First pick
Esquimalt Gorge Park
Park or garden
11 ha2.9 km of path
40 minto walk all 2.9 km of path
1.3 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: The original uploader was IDuke at English Wikipedia . · CC BY-SA 2.512%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Esquimalt · parks, protected land & trails
More of the land around Esquimalt is protected than around nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns
The nearest national park is Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, 15 km away. Within 5 km are 19 beaches; Fleming Beach is the nearest. Count 31 protected areas within 10 km of town.
Protected land
12%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
31
within 10 km, 20 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
15 km
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
8.0 km
Goldstream Park
Walking routes
4
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
19
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
The outdoors in Esquimalt, in short
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round12% of the land within 10 km, more than 89% of Canadian townsMany protected areas20 public areas within 10 kmA national park nearbyGulf Islands National Park Reserve, 15 km awayBeaches19 beaches within 5 km
Esquimalt’s best card is protected land around it, with the number of public protected areas close by close behind.
Against other towns
Each figure for Esquimalt, 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. Outdoors isn’t one of Canada’s graded subjects, so there’s no letter here: each figure is set against other Canadian towns instead.
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 town1%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas20Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes4Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches19Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Esquimalt comes 4th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (19,050 to 19,986 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
Esquimalt12%
Towns its size2.9%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Esquimalt20
Towns its size6
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Esquimalt4
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Among its peers, Esquimalt’s strong point is protected land nearby, where 3 of 39 top it.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beaconsfield QC | 45% | 3.2% | 47 | 0 | 6 |
| 2 | Kirkland QC | 41% | 0.2% | 50 | 0 | 6 |
| 3 | Overbrook ON | 14% | 1.1% | 43 | 2 | 2 |
| 4 | Esquimalt BC | 12% | 1% | 31 | 4 | 19 |
| 5 | Vinegar Hill ON | 8.7% | 0% | 14 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | Greensborough ON | 8.5% | 23% | 44 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | Tétreaultville QC | 8% | 0% | 27 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Laflèche QC | 7.4% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 5 |
| 9 | North End NS | 7% | 0% | 14 | 5 | 18 |
| 10 | Purpleville ON | 6.2% | 13% | 65 | 1 | 0 |
| 11 | Louis-Riel QC | 6.1% | 0% | 24 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Kanata Lakes ON | 6% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Granville Entertainment District BC | 5% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 70 |
| 14 | Riverside South - Leitrim ON | 4.3% | 3.2% | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| 15 | Heart Lake South ON | 4.3% | 4.2% | 9 | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | Stittsville ON | 4.2% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Lorimier QC | 4% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 3 |
| 18 | Midland ON | 3.4% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 5 |
| 19 | Miramichi NB | 3.2% | 0.1% | 19 | 0 | 7 |
| 20 | Mont-Saint-Hilaire QC | 3% | 24% | 37 | 0 | 3 |
| 21 | Bendale-Glen Andrew ON | 2.8% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 1 |
| 22 | Tuscany AB | 2.8% | 1.2% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 23 | Pelham ON | 2.7% | 2.5% | 18 | 7 | 1 |
| 24 | Mount Pleasant Village ON | 2.6% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Westmount ON | 2.5% | 0% | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| 26 | Père-Marquette QC | 2.4% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| 27 | Mitchell MB | 2.3% | 0% | 65 | 0 | 3 |
| 28 | Highland ON | 2.2% | 0% | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| 29 | Kemptville ON | 2.1% | 1.7% | 30 | 5 | 3 |
| 30 | Petawawa ON | 1.9% | 1.2% | 9 | 0 | 15 |
| 31 | Henry Farm ON | 1.9% | 3.8% | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Central London ON | 1.9% | 0% | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| 33 | Port Alberni BC | 1.8% | 2.8% | 11 | 31 | 4 |
| 34 | Nicolas-Viel QC | 1.3% | 0% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Loyalist ON | 1.2% | 2.2% | 24 | 0 | 2 |
| 36 | Saint-Colomban QC | 1.1% | 1.1% | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| 37 | Sainte-Sophie QC | 1% | 0.2% | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| 38 | Stony Plain AB | 0.7% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| 39 | Walkerville ON | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 40 | Wîhkwêntôwin AB | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 2 | 1 |
The map
Parks, woods and paths around Esquimalt
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
26 named parks and woods to walk in near Esquimalt
The biggest is Esquimalt Gorge Park, 11 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
26 named parks and woods, 68 ha in all
Parks & gardens 68 ha
Spread across many places, the largest holding 16%.
