First pick
River Trail
Park or garden
6.6 ha0.4 km of path
Centralin the middle of Elkford
River Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center · Public domain12%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Elkford · parks, protected land & trails
More of the land around Elkford is protected than around nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns
6.4 km from town is Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park, the nearest provincial park. For a national park, Banff National Park is 63 km away. Some protected land is inside the town: 16% of its area.
Protected land
12%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
6
within 10 km, 4 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
63 km
Banff National Park
Nearest provincial park
6.4 km
Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park
Against other towns
Elkford 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. Outdoors isn’t graded in Canada. The page compares each figure with other towns and leaves it there.
Protected within 10 km12%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town16%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas4Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes0Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Elkford has the 2nd most protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (2,990 to 3,075 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
Elkford12%
Towns its size2%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Elkford4
Towns its size4
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Elkford0
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Elkford beats most towns its size for protected land nearby; only 1 of 39 does better.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cap-Saint-Ignace QC | 20% | 0.1% | 51 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Elkford BC | 12% | 16% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Vanscoy No. 345 SK | 11% | 4.2% | 25 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | Leslie Park - Bruce Farm ON | 11% | 0% | 24 | 2 | 5 |
| 5 | McDougall ON | 10% | 4.1% | 16 | 0 | 9 |
| 6 | Electoral Area D, Cariboo BC | 9.4% | 10% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | Lac-des-Écorces QC | 8.8% | 4.5% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Riverside Park South - Revelstoke ON | 8.3% | 6.2% | 33 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Kirkendall South ON | 6.9% | 0.9% | 23 | 2 | 3 |
| 10 | Buchanan ON | 6.3% | 0% | 22 | 1 | 3 |
| 11 | Saint-Anaclet-de-Lessard QC | 4.9% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Bainbridge BC | 4% | 0% | 23 | 3 | 26 |
| 13 | North Shore PE | 3.6% | 7.3% | 19 | 11 | 18 |
| 14 | Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil QC | 3.6% | 0.1% | 26 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Grenville-sur-la-Rouge QC | 3.2% | 3.7% | 23 | 0 | 3 |
| 16 | Dewdney Place SK | 3.1% | 90% | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 17 | Huntingdon QC | 3% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Granville AB | 2.5% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Rosedale ON | 2.3% | 0% | 16 | 2 | 4 |
| 20 | Alpine ON | 2.1% | 0% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Electoral Area E, Alberni-Clayoquot BC | 1.9% | 0% | 10 | 15 | 2 |
| 22 | Nutana Park SK | 1.7% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| 23 | Poplar Park ON | 1.6% | 0% | 15 | 1 | 7 |
| 24 | Albany AB | 1.6% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | South Portage MB | 1.5% | 0% | 20 | 4 | 0 |
| 26 | Crescentwood MB | 1.4% | 0% | 24 | 3 | 0 |
| 27 | Princeton BC | 1.2% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 28 | Normandin QC | 1.1% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Hillcrest Management Area SK | 0.9% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Lorne MB | 0.7% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Luxton MB | 0.5% | 0% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Tisdale SK | 0.4% | 0.2% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Shippagan NB | 0.3% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 15 |
| 34 | Stanstead QC | 0.3% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 35 | Bisset AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 36 | Crawford Plains AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 37 | Kernohan AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 38 | Laurier Heights AB | 0.3% | 0% | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 39 | Markstay-Warren ON | 0.2% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Saint-Dominique QC | 0.1% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
The map
The green map of Elkford
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
13 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Elkford
River Trail is the largest, at 6.6 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
13 named parks and woods, 15 ha in all
Parks & gardens 15 ha
River Trail plus River View Park account for 67% of the green.
River View Park
Park or garden
3.3 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
0.7 km north-eastfrom the centre
Park Walkway
Directionsto a point inside
Boivin Creek Peace Park
Park or garden
0.9 ha0.2 km of path
0.7 km northfrom the centre
Boivin Creek Walk
Directionsto a point inside
Devonian Park
Park or garden
0.4 ha
0.7 km northfrom the centre
Boivin Creek Walk
Directionsto a point inside
All 13 named parks and green spaces
River TrailPark or garden · 6.6 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsRiver View ParkPark or garden · 3.3 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsBoivin Creek Peace ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsCaribou ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha
DirectionsRadio Tower ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha
DirectionsDevonian ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsThunder DomePark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsWhite Tail CrossingPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsBear Cub ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsTree Frog ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsStellar Jay ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsMountain Goat ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsAlpine Way Rest Area 1Park or garden · 0.2 ha
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 Elkford’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 (58%)Further (42%)
Elkford58%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
For about 1,300 people, the nearest park is over 400 m away. The typical Canadian town reaches 83%.
