First pick
Uplands Park
Park or garden
35 ha9.4 km of path
2 h 5 minto walk all 9.4 km of path
1.7 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: rpaterso · CC BY-SA 2.05.4%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Oak Bay · parks, protected land & trails
A national park 11 km from Oak Bay: Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
26 beaches are mapped within 5 km, the nearest Willows Beach. The nearest provincial park, Discovery Island Marine Park, is 3.6 km away. OpenStreetMap shows 2 walking routes nearby, including the TCT: Trans-Canada Trail (Vancouver Island) and Vancouver Island Trail.
Protected land
5.4%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
17
within 10 km, 11 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
11 km
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
3.6 km
Discovery Island Marine Park
Walking routes
2
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
26
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
Where Oak Bay stands out outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
A national park nearbyGulf Islands National Park Reserve, 11 km awayBeaches26 beaches within 5 kmOn a national routeThe TCT: Trans-Canada Trail (Vancouver Island) passes within 2 km
Oak Bay is strongest on Gulf Islands National Park Reserve within easy reach, with its beaches close behind.
Against other towns
How Oak Bay 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 one of Canada’s graded subjects, so there’s no letter here: each figure is set against other Canadian towns instead.
Protected within 10 km5.4%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town3.4%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas11Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes2Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches26Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Oak Bay comes 9th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (17,988 to 19,305 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
Oak Bay5.4%
Towns its size2.3%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Oak Bay11
Towns its size5
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Oak Bay2
Towns its size1
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Against towns its size, Oak Bay does best for public protected areas: 7 of the other 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L'Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève QC | 29% | 40% | 48 | 0 | 13 |
| 2 | Summerside PE | 25% | 0.5% | 15 | 10 | 7 |
| 3 | Deux-Montagnes QC | 14% | 2.1% | 33 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | Central Saanich BC | 9.2% | 3.3% | 35 | 2 | 29 |
| 5 | Desmarchais-Crawford QC | 8.8% | 1.4% | 21 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | Greensborough ON | 8.5% | 23% | 44 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | Schmidtville NS | 5.9% | 0% | 16 | 4 | 18 |
| 8 | Bracebridge ON | 5.4% | 3.4% | 13 | 1 | 6 |
| 9 | Oak Bay BC | 5.4% | 3.4% | 17 | 2 | 26 |
| 10 | Iberville QC | 5.1% | 0% | 21 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Woodbridge ON | 5.1% | 0.5% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Granville Entertainment District BC | 5% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 70 |
| 13 | Dewdney East SK | 4.5% | 0% | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 14 | Royal Oak BC | 4.1% | 0% | 27 | 3 | 6 |
| 15 | Parc-Laurier QC | 3.5% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| 16 | Midland ON | 3.4% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 5 |
| 17 | Auburn Bay AB | 2.9% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| 18 | Bendale-Glen Andrew ON | 2.8% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 1 |
| 19 | North St.James Town ON | 2.4% | 0% | 10 | 8 | 16 |
| 20 | Downtown Yonge East ON | 2.3% | 0% | 11 | 10 | 39 |
| 21 | O'Connor-Parkview ON | 2.3% | 19% | 13 | 1 | 14 |
| 22 | Medway ON | 2.3% | 4.4% | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| 23 | Kensington-Chinatown ON | 2.2% | 0% | 12 | 8 | 29 |
| 24 | Credit Valley ON | 2.2% | 5.5% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Fletchers West ON | 2.2% | 0% | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 26 | Greater Napanee ON | 1.9% | 1.2% | 34 | 0 | 1 |
| 27 | Port Elgin ON | 1.6% | 6.2% | 8 | 0 | 25 |
| 28 | Saint-Sulpice QC | 1.5% | 2.1% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Saint-Colomban QC | 1.1% | 1.1% | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| 30 | Downsview ON | 1.1% | 0% | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| 31 | Collingwood BC | 0.8% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 6 |
| 32 | Edmundston NB | 0.6% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| 33 | Swift Current SK | 0.6% | 0.2% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Listowel ON | 0.5% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Eringate-Centennial-West Deane ON | 0.4% | 0% | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 36 | Weston ON | 0.4% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Port Hope ON | 0.3% | 0.1% | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 38 | Mimico-Queensway ON | 0.3% | 0% | 6 | 3 | 20 |
| 39 | DT Fairview ON | 0.2% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Wîhkwêntôwin AB | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 2 | 1 |
The map
Parks, woods and paths around Oak 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
30 named parks and woods to walk in near Oak Bay
The biggest is Uplands Park, 35 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
30 named parks and woods, 116 ha in all
Parks & gardens 103 haWoods 13 ha
Uplands Park and Mount Tolmie Park together hold 46% of it.
