First pick
Kelvin Grove Beach Park
Park or garden
0.5 ha0.1 km of path
1.5 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
12%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Lions Bay · parks, protected land & trails
More of the land around Lions Bay is protected than around nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns
For a provincial park, Cypress Park lies 1.8 km off. For a swim, Lions Bay Beach is the nearest of 14 beaches within 5 km. For walks, 2 named routes run within 2 km, such as the The Lions and Tunnel Bluffs Trail.
Protected land
12%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
16
within 10 km, 13 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
64 km
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
1.8 km
Cypress Park
Walking routes
2
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
14
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
Where Lions Bay stands out outdoors
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 townsBeaches14 beaches within 5 km
Out of doors, Lions Bay leads with protected land around it, with its beaches close behind.
Against other towns
Each figure for Lions Bay, 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 km12%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town4%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas13Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes2Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches14Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Among 40 towns its size, Lions Bay ranks 5th for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (1,375 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
Lions Bay12%
Towns its size1.6%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Lions Bay13
Towns its size4
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Lions Bay2
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Among its peers, Lions Bay’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 | Lions Bay BC | 12% | 4% | 16 | 2 | 14 |
| 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
Where the green is in Lions Bay
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
2 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Lions Bay
Kelvin Grove Beach Park is the largest, at 0.5 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
Source: 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
Every resident of Lions Bay lives near 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 (100%)Further (0%)
Lions Bay100%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
It is above the typical Canadian town (83%).
Protected areas
16 protected areas around Lions Bay
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Lions Bay4%
Within 10 km12%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Of the 16, 13 are public land; the others are privately held. At 3,012 ha, Cypress Park is the largest. 3 areas belong to private owners or land trusts and aren’t named here.
Open Space of Lions BayProtected area · 15 ha · reaches Lions Bay
Brunswick Point Glass Sponge Reef Marine RefugeNature reserve · 29 ha · 0.1 km from the edge of town
Lions Bay and Kelvin Grove Glass Sponge Reef Marine RefugeNature reserve · 115 ha · 0.1 km from the edge of town
Cypress ParkProvincial park · 3,012 ha · 1.8 km from the edge of town
Lost Reef Glass Sponge Reef Marine RefugeNature reserve · 32 ha · 4.0 km from the edge of town
Bowyer Island Glass Sponge Reef Marine RefugeNature reserve · 58 ha · 4.3 km from the edge of town
Halkett Bay Marine ParkProvincial park · 448 ha · 4.6 km from the edge of town
Halkett Point Glass Sponge Reef Marine RefugeNature reserve · 25 ha · 4.8 km from the edge of town
Anvil Island Glass Sponge Reef Marine RefugeNature reserve · 48 ha · 7.8 km from the edge of town
Porteau Cove ParkProvincial park · 56 ha · 8.1 km from the edge of town
2 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
64 km to Gulf Islands 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
Cypress Park
1.8 km south-east30 km²since 1975
Provincial park
Halkett Bay Marine Park
4.6 km west4.5 km²since 1988
Provincial park
Porteau Cove Park
8.1 km north0.6 km²since 1981
National park reserve
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
64 km south67 km²since 2010
Closer to home, Cypress Park is 1.8 km away. Within 10 km are 3 provincial parks.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
25 km of paths in and around Lions Bay
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
25 km
in and around the town (13.8 km²)
Woodland
53%
about 7.3 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Lions BayTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths1.8
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Lions BayTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland53%
0%50%100%
It has more footpath per km² than 53% of Canadian towns. It is more wooded than 85% 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
2 mapped routes to walk from Lions Bay
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
RegionalLocal
The Lions7.5 km
Tunnel Bluffs Trail3.7 km
The longest of the rest is the The Lions, 7.5 km.
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 Lions Bay: May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Vancouver (Harbour) (20 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 | 15.3 | 16.2 | 15.9 | 14.4 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.0 | 8.2 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 19 | 14 | 10 | 7 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 237 | 117 | 163 | 118 | 73 | 66 | 44 | 49 | 71 | 157 | 245 | 200 |
The yearly snowfall is near 37 cm. Most rain and snow falls in November, 245 mm; July sees 44 mm. From 7 °C in December to 23 °C in July: that is the range of daytime highs. The climate in Lions Bay →
Beaches
14 beaches within 5 km of Lions Bay
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Lions Bay Beachsand · in town
DirectionsBrunswick Beachgravel · in town
DirectionsKelvin Grove Beachgravel · in town
DirectionsBrunswick Beachgravel · 0.1 km from town
DirectionsYahoo Beachgravel · 0.4 km from town
DirectionsThe coast is close: 23 km of shoreline within 5 km. OpenStreetMap shows 9 more, nameless. Beach water tests aren’t published as open data across Canada, so swimming advisories come from the local health unit.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Near Lions Bay: 21 viewpoints, 8 waterfalls
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Count 21 viewpoints, the biggest group.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 21
Arbutus Pointin town
DirectionsEagle View Lookoutin town
DirectionsMagnesia Falls Viewpointin town
DirectionsNeil's Retreatin town
DirectionsReflection Loop Viewpointin town
DirectionsSleepless Night Viewpoint0.2 km from town
DirectionsKen's Bluffs0.4 km from town
DirectionsTunnel Point0.9 km from town
DirectionsPlus 13 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 8
Crystal Falls (Lion's Bay)in town
DirectionsMagnesia Fallsin town
DirectionsPlus 6 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 2
Brunswick Tunnel Point Recreation Reserve0.8 km from town
DirectionsHowe Sound Lookout Urep Recreation Reserve1.4 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Marjorie’s Meadowsin town
DirectionsSlipways 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 Lions Bay
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Bowen IslandWest VancouverCapilano 5Electoral Area F, Sunshine CoastLions Bay
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lions Bay | 12% | 16 | 2 | 14 |
| Bowen Island 14 km | 7.2% | 60 | 0 | 173 |
| West Vancouver 14 km | 8.6% | 56 | 10 | 132 |
| Capilano 5 17 km | 8.4% | 7 | 2 | 69 |
| Electoral Area F, Sunshine Coast 18 km | 10% | 73 | 0 | 231 |
More routes are mapped around West Vancouver (10). No place nearby has double Lions Bay’s share of protected land.
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.
- Private land. Areas held by land trusts or private owners stay unnamed here, though they count in the shares.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- Walking routes. Routes are what OpenStreetMap’s volunteers have mapped as named walking or hiking routes; many good trails aren’t mapped that way.
- 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.
Questions about the outdoors in Lions Bay
When is the best time for walking in Lions Bay?
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 Lions Bay?
Cypress Park, 1.8 km from the edge of town.
Are there protected areas near Lions Bay?
Within 10 km, 12% of the land lies in protected areas.
Is Lions Bay near a national park?
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is closest, at 64 km.
What is the nearest beach to Lions Bay?
The nearest is Lions Bay Beach, in town.
What walking routes are near Lions Bay?
The The Lions and Tunnel Bluffs Trail, among the routes mapped within 2 km.
What is the biggest park or reserve near Lions Bay?
It is Cypress Park, a provincial park covering 3,012 ha.
Sources
Sources for this page on Lions Bay
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).