Saxe Point Park
Park or garden
7.7 ha2.3 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.3 km of path
1.5 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Portage Park
Park or garden · 310 m outside town
6.7 ha1.7 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.7 km of path
2.6 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Highrock Park
Park or garden
7.2 ha1.4 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.4 km of path
Centralin the middle of Esquimalt
Directionsto a point inside
Macaulay Point Park
Park or garden
5.9 ha1.8 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.8 km of path
1.8 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Gorge Park
Park or garden
4.6 ha1.7 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.7 km of path
1.5 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Banfield Park
Park or garden · 280 m outside town
5.4 ha1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
1.4 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Gorge Waterway Park
Park or garden
4.0 ha1.7 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.7 km of path
1.5 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 26 named parks and green spaces
Esquimalt Gorge ParkPark or garden · 11 ha · 2.9 km of path
DirectionsSaxe Point ParkPark or garden · 7.7 ha · 2.3 km of path
DirectionsPortage ParkPark or garden · 6.7 ha · 1.7 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsHighrock ParkPark or garden · 7.2 ha · 1.4 km of path
DirectionsMacaulay Point ParkPark or garden · 5.9 ha · 1.8 km of path
DirectionsGorge ParkPark or garden · 4.6 ha · 1.7 km of path
DirectionsBanfield ParkPark or garden · 5.4 ha · 1.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsGorge Waterway ParkPark or garden · 4.0 ha · 1.7 km of path
DirectionsWest Bay WalkwayPark or garden · 1.5 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsBarnard ParkPark or garden · 1.5 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsCraigflower ParkPark or garden · 1.3 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsBullen ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha
DirectionsLampson ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsMemorial ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsRockcrest ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsBrodeur FieldPark or garden · 1.1 ha
DirectionsCraigflower Farm Historic SitePark or garden · 1.0 ha
DirectionsFleming BeachPark or garden · 0.9 ha
DirectionsTakata Japanese GardenPark or garden · 0.2 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsBuxton GreenPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsAnderson ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsArm Street ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsWurtele Place ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsBurleith ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha · just outside town
DirectionsCaptain Jacobson ParkPark or garden · 0.2 ha
DirectionsColville IslandPark or garden · 0.3 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
Nearly all of Esquimalt is 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 (96%)Further (4.3%)
Esquimalt96%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
For about 800 people, the nearest park is over 400 m away. The typical Canadian town manages 83%, so this is better.
Protected areas
31 protected areas around Esquimalt
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Esquimalt1%
Within 10 km12%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public bodies own 20 of the 31; land trusts and private owners hold the others. Greater Victoria Water Supply Area leads for size with 20,620 ha. 11 more areas are private land or have no recorded public owner: counted, not named.
Thetis Lake Regional ParkMunicipal park · 923 ha · 2.6 km from the edge of town
Francis/King Regional ParkMunicipal park · 107 ha · 3.3 km from the edge of town
Mill Hill Regional ParkMunicipal park · 81 ha · 3.6 km from the edge of town
Maltby LakeNature reserve · 77 ha · 4.7 km from the edge of town
Albert Head Lagoon Regional ParkMunicipal park · 7.0 ha · 5.0 km from the edge of town
Gonzales Hill Regional ParkMunicipal park · 1.8 ha · 5.1 km from the edge of town
Mountain Road Forest Regional ParkMunicipal park · 20 ha · 5.8 km from the edge of town
Elk/Beaver Lake Regional ParkMunicipal park · 443 ha · 6.0 km from the edge of town
Witty's Lagoon Regional ParkMunicipal park · 56 ha · 6.4 km from the edge of town
Trial Islands Ecological ReserveNature reserve · 14 ha · 6.7 km from the edge of town
10 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
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, 15 km off
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
8.0 km north-west4.8 km²since 1958
Provincial park
Gowlland Tod Park
9.8 km north-west13 km²since 1995
National park reserve
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
15 km north-east67 km²since 2010
Closer to home, Goldstream Park is 8.0 km away. 2 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
Paths to walk: 58 km in and around Esquimalt
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
58 km
in and around the town (24.3 km²)
Woodland
1.3%
about 0.3 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
EsquimaltTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths2.4
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
EsquimaltTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland1.3%
0%50%100%
It has more footpath per km² than 62% of Canadian towns. For woods, 79% of Canadian towns have more.
