First pick
Queen's Park
Park or garden
32 ha5.3 km of path
1 h 10 minto walk all 5.3 km of path
1.2 km north-eastfrom the centre
Millennium TrailHolly Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Dennis Sylvester Hurd · CC08%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in New Westminster · parks, protected land & trails
New Westminster has more protected land around it than 8 in 10 Canadian towns
Count 83 protected areas within 10 km of town. 41 km separate the town from Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, its nearest national park. For walks, 4 named routes run within 2 km, such as the BC Parkway and Central Valley Greenway.
Protected land
8%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
83
within 10 km, 81 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
41 km
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
10 km
Mount Seymour Park
Walking routes
4
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
9
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What New Westminster has going for it outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round8% of the land within 10 km, more than 81% of Canadian townsMany protected areas81 public areas within 10 kmWalking routes4 named routes within 2 kmBeaches9 beaches within 5 km
What New Westminster has most to offer outdoors is protected land around it, with the number of public protected areas close by close behind.
Against other towns
How New Westminster 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. Canada’s grades don’t include the outdoors, so this page compares the figures rather than grading them.
Protected within 10 km8%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town0%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas81Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes4Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches9Beaches 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, New Westminster ranks 10th for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (68,714 to 123,521 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
New Westminster8%
Towns its size2.3%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
New Westminster81
Towns its size9
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
New Westminster4
Towns its size1
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Against towns its size, New Westminster does best for public protected areas: 1 of the other 39 has more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort McMurray AB | 34% | 35% | 21 | 1 | 289 |
| 2 | Maple Ridge BC | 26% | 21% | 101 | 1 | 41 |
| 3 | North Vancouver BC | 15% | 22% | 18 | 11 | 169 |
| 4 | Kamloops BC | 14% | 13% | 16 | 0 | 11 |
| 5 | Saint John NB | 14% | 11% | 63 | 3 | 97 |
| 6 | Chilliwack BC | 11% | 7.7% | 36 | 4 | 26 |
| 7 | Strathcona County AB | 9.4% | 1.4% | 38 | 7 | 6 |
| 8 | Repentigny QC | 8.3% | 1.6% | 41 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | Cape Breton NS | 8.2% | 8.6% | 176 | 1 | 74 |
| 10 | New Westminster BC | 8% | 0% | 83 | 4 | 9 |
| 11 | Victoria BC | 8% | 0.9% | 20 | 4 | 34 |
| 12 | Lindsay ON | 7.6% | 9.2% | 60 | 5 | 9 |
| 13 | Pickering ON | 7.6% | 11% | 46 | 1 | 11 |
| 14 | Brossard QC | 5.6% | 9.1% | 31 | 0 | 6 |
| 15 | Bolton ON | 4.8% | 5.9% | 113 | 11 | 3 |
| 16 | Fredericton NB | 4.3% | 0% | 26 | 2 | 16 |
| 17 | Chomedey QC | 3.9% | 0.1% | 43 | 0 | 2 |
| 18 | St. Albert AB | 3.4% | 2.1% | 7 | 7 | 1 |
| 19 | Granby QC | 2.5% | 3.6% | 18 | 0 | 6 |
| 20 | Simcoe ON | 2.3% | 4.7% | 102 | 5 | 36 |
| 21 | Moncton NB | 2.2% | 1.7% | 17 | 0 | 2 |
| 22 | Nanaimo BC | 1.9% | 6.7% | 42 | 2 | 33 |
| 23 | Grande Prairie AB | 1.7% | 0% | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| 24 | Bowmanville ON | 1.6% | 3% | 25 | 2 | 9 |
| 25 | Sault Ste. Marie ON | 1.6% | 7.5% | 10 | 0 | 3 |
| 26 | Newmarket ON | 1.3% | 1.8% | 27 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu QC | 1.1% | 1.2% | 18 | 1 | 3 |
| 28 | Niagara Falls ON | 1.1% | 1.7% | 15 | 3 | 4 |
| 29 | Saint-Jérôme QC | 1% | 0.1% | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| 30 | Chatham ON | 1% | 1% | 21 | 0 | 8 |
| 31 | Red Deer AB | 0.7% | 1.2% | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 32 | Peterborough ON | 0.6% | 0% | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| 33 | Lethbridge AB | 0.4% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Brantford ON | 0.3% | 0% | 15 | 3 | 0 |
| 35 | Prince George BC | 0.3% | 0.5% | 5 | 1 | 51 |
| 36 | Sarnia ON | 0.2% | 0.3% | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| 37 | Drummondville QC | 0.1% | 0.2% | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 38 | Thunder Bay ON | 0.1% | 0.4% | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 39 | Medicine Hat AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 40 | Airdrie AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
The green map of New Westminster
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 named parks and woods to walk in near New Westminster
The biggest is Queen's Park, 32 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
30 named parks and woods, 141 ha in all
Parks & gardens 141 ha
It is shared out: the largest place is only 23% of the whole.