Protected areas
6 protected areas around Elkford
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Elkford16%
Within 10 km12%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public ownership covers 4 of the 6. Biggest of the named areas: Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park, 88,981 ha. 2 more areas within 10 km are private land, held by landowners or conservation groups: counted here, not named.
Don Getty Wildland Provincial ParkProvincial park · 88,981 ha · 6.4 km from the edge of town
Beehive Natural AreaNature reserve · 6,775 ha · 6.7 km from the edge of town
Height of the Rockies ParkProvincial park · 54,170 ha · 9.0 km from the edge of town
High Rock Wildland Provincial ParkProvincial park · 8,011 ha · 9.6 km from the edge of town
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
Banff National Park is 63 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
Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park
6.4 km north890 km²since 2001
Provincial park
Height of the Rockies Park
9.0 km north542 km²since 1995
Provincial park
High Rock Wildland Provincial Park
9.6 km south-east80 km²
National park
Banff National Park
63 km north-west6,641 km²since 1885
Closer to home, Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park is 6.4 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
Elkford has 90 km of footpaths in and around it
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
90 km
in and around the town (191.3 km²)
Woodland
64%
about 122.2 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
ElkfordTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.5
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
ElkfordTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland64%
0%50%100%
Paths are thinner on the ground than in 67% of Canadian towns. Woods cover more of it than in 89% 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 mapped walking route near Elkford
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
The best months for walking in Elkford: May and July to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Sparwood (30 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 | 14.5 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 8.9 | 8.1 |
| High (°C) | -2 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 19 | 11 | 2 | -3 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 49 | 38 | 56 | 40 | 58 | 71 | 44 | 32 | 44 | 54 | 72 | 56 |
November is the wettest month (72 mm) and August the driest (32 mm). From -3 °C in December to 25 °C in July: that is the range of daytime highs. The yearly snowfall is near 280 cm. The climate in Elkford →
Things to do
Elkford has 3 viewpoints and 1 waterfalls nearby
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Grizzly Peak tops the hills nearby, 2,495 m. Playgrounds lead the count with 7.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 3
Bare Hillin town
DirectionsThe Viewpointin town
DirectionsPlus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 3
Fording Mountain1,753 m · 1.6 km from town
DirectionsGrizzly Peak2,495 m · 1.8 km from town
DirectionsGreenhill Peak2,407 m · 2.0 km from town
DirectionsWaterfalls 1
Josephine Fallsin town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 7
Chipmunk Parkin town
DirectionsDevonian Playgroundin town
DirectionsESS Playgroundin town
DirectionsPreschool Playgroundin town
DirectionsStellar Jay Park Playgroundin town
DirectionsPlus 2 playgrounds more.
Campsites 1
Elkford Municipal Campgroundin town
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Elkford
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page. No closer places have figures: these lie 31–68 km from Elkford.
SparwoodElectoral Area A, East KootenayCrowsnest PassFernieElectoral Area E, East KootenayElkford
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkford | 12% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Sparwood 31 km | 23% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Electoral Area A, East Kootenay 48 km | 33% | 35 | 11 | 15 |
| Crowsnest Pass 56 km | 25% | 21 | 6 | 0 |
| Fernie 58 km | 31% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Electoral Area E, East Kootenay 68 km | 13% | 37 | 0 | 2 |
Electoral Area A, East Kootenay has the most mapped walking routes nearby: 11. Electoral Area A, East Kootenay, Crowsnest Pass and Fernie have at least twice the protected share around them.
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.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- 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. 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 Elkford
Is Elkford near a national park?
The nearest is Banff National Park, 63 km away.
When is the best time for walking in Elkford?
May and July to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
What is the biggest park or reserve near Elkford?
Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park: 88,981 ha, a provincial park.
Are there protected areas near Elkford?
Protected areas cover 12% of the land within 10 km.
How far is the nearest provincial park from Elkford?
The closest is Don Getty Wildland Provincial Park, at 6.4 km.
Sources
Sources for this page on Elkford
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).