Mount Tolmie Park
Park or garden
19 ha2.6 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.6 km of path
3.4 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Henderson Recreation Centre
Park or garden
8.3 ha1.4 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.4 km of path
3.0 km northfrom the centre
Henderson Park Chip Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Mystic Vale
Wood or forest
13 ha2.2 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.2 km of path
3.4 km northfrom the centre
Alumni Chip Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Cadboro-Gyro Park
Park or garden · 370 m outside town
5.6 ha1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
3.7 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Finnerty Gardens
Park or garden
2.7 ha1.8 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.8 km of path
3.5 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Windsor Park
Park or garden
4.3 ha0.3 km of path
0.8 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Carnarvon Park
Park or garden
4.0 ha0.2 km of path
1.3 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Uplands ParkPark or garden · 35 ha · 9.4 km of path
DirectionsMount Tolmie ParkPark or garden · 19 ha · 2.6 km of path
DirectionsHenderson Recreation CentrePark or garden · 8.3 ha · 1.4 km of path
DirectionsMystic ValeWood or forest · 13 ha · 2.2 km of path
DirectionsCadboro-Gyro ParkPark or garden · 5.6 ha · 1.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsFinnerty GardensPark or garden · 2.7 ha · 1.8 km of path
DirectionsWindsor ParkPark or garden · 4.3 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsCarnarvon ParkPark or garden · 4.0 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsAnderson Hill ParkPark or garden · 2.8 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsHorner ParkPark or garden · 2.1 ha · 0.7 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsWalbran ParkPark or garden · 2.6 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsGonzales Hill Regional ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsKings ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsPemberton ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsTrafalgar ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsWillows ParkPark or garden · 1.2 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsBowker Creek WalkwayPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsAllenby ParkPark or garden · 1.2 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsRedfern ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsFirefighter's ParkPark or garden · 1.3 ha
DirectionsMcMicking Point ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsGonzales ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsQueen’s ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha
DirectionsLafayette ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha
DirectionsAbkhazi GardenPark or garden · 0.6 ha · just outside town
DirectionsNative Plant GardenPark or garden · 0.2 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsGyro-Henderson ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsLoon Bay ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsOakdowne ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsOnyx ParkPark 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
Almost everyone in Oak 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 (97%)Further (2.8%)
Oak Bay97%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
A typical Canadian town reaches only 83%. That leaves about 500 people more than a short walk away.
Protected areas
Protected areas cover 5.4% of the land near Oak Bay
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Oak Bay3.4%
Within 10 km5.4%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
11 of the 17 belong to a government or an Indigenous nation. At 923 ha, Thetis Lake Regional Park is the largest. The count includes 6 areas that are private or not recorded as public; they aren’t named.