Taylor Park
Park or garden · 220 m outside town
11 ha3.7 km of path
50 minto walk all 3.7 km of path
3.0 km westfrom the centre
Southridge Urban TrailBC ParkwayTaylor Park Bike Path
Directionsto a point inside
Hume Park
Park or garden
11 ha2.7 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.7 km of path
3.6 km north-eastfrom the centre
Central Valley GreenwayBrunette-Fraser Regional Greenway
Directionsto a point inside
Moody Park
Park or garden
10 ha2 km of path
25 minto walk all 2 km of path
0.8 km north-westfrom the centre
Crosstown Greenway
Directionsto a point inside
Glenbrook Ravine Park
Park or garden
11 ha0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
1.7 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Ryall Park
Park or garden
7.7 ha1.4 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.4 km of path
3.1 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Willard Park
Park or garden · 100 m outside town
8.3 ha
3.3 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Hamilton Community Park
Park or garden · 350 m outside town
5.4 ha1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
4.9 km south-westfrom the centre
Queen's Canal Trail
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Queen's ParkPark or garden · 32 ha · 5.3 km of path
DirectionsTaylor ParkPark or garden · 11 ha · 3.7 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsHume ParkPark or garden · 11 ha · 2.7 km of path
DirectionsMoody ParkPark or garden · 10 ha · 2 km of path
DirectionsGlenbrook Ravine ParkPark or garden · 11 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsRyall ParkPark or garden · 7.7 ha · 1.4 km of path
DirectionsWillard ParkPark or garden · 8.3 ha · just outside town
DirectionsHamilton Community ParkPark or garden · 5.4 ha · 1.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsWestminster Pier ParkPark or garden · 2.1 ha · 2.5 km of path
DirectionsBrownsville Bar ParkPark or garden · 3.9 ha · 0.9 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsCariboo ParkPark or garden · 3.8 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsGrimston ParkPark or garden · 3.0 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsTannery ParkPark or garden · 3.3 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsErnie Winch ParkPark or garden · 2.5 ha · 0.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsTipperary ParkPark or garden · 2.3 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsMary Avenue ParkPark or garden · 2.2 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsHamilton Highway ParkPark or garden · 3.0 ha · 0.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSimcoe ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsOld Schoolhouse ParkPark or garden · 1.3 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsAlbert Crescent ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsSapperton ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsWesburnco Sports CourtsPark or garden · 2.3 ha
DirectionsThompson's Landing ParkPark or garden · 1.2 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsWoodlands Memorial GardenPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsPort Royal ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsAudley Boulevard Canal ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha · just outside town
DirectionsVictoria Hill ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsGeorge H. Leaf ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsBoro All Wheel ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsRiverside Adventure ParkPark or garden · 0.8 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 9 in 10 of New Westminster’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 (94%)Further (5.9%)
New Westminster94%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
For about 5,000 people, the nearest park is over 400 m away. Few do better: the typical Canadian town is at 83%.
Protected areas
The 83 protected areas near New Westminster
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside New Westminster0%
Within 10 km8%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public ownership covers 81 of the 83. The largest named one is Belcarra Regional Park, at 1,030 ha. One area without a recorded public owner is in the count only.
Tannery ParkMunicipal park · 1.3 ha · 0.3 km from the edge of town
Royal Heights ParkMunicipal park · 1.2 ha · 1.5 km from the edge of town
Al Cleaver ParkMunicipal park · 5.5 ha · 1.5 km from the edge of town
Burnaby Lake Regional ParkNature reserve · 29 ha · 1.6 km from the edge of town
Ravine ParkMunicipal park · 0.8 ha · 1.7 km from the edge of town
10B - GreenbeltMunicipal park · 7.1 ha · 1.7 km from the edge of town
Bolivar ParkMunicipal park · 6.8 ha · 1.9 km from the edge of town
Poplar ParkMunicipal park · 1.8 ha · 2.0 km from the edge of town
20C - GreenbeltMunicipal park · 1.0 ha · 2.0 km from the edge of town
Robson RavineMunicipal park · 3.7 ha · 2.2 km from the edge of town
29 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 is 41 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
Mount Seymour Park
10 km north35 km²since 1936
National park reserve
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
41 km south-west67 km²since 2010
Mount Seymour Park, a provincial park, is nearer at 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
New Westminster and its edge hold 148 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
148 km
in and around the town (41.8 km²)
Woodland
4.9%
about 2 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
New WestminsterTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths3.5
02.55 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
New WestminsterTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland4.9%
0%50%100%
Woods cover less of it than in 61% of Canadian towns. Paths are denser here than in 78% 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
4 mapped routes to walk from New Westminster
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
RegionalLocalOther waymarked
BC Parkway29.8 km
Central Valley Greenway28.8 km
Scott Greenway3.0 km
Waterfront Esplanade2.2 km
At 29.8 km, the BC Parkway is the longest local route.
