial park · 3,751 ha · reaches Electoral Area E, East Kootenay
Whiteswan Lake ParkProvincial park · 1,994 ha · reaches Electoral Area E, East Kootenay
Premier Lake ParkProvincial park · 837 ha · reaches Electoral Area E, East Kootenay
Wasa Lake ParkProvincial park · 154 ha · reaches Electoral Area E, East Kootenay
Ram Creek Ecological ReserveNature reserve · 121 ha · reaches Electoral Area E, East Kootenay
East Side Columbia Lake Wildlife Management AreaWildlife area · 7,220 ha · 4.8 km from the edge of town
4 more named areas within 10 km are in the figures.
1 area recorded only by its type (a provincial layer such as wildlife habitat areas) is counted, not listed.
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
Kootenay National Park is 45 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
Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Park
At the edge2,020 km²since 1974
Provincial park
Kianuko Park
At the edge116 km²since 1995
Provincial park
ST. Mary's Alpine Park
At the edge91 km²since 1973
Provincial park
Top of the World Park
At the edge88 km²since 1973
Provincial park
Lockhart Creek Park
At the edge38 km²since 1995
Provincial park
Whiteswan Lake Park
At the edge20 km²since 1978
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
Electoral Area E, East Kootenay and its edge hold 368 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
368 km
in and around the town (4,721.9 km²)
Woodland
85%
about 4,007 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Electoral Area E, East KootenayTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.1
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Electoral Area E, East KootenayTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland85%
0%50%100%
89% of Canadian towns have more footpath per km². More of it is wooded than in 98% 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 Electoral Area E, East Kootenay
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
The map shows no named route near the town. That says more about OpenStreetMap’s coverage than about the paths on the ground.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
The best months for walking in Electoral Area E, East Kootenay: May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Cranbrook (23 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) | 8.5 | 10.0 | 11.7 | 13.7 | 15.4 | 16.3 | 15.9 | 14.4 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 9.0 | 8.1 |
| High (°C) | -2 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 18 | 22 | 27 | 27 | 20 | 11 | 3 | -3 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 27 | 20 | 27 | 23 | 42 | 62 | 35 | 24 | 30 | 26 | 35 | 35 |
Some 133 cm of snow falls each winter. Summer highs reach 27 °C in July; in December they stay near -3 °C. June is the wettest month (62 mm) and February the driest (20 mm). The climate in Electoral Area E, East Kootenay →
Beaches
Beaches near Electoral Area E, East Kootenay: 2 within 5 km
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Wasa Beachin town
DirectionsOne more is mapped without a name. 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 Electoral Area E, East Kootenay: 8 viewpoints, 5 waterfalls
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
8Viewpoints82Hills and peaks5Waterfalls4Nature reserves2Picnic sites9Playgrounds18Campsites5Slipways
For a climb, Mount Baldr rises to 2,794 m. The most common are hills and peaks: 82 on the map.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 82
Armour Peak2,559 m · in town
DirectionsBill Nye SW12,423 m · in town
DirectionsBootleg Mountain2,610 m · in town
DirectionsBoulder Peak2,609 m · in town
DirectionsBurdett Peak2,537 m · in town
DirectionsButte1,060 m · in town
DirectionsCanis Peak2,720 m · in town
DirectionsCrosscut Mountain2,638 m · in town
DirectionsPlus 74 hills and peaks more.
Waterfalls 5
Cherry Creek Fallsin town
DirectionsMary Anne Fallsin town
DirectionsMeachen Creek Fallsin town
DirectionsMarysville Falls0.4 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 4
Hahas Lake Recreation Sitein town
DirectionsOliver (Johny Connors) Lake Recreation Sitein town
DirectionsRam Creek Ecological Reservein town
DirectionsWhite Boar Lake Recreation Sitein town
DirectionsPicnic sites 2
Plus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 9
Lindsay Park Playground0.4 km from town
DirectionsPurple Playground0.6 km from town
DirectionsTriangle Park0.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 6 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 18
Hahas Lake Campgroundin town
DirectionsHiker's Campin town
DirectionsHorse Campin town
DirectionsJohnson Lake Recreation Site (North)in town
DirectionsJohnson Lake Recreation Site (South)in town
DirectionsLakit Lake Recreation Sitein town
DirectionsLarchwood Campsitein town
DirectionsMt. Patrick Recreation Sitein town
DirectionsPlus 10 campsites without a name on the map.
Slipways 5
Plus 5 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Electoral Area E, East Kootenay
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page. The nearest places to Electoral Area E, East Kootenay with figures are 19–39 km away.
KimberleyCranbrookElectoral Area C, East KootenayElectoral Area E, East Kootenay
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electoral Area E, East Kootenay | 13% | 37 | 0 | 2 |
| Kimberley 19 km | 1.5% | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Cranbrook 34 km | 2.4% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Electoral Area C, East Kootenay 39 km | 2.3% | 32 | 0 | 0 |
For protected land, no neighbour of Electoral Area E, East Kootenay doubles its share.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Private land. Land owned by individuals, companies or conservation groups counts toward the figures but is never named: a person’s land isn’t a place to visit.
- 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.
- 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.
- Beaches. Beaches are OpenStreetMap’s, named or not; in the north many are unnamed shoreline imports.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
Questions about the outdoors in Electoral Area E, East Kootenay
Where can you swim near Electoral Area E, East Kootenay?
Wasa Beach, in town, is the nearest mapped beach.
How far is the nearest provincial park from Electoral Area E, East Kootenay?
Premier Lake Park touches the town.
Are there protected areas near Electoral Area E, East Kootenay?
Yes: 13% of the land within 10 km is protected.
What is the biggest park or reserve near Electoral Area E, East Kootenay?
Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Park, a provincial park of 201,967 ha.
When is the best time for walking in Electoral Area E, East Kootenay?
On the normals, May to September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
How far is Electoral Area E, East Kootenay from a national park?
Kootenay National Park is closest, at 45 km.
Sources
The sources behind Electoral Area E, East Kootenay’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.
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).