First pick
Beaufort East Woodlands
Wood or forest
14,865 ha61 km of path
13 h 35 minto walk all 61 km of path
14 km westfrom the centre
Beaufort Crest TrailMount Joan TrailTrev's Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center · Public domain3.3%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Electoral Area H, Nanaimo · parks, protected land & trails
Electoral Area H, Nanaimo has 11 walking routes on the map
Count 56 protected areas within 10 km of town. 52 km separate the town from Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, its nearest national park. 6 beaches are mapped within 5 km, none with a name.
Protected land
3.3%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
56
within 10 km, 27 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
52 km
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Horne Lake Caves Park
Walking routes
11
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
6
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
Where Electoral Area H, Nanaimo stands out outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Walking routes11 named routes within 2 kmMany protected areas27 public areas within 10 kmA provincial park at the edgeHorne Lake Caves Park reaches the townBeaches6 beaches within 5 km
Electoral Area H, Nanaimo’s best card is its choice of walking routes, with the number of public protected areas close by close behind.
Against other towns
How Electoral Area H, Nanaimo compares with 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 km3.3%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town1.2%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas27Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes11Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches6Beaches 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 H, Nanaimo has the 13th most protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (4,715 to 4,923 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 H, Nanaimo3.3%
Towns its size1.6%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Electoral Area H, Nanaimo27
Towns its size3
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Electoral Area H, Nanaimo11
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Against towns its size, Electoral Area H, Nanaimo does best for public protected areas: 4 of the other 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dundas NB | 29% | 1.3% | 12 | 0 | 6 |
| 2 | Rivière-Rouge QC | 17% | 6.6% | 36 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Bathurst NB | 13% | 9.9% | 42 | 1 | 23 |
| 4 | Château-Richer QC | 12% | 0.3% | 38 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 | Central Okanagan BC | 11% | 13% | 52 | 1 | 25 |
| 6 | Greenboro East ON | 11% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | Qualicum - Redwood ON | 11% | 0% | 25 | 2 | 5 |
| 8 | Guysborough NS | 8.9% | 15% | 308 | 1 | 56 |
| 9 | Sutton QC | 6.6% | 12% | 47 | 14 | 0 |
| 10 | Rosenthal AB | 6.1% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Marmora ON | 5.5% | 8.7% | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | North End East ON | 4.8% | 0% | 23 | 0 | 3 |
| 13 | Electoral Area H, Nanaimo BC | 3.3% | 1.2% | 56 | 11 | 6 |
| 14 | Roxton Pond QC | 2.6% | 7.3% | 9 | 0 | 5 |
| 15 | Glenwood AB | 2.6% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Shippagan NB | 2.5% | 18% | 26 | 0 | 47 |
| 17 | Amaranth ON | 2.3% | 0.2% | 27 | 1 | 1 |
| 18 | Canora AB | 2.3% | 0% | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | Woodlands County AB | 1.8% | 1.4% | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Pembina Strip MB | 1.7% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 1 |
| 21 | Maybank MB | 1.5% | 0% | 23 | 0 | 1 |
| 22 | Lakewood Urban Centre SK | 1.5% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Electoral Area D, Columbia-Shuswap BC | 1.4% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 4 |
| 24 | Electoral Area D, Fraser-Fort George BC | 0.9% | 0.1% | 4 | 0 | 12 |
| 25 | Hampton NB | 0.8% | 0.9% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | St. Stephen NB | 0.7% | 0.2% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Richmond AB | 0.7% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 28 | Saint-Jacques QC | 0.3% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Rossmere-B MB | 0.3% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Highland Park AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 31 | Baturyn AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Empire Park AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Macewan Glen AB | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 34 | Grand Valley ON | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Kindersley SK | 0.1% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | South Common ON | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Saint-Agapit QC | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 38 | Flin Flon (Part) MB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Barrhead AB | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Central McDougall AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 3 | 1 |
The map
Parks, woods and paths around Electoral Area H, Nanaimo
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
30 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Electoral Area H, Nanaimo
Largest first: Beaufort East Woodlands leads with 14,865 ha. Numbers match the map.
30 named parks and woods, 45,170 ha in all
Parks & gardens 153 haWoods 45,017 ha
Most of it sits in Beaufort East Woodlands and Upper Qualicum River Woodlands: 62% together.