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 New Westminster: May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Pitt Meadows (17 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 | 10.1 | 11.7 | 13.7 | 15.3 | 16.2 | 15.8 | 14.4 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.0 | 8.2 |
| High (°C) | 7 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 19 | 21 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 15 | 10 | 6 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 252 | 134 | 173 | 105 | 95 | 69 | 48 | 36 | 94 | 180 | 249 | 214 |
Snow totals about 37 cm a year. August is the driest month at 36 mm; January the wettest at 252 mm. Highs peak near 25 °C in August and fall to 6 °C in December. The climate in New Westminster →
Beaches
9 unnamed beaches near New Westminster
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Whether the water is fit for a swim isn’t in any open national dataset; public health posts the local advisories.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Viewpoints and waterfalls near New Westminster: 4 and 1
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
The map shows 190 playgrounds, ahead of the rest.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 4
Plus 4 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 1
Plus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 3
Plus 3 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 190
Play Areain town
DirectionsQuayside Parkin town
DirectionsLower Lougheed Park Playground0.4 km from town
DirectionsGuilby Park Playground0.9 km from town
DirectionsBurns Park Playground0.9 km from town
DirectionsActivate0.9 km from town
DirectionsMackin Park Playground1.1 km from town
DirectionsCrash Crawly's Adventure Fun Centre1.2 km from town
DirectionsPlus 182 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 14
Hume Park Dog Areain town
DirectionsOff-Leash Areain town
DirectionsQuayside Off-leash Dog Parkin town
DirectionsQueensborough Off-leash Dog Parkin town
DirectionsWestburnco Dog Parkin town
DirectionsWestside Dog Off Leash Areain town
DirectionsDog Off Leash Area0.6 km from town
DirectionsPlus 7 dog parks without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Sapperton Dyke2.0 km from town
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
Near New Westminster: 2 gardens and parks to visit
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
Queen Elizabeth ParkGarden or park · 12 km from town
DirectionsVanDusen Botanical GardenGarden or park · 13 km from town
DirectionsSources: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL, and Wikidata (CC0), as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic places from Parks Canada’s Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, the Canadian Register of Historic Places and Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel.
Next door
Next to New Westminster
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
East BurnabyEdmondsBridgeviewBuckingham HeightsBrownsvilleRoyal OakNew Westminster
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Westminster | 8% | 83 | 4 | 9 |
| East Burnaby 2.3 km | 5.5% | 54 | 3 | 17 |
| Edmonds 2.9 km | 6.2% | 40 | 4 | 8 |
| Bridgeview 3.7 km | 8.3% | 116 | 4 | 9 |
| Buckingham Heights 4.0 km | 4.2% | 34 | 3 | 8 |
| Brownsville 4.6 km | 11% | 119 | 7 | 6 |
| Royal Oak 4.7 km | 4.1% | 27 | 3 | 6 |
Brownsville has the most mapped walking routes nearby: 7. New Westminster holds its own on protected land: no neighbour has twice its share.
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.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- Walking routes. Only named route relations count; a park’s own path network may not show unless it is mapped as a route.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
Questions about the outdoors in New Westminster
Is there protected land near New Westminster?
Yes: 8% of the land within 10 km is protected.
Are there hiking trails near New Westminster?
Try the BC Parkway, Central Valley Greenway and Scott Greenway; more are on the map.
Is there a beach near New Westminster?
The beaches mapped within 5 km have no names on the map.
What is the nearest national park to New Westminster?
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, 41 km from the edge of town.
What is the largest protected area near New Westminster?
Belcarra Regional Park, a nature reserve of 1,030 ha.
When should you visit New Westminster for the outdoors?
May to September, on the 1991–2020 normals and the daylight: long days, highs of 15 °C or more, light rain for the place.
How far is the nearest provincial park from New Westminster?
Mount Seymour Park, 10 km away.
Sources
Sources for this page on New Westminster
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.
Gardens: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden) and Wikidata gardens within 15 km, as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic gardens and parks from Canada’s heritage registers (Parks Canada DFHD, the Canadian Register of Historic Places, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel).
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).