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 Esquimalt
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
TCT: Trans-Canada Trail (Vancouver Island)7.7 km
Vancouver Island Trail742.1 km
E&N Rail Trail - Humpback Connector13.9 km
The Trans-Canada Trail - Galloping Goose Regional Trail (17 km) keeps within 2 km of town for 10.1 km. Among local routes, the Vancouver Island Trail is longest at 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
Esquimalt is best on foot in May to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Victoria Gonzales (City), 6.3 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 | 15.7 | 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 |
The yearly snowfall is near 39 cm. From 8 °C in December to 21 °C in August: that is the range of daytime highs. Precipitation runs from 13 mm in July to 129 mm in November. The climate in Esquimalt →
Beaches
Beaches near Esquimalt: 19 within 5 km
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Fleming Beachin town
DirectionsSteve Fonyo Beachgravel · 2.1 km from town
DirectionsMile Zero Beachgravel · 2.4 km from town
DirectionsFinlayson Point Beachgravel · 2.7 km from town
DirectionsThe coast is close: 82 km of shoreline within 5 km. The map adds 15 unnamed stretches of beach. For water quality, look to the local health unit: no open beach-testing data covers Canada.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Esquimalt has 22 viewpoints within 2 km
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Count 86 playgrounds, the biggest group. Look up to Highrock Cairn: 78 m.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 3
Golf Hill34 m · in town
DirectionsHighrock Cairn78 m · in town
DirectionsSignal Hill41 m · in town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
Matson Conservation Areain town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 86
Craigflower-Kosapsom Park0.2 km from town
DirectionsPortage Park Playground0.6 km from town
DirectionsPlayroom1.3 km from town
DirectionsPlus 83 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Plus 1 dog park without a name on the map.
Slipways 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 Esquimalt
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
New Songhees 1AVictoriaView RoyalSaanichColwoodOak BayEsquimalt
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Esquimalt | 12% | 31 | 4 | 19 |
| New Songhees 1A 1.9 km | 14% | 29 | 3 | 16 |
| Victoria 3.9 km | 8% | 20 | 4 | 34 |
| View Royal 4.0 km | 21% | 35 | 3 | 20 |
| Saanich 5.5 km | 11% | 43 | 7 | 56 |
| Colwood 6.3 km | 19% | 36 | 4 | 21 |
| Oak Bay 7.0 km | 5.4% | 17 | 2 | 26 |
Around Esquimalt, nobody nearby has double its protected land. Saanich has the most mapped walking routes nearby: 7.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- 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.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- National and provincial parks. The nearest national park and the nearest provincial park are always shown when they are within 100 km.
- Walking routes. Routes are what OpenStreetMap’s volunteers have mapped as named walking or hiking routes; many good trails aren’t mapped that way.
- Private land. Areas held by land trusts or private owners stay unnamed here, though they count in the shares.
Questions about the outdoors in Esquimalt
What is the biggest park or reserve near Esquimalt?
It is Greater Victoria Water Supply Area, a protected area covering 20,620 ha.
Where can you swim near Esquimalt?
Fleming Beach, in town, is the nearest mapped beach.
Are there hiking trails near Esquimalt?
Try the Trans-Canada Trail - Galloping Goose Regional Trail, TCT: Trans-Canada Trail (Vancouver Island) and Vancouver Island Trail; more are on the map.
How far is Esquimalt from a national park?
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is closest, at 15 km.
Is there protected land near Esquimalt?
Within 10 km, 12% of the land lies in protected areas.
Is there a provincial park near Esquimalt?
Goldstream Park, 8.0 km from the edge of town.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Esquimalt?
May to September, on the 1991–2020 normals and the daylight: long days, highs of 15 °C or more, light rain for the place.
Sources
The sources behind Esquimalt’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).