Upper Qualicum River Woodlands
Wood or forest
13,329 ha33.1 km of path
7 h 20 minto walk all 33.1 km of path
5.7 km southfrom the centre
Horne Lake HustleLog TrainTrailPhil Whitfield Interpretative Trail+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Alberni Beaufort Range Woodlands
Wood or forest
12,123 ha27.1 km of path
6 hto walk all 27.1 km of path
18 km westfrom the centre
Beaufort Crest TrailDon's Trail (Beaufort Crest Trail)Citizen's Climb+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Upper Little Qualicum River Woodlands
Wood or forest
4,431 ha23.3 km of path
5 h 10 minto walk all 23.3 km of path
13 km south-eastfrom the centre
Wesley Ridge TailLittle Qualicum Falls N. Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Horne Lake Regional Park
Park or garden
100 ha3.5 km of path
45 minto walk all 3.5 km of path
9.9 km south-westfrom the centre
Caves TrailGas Line TrailRiver Trail+2 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Cathedral Grove
Wood or forest · 300 m outside town
154 ha1.9 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.9 km of path
14 km southfrom the centre
Old Growth TrailLiving Forest TrailBig Tree Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Oakdowne Main Community Park
Park or garden
16 ha0.8 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.8 km of path
11 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Blk. 1447
Wood or forest
35 ha0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
15 km south-westfrom the centre
Horne Lake Trail
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Beaufort East WoodlandsWood or forest · 14,865 ha · 61 km of path
DirectionsUpper Qualicum River WoodlandsWood or forest · 13,329 ha · 33.1 km of path
DirectionsAlberni Beaufort Range WoodlandsWood or forest · 12,123 ha · 27.1 km of path
DirectionsUpper Little Qualicum River WoodlandsWood or forest · 4,431 ha · 23.3 km of path
DirectionsHorne Lake Regional ParkPark or garden · 100 ha · 3.5 km of path
DirectionsCathedral GroveWood or forest · 154 ha · 1.9 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsOakdowne Main Community ParkPark or garden · 16 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsBlk. 1447Wood or forest · 35 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsMeadowood Way Community ParkPark or garden · 8.8 ha · just outside town
DirectionsWildwood Community ParkPark or garden · 7.1 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsL. 430Wood or forest · 24 ha · just outside town
DirectionsLions Community ParkPark or garden · 5.6 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsL. 290Wood or forest · 12 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsDeep Bay Creek Community ParkPark or garden · 3.1 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsL.234 (L.246)Wood or forest · 15 ha
DirectionsL. 17Wood or forest · 14 ha
DirectionsL.245Wood or forest · 14 ha · just outside town
DirectionsNile Creek Community ParkPark or garden · 2.9 ha
DirectionsMeadowood Adjunct 1 Community ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha · just outside town
DirectionsDunsmuir Community ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha
DirectionsOcean Trail Community ParkPark or garden · 1.3 ha
DirectionsWildwood Place Community ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha
DirectionsBlue Heron 1 Community ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha
DirectionsDeep Bay Creek 1 Community ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsRose Community ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha
DirectionsCreekside Islewood Community Park and TrailPark or garden · 0.6 ha
DirectionsMoss ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsPalm Pacific Community ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsPearl Road Community ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsBlue Heron 2 Community ParkPark or garden · 0.3 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
1 in 10 people in Electoral Area H, Nanaimo live 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 (15%)Further (86%)
Electoral Area H, Nanaimo15%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
That leaves about 4,100 people more than a short walk away. The typical Canadian town reaches 83%.
Protected areas
Within 10 km of Electoral Area H, Nanaimo, 3.3% is protected land
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 H, Nanaimo1.2%
Within 10 km3.3%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
27 of the 56 belong to a government or an Indigenous nation. Biggest of the named areas: Helliwell Park, 2,872 ha. Another 23 are privately owned conservation land; they count in the figures but aren’t named, as private land isn’t a place to visit.
Horne Lake Caves ParkProvincial park · 158 ha · reaches Electoral Area H, Nanaimo
Bowser Ecological ReserveNature reserve · 113 ha · reaches Electoral Area H, Nanaimo
Spider Lake ParkProvincial park · 65 ha · reaches Electoral Area H, Nanaimo
Macmillan ParkProvincial park · 301 ha · 0.3 km from the edge of town
Rosewall Creek ParkProvincial park · 54 ha · 0.8 km from the edge of town
Little Qualicum Falls ParkProvincial park · 440 ha · 1.0 km from the edge of town
Parksville-Qualicum Beach Wildlife Management AreaWildlife area · 1,250 ha · 1.2 km from the edge of town
Boyle Point ParkProvincial park · 188 ha · 1.7 km from the edge of town
Marshall PropertyNature reserve · 4.6 ha · 2.3 km from the edge of town
Boyle Point Protected AreaNature reserve · 9.3 ha · 2.7 km from the edge of town
6 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
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is 52 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
Horne Lake Caves Park
At the edge1.6 km²since 1971
Provincial park
Spider Lake Park
At the edge0.6 km²since 1981
Provincial park
Macmillan Park
0.3 km south3.0 km²since 1947
Provincial park
Rosewall Creek Park
0.8 km north-west0.5 km²since 1956
Provincial park
Little Qualicum Falls Park
1.0 km south4.4 km²since 1940
Provincial park
Boyle Point Park
1.7 km north1.9 km²since 1989
Within 10 km are 7 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
192 km of paths in and around Electoral Area H, Nanaimo
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
192 km
in and around the town (403.2 km²)
Woodland
83%
about 335.7 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Electoral Area H, NanaimoTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.5
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Electoral Area H, NanaimoTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland83%
0%50%100%
More of it is wooded than in 97% of Canadian towns. It has fewer paths per km² than 67% 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
Walks near Electoral Area H, Nanaimo
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
RegionalLocal
Vancouver Island Trail742.1 km
Log Train Trail34.0 km
Rogers Creek Nature Trail13.4 km
Mclean Mill Trails8.7 km
Lighthouse Country Regional Trail South Loop5.3 km
Rifle Range (Old) Trail2.0 km
Sherwood Pit Trail1.6 km
Pipeline Trail1.0 km
Hole-in-the-wall Trail0.8 km
Power Line Trail0.5 km
Cold Creek Fall Trail0.3 km
For a longer outing, the Vancouver Island Trail runs 742.1 km. For a short stroll, 6 are under 3 km.