Trial Islands Ecological ReserveNature reserve · 14 ha · reaches Oak Bay
Gonzales Hill Regional ParkMunicipal park · 1.8 ha · reaches Oak Bay
Oak Bay Islands Ecological ReserveNature reserve · 232 ha · 1.0 km from the edge of town
Ten Mile Point Ecological ReserveNature reserve · 15 ha · 1.7 km from the edge of town
Discovery Island Marine ParkProvincial park · 67 ha · 3.6 km from the edge of town
Elk/Beaver Lake Regional ParkMunicipal park · 443 ha · 6.5 km from the edge of town
Mountain Road Forest Regional ParkMunicipal park · 20 ha · 8.8 km from the edge of town
Francis/King Regional ParkMunicipal park · 107 ha · 9.1 km from the edge of town
Maltby LakeNature reserve · 77 ha · 9.7 km from the edge of town
Thetis Lake Regional ParkMunicipal park · 923 ha · 9.9 km from the edge of town
1 more named area within 10 km is in the comparison 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
Parks around Oak Bay
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
Discovery Island Marine Park
3.6 km east0.7 km²since 1972
National park reserve
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
11 km north67 km²since 2010
Nearer still is Discovery Island Marine Park, a provincial park 3.6 km away.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
101 km of paths in and around Oak 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
101 km
in and around the town (35 km²)
Woodland
2.4%
about 0.8 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Oak BayTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths2.9
024 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Oak BayTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland2.4%
0%50%100%
73% of Canadian towns are more wooded. Paths are denser here than in 70% 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
The TCT: Trans-Canada Trail (Vancouver Island) runs past Oak Bay
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
NationalRegional
TCT: Trans-Canada Trail (Vancouver Island)7.7 km
Vancouver Island Trail742.1 km
Of the TCT: Trans-Canada Trail (Vancouver Island)’s 8 km, 0.5 km passes close to town.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Get out in Oak Bay in May to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Victoria Gonzales (City), 2.5 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. For dry weather, July is best (13 mm); November gets 129 mm. From 8 °C in December to 21 °C in August: that is the range of daytime highs. The climate in Oak Bay →
Beaches
26 beaches within 5 km of Oak Bay
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Willows Beach0.1 km from town
DirectionsGonzales Beachsand · 0.1 km from town
DirectionsFinlayson Point Beachgravel · 2.9 km from town
DirectionsMile Zero Beachgravel · 3.1 km from town
DirectionsSteve Fonyo Beachgravel · 3.4 km from town
Directions21 further beaches go unnamed. Within 5 km is 110 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
Viewpoints and waterfalls near Oak Bay: 13 and 2
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
There are 108 playgrounds, more than of anything else. The highest named peak nearby is Mount Tolmie, at 120 m.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 13
WW2 Observation Towerin town
DirectionsWoodlands Viewing Platform1.3 km from town
DirectionsPlus 11 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 6
Anderson Hill40 m · in town
DirectionsGonzales Hill60 m · in town
DirectionsMount Tolmie120 m · 0.3 km from town
DirectionsFairfield Hill40 m · 1.4 km from town
DirectionsPrevost Hill77 m · 1.4 km from town
DirectionsMount Stephen50 m · 1.8 km from town
DirectionsWaterfalls 2
Plus 2 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 108
Plus 108 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Plus 1 dog park without a name on the map.
Slipways 3
Plus 3 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
2 gardens and historic parks to visit near Oak Bay
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
Rose GardenGarden or park · at the edge of town
DirectionsAbkhazi GardenGarden or park · 0.3 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 Oak Bay
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
VictoriaSaanichEsquimaltNew Songhees 1AView RoyalColwoodOak Bay
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Bay | 5.4% | 17 | 2 | 26 |
| Victoria 3.2 km | 8% | 20 | 4 | 34 |
| Saanich 6.3 km | 11% | 43 | 7 | 56 |
| Esquimalt 7.0 km | 12% | 31 | 4 | 19 |
| New Songhees 1A 8.5 km | 14% | 29 | 3 | 16 |
| View Royal 10 km | 21% | 35 | 3 | 20 |
| Colwood 13 km | 19% | 36 | 4 | 21 |
Saanich, Esquimalt and New Songhees 1A have at least twice the protected share around them. Saanich has the most mapped walking routes nearby: 7.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- 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.
- 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.
- Walking routes. Routes are what OpenStreetMap’s volunteers have mapped as named walking or hiking routes; many good trails aren’t mapped that way.
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
- National and provincial parks. A park at 0 km touches or overlaps the town’s outline; directions point from the town’s centre.
Questions about the outdoors in Oak Bay
What is the largest protected area near Oak Bay?
It is Thetis Lake Regional Park, a municipal park covering 923 ha.
When should you visit Oak Bay for the outdoors?
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 Oak Bay?
Discovery Island Marine Park, 3.6 km away.
Is there a beach near Oak Bay?
The nearest is Willows Beach, 0.1 km from town.
What walking routes are near Oak Bay?
OpenStreetMap maps the TCT: Trans-Canada Trail (Vancouver Island) and Vancouver Island Trail close by, with others.
Is there protected land near Oak Bay?
Protected areas cover 5.4% of the land within 10 km.
How far is Oak Bay from a national park?
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, 11 km from the edge of town.
Sources
Sources for this page on Oak 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.
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).