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 H, Nanaimo: May to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Comox, 38 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) | 8.6 | 10.0 | 11.7 | 13.7 | 15.3 | 16.2 | 15.9 | 14.4 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.0 | 8.2 |
| High (°C) | 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 |
Snow totals about 51 cm a year. December is the wettest month (194 mm) and July the driest (24 mm). Highs peak near 23 °C in July and fall to 6 °C in December. The climate in Electoral Area H, Nanaimo →
Beaches
6 unnamed beaches near Electoral Area H, Nanaimo
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Within 5 km is 69 km of coastline. 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
Electoral Area H, Nanaimo has 11 viewpoints and 10 waterfalls nearby
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
The tallest named summit close by is Mount Joan (1,556 m). The map shows 46 hills and peaks, ahead of the rest.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 11
Forestry Lookout0.1 km from town
DirectionsViewpoint - Alberni Valley0.1 km from town
DirectionsFalls0.3 km from town
DirectionsUpper Falls1.4 km from town
DirectionsHole-in-the-Wall1.7 km from town
DirectionsLake View-Point1.9 km from town
DirectionsPlus 5 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 46
Mount Irwin1,315 m · in town
DirectionsMount Joan1,556 m · in town
DirectionsMount Mark968 m · in town
DirectionsMount Schofield1,138 m · in town
DirectionsShaw Hill113 m · in town
DirectionsThe Squarehead1,507 m · in town
DirectionsMount Hal1,487 m · 0.1 km from town
DirectionsMount Horne881 m · 0.2 km from town
DirectionsPlus 38 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 10
Lower Waterfall1.2 km from town
DirectionsLittle Qualicum Falls1.2 km from town
DirectionsUpper Waterfall1.3 km from town
DirectionsPlus 7 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 1
Bowser Ecological Reserve0.1 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Campsites 5
Qualicum First Nation Campground0.2 km from town
DirectionsLoon Lake Campsite1.8 km from town
DirectionsLittle Qualicum Falls - Upper Campground1.9 km from town
DirectionsLittle Qualicum Falls - Lower Campground1.9 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 campsite without a name on the map.
Slipways 1
Plus 1 slipway without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Electoral Area H, Nanaimo
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Electoral Area F, Alberni-ClayoquotQualicum BeachElectoral Area E, Alberni-ClayoquotElectoral Area H, Nanaimo
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electoral Area H, Nanaimo | 3.3% | 56 | 11 | 6 |
| Electoral Area F, Alberni-Clayoquot 18 km | 1.3% | 12 | 30 | 8 |
| Qualicum Beach 19 km | 4.4% | 24 | 0 | 7 |
| Electoral Area E, Alberni-Clayoquot 19 km | 1.9% | 10 | 15 | 2 |
For walking routes, Electoral Area F, Alberni-Clayoquot leads the area with 30. For protected land, no neighbour of Electoral Area H, Nanaimo doubles its share.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Walking routes. Only named route relations count; a park’s own path network may not show unless it is mapped as a route.
- Protected land. Protected here means in CPCAD, Canada’s official list: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and other conserved land, measured within 10 km of the town’s edge.
- 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.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
Questions about the outdoors in Electoral Area H, Nanaimo
How far is Electoral Area H, Nanaimo from a national park?
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, 52 km from the edge of town.
When should you visit Electoral Area H, Nanaimo for the outdoors?
May to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
What is the biggest park or reserve near Electoral Area H, Nanaimo?
Helliwell Park, a provincial park of 2,872 ha.
Are there hiking trails near Electoral Area H, Nanaimo?
OpenStreetMap maps the Vancouver Island Trail, Log Train Trail and Lighthouse Country Regional Trail South Loop close by, with others.
Is there a beach near Electoral Area H, Nanaimo?
There are beaches within 5 km, none of them named.
What is the nearest provincial park to Electoral Area H, Nanaimo?
Horne Lake Caves Park, which reaches the edge of town.
Are there protected areas near Electoral Area H, Nanaimo?
Protected areas cover 3.3% of the land within 10 km.
Sources
The sources behind Electoral Area H, Nanaimo’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).