First pick
Englishman River Regional Park
Park or garden
207 ha14.6 km of path
3 h 15 minto walk all 14.6 km of path
4.5 km south-eastfrom the centre
Park Service RoadRiver TrailChannel Trail+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Doug Wortley · CC BY-SA 4.04.4%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Parksville · parks, protected land & trails
Rathtrevor Beach Park begins where Parksville ends
Within 5 km are 11 beaches; North Rathtrevor Beach is the nearest. The nearest national park is Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, 64 km away. 13% of the town lies within a protected area.
Protected land
4.4%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
24
within 10 km, 9 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
64 km
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Rathtrevor Beach Park
Beaches
11
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
The outdoors in Parksville, in short
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Out of doors, Parksville leads with a provincial park at its edge, with its beaches close behind.
Against other towns
Each figure for Parksville, 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. No letter: the outdoors is described for Canadian towns, not graded.
Protected within 10 km4.4%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town13%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas9Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes0Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches11Beaches 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, Parksville ranks 16th for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (15,083 to 15,691 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
Parksville4.4%
Towns its size2.9%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Parksville9
Towns its size7
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Parksville0
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Among its peers, Parksville’s strong point is protected land nearby, where 15 of 39 top it.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whistler BC | 56% | 26% | 11 | 3 | 8 |
| 2 | Pincourt QC | 33% | 0.6% | 38 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | Lachine-Ouest QC | 19% | 0.1% | 28 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | Beauharnois QC | 17% | 2.2% | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Les Rapides QC | 16% | 0% | 34 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 | Arbutus Ridge BC | 15% | 0% | 12 | 2 | 62 |
| 7 | Gaspé QC | 13% | 21% | 41 | 13 | 51 |
| 8 | Ledbury-Heron Gate-Ridgemont ON | 12% | 0% | 34 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Brookside - Briarbrook - Morgans Grant ON | 8.1% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Pointe-Saint-Charles QC | 7.7% | 0% | 24 | 1 | 6 |
| 11 | Vieux-Longueuil QC | 6.4% | 0% | 24 | 0 | 5 |
| 12 | Lougheed BC | 5.6% | 0% | 53 | 2 | 49 |
| 13 | Saint-François QC | 5.4% | 1% | 56 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | Lairet QC | 5% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 4 |
| 15 | Sainte-Adèle QC | 4.8% | 8% | 24 | 1 | 5 |
| 16 | Parksville BC | 4.4% | 13% | 24 | 0 | 11 |
| 17 | Vallée-de-la-Lièvre QC | 4.3% | 16% | 39 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Downtown ON | 3.6% | 2.8% | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | Lachute QC | 3.5% | 0.9% | 27 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Limoges ON | 3.1% | 5.7% | 31 | 0 | 2 |
| 21 | François-Perrault QC | 2.6% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Vanier ON | 2.6% | 0% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| 23 | Trinity-Bellwoods ON | 2.1% | 0% | 11 | 7 | 24 |
| 24 | Byron ON | 2.1% | 0% | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| 25 | Pleasant View ON | 1.9% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Little Portugal ON | 1.8% | 0% | 11 | 4 | 20 |
| 27 | East Willowdale ON | 1.7% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Hamilton Road ON | 1.7% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Stonebridge SK | 1.7% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| 30 | Saint-Vincent-de-Paul QC | 1.5% | 0% | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Loretteville QC | 1.1% | 0% | 21 | 1 | 2 |
| 32 | Pembroke ON | 1% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 3 |
| 33 | Campbellford ON | 0.8% | 0.5% | 24 | 7 | 0 |
| 34 | Dorchester ON | 0.6% | 1% | 17 | 2 | 2 |
| 35 | High River AB | 0.6% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Thorncliffe AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 37 | Central Elgin ON | 0.2% | 0.3% | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| 38 | Edenbridge-Humber Valley ON | 0.2% | 2.1% | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| 39 | Laurel AB | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 40 | Edgemont AB | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
The map
Where the green is in Parksville
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 Parksville
Largest first: Englishman River Regional Park leads with 207 ha. Numbers match the map.
30 named parks and woods, 332 ha in all
Parks & gardens 332 ha
Between them, Englishman River Regional Park and Rivers Edge Community Park cover 73%.
Rivers Edge Community Park
Park or garden
36 ha0.4 km of path
5.3 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Top Bridge Park
Park or garden
24 ha1.3 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.3 km of path
4.6 km south-eastfrom the centre
Top Bridge Regional Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Parksville Community Park
Park or garden
18 ha2 km of path
25 minto walk all 2 km of path
0.9 km eastfrom the centre
Waterfront Walkway
Directionsto a point inside
Ermineskin Park
Park or garden
13 ha1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
1.8 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Springwood Park
Park or garden
11 ha0.4 km of path
1.3 km south-westfrom the centre
Coombs to Parksville Rail Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Top Bridge Community Park
Park or garden
4.8 ha0.4 km of path
4.4 km south-eastfrom the centre
Railway to Top Bridge Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Shelly Creek Park South
Park or garden
3.0 ha0.6 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
2.0 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Englishman River Regional ParkPark or garden · 207 ha · 14.6 km of path
DirectionsRivers Edge Community ParkPark or garden · 36 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsTop Bridge ParkPark or garden · 24 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsParksville Community ParkPark or garden · 18 ha · 2 km of path
DirectionsErmineskin ParkPark or garden · 13 ha · 1.2 km of path
DirectionsSpringwood ParkPark or garden · 11 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsTop Bridge Community ParkPark or garden · 4.8 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsShelly Creek Park SouthPark or garden · 3.0 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsFoster ParkPark or garden · 3.0 ha
DirectionsMaple Glen Linear ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsPark on ChurchPark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsCraig's CrossingPark or garden · 1.6 ha
DirectionsMarks Nature ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsHumphrey ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsMaple Lane Community ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · just outside town
DirectionsCraig Heritage ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha
DirectionsRenz ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha
DirectionsBridgewater ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha
DirectionsEagle ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha
DirectionsAberdeen ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha
DirectionsShelly Creek Park WestPark or garden · 0.6 ha
DirectionsCraig Creek Estuary Community ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsRotary Peach ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsBlue Water Place Community ParkPark or garden · 0.2 ha · 0.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsNeden Way Community ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha · just outside town
DirectionsWoodland ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsWisteria ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsNicholls ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsShelly Road ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsShelly Creek Park NorthPark or garden · 0.2 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
A park is within a short walk for 9 in 10 in Parksville
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 (95%)Further (5.1%)
Parksville95%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
Around 800 residents are further than 400 m from a park. The usual figure for a Canadian town is 83%, lower than here.
Protected areas
4.4% of the country within 10 km of Parksville is protected
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Parksville13%
Within 10 km4.4%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
9 of the 24 are on public land. Biggest of the named areas: Parksville-Qualicum Beach Wildlife Management Area, 1,250 ha. 15 areas belong to private owners or land trusts and aren’t named here.
Parksville-Qualicum Beach Wildlife Management AreaWildlife area · 1,250 ha · reaches Parksville
Rathtrevor Beach ParkProvincial park · 347 ha · reaches Parksville
French CreekNature reserve · 8.4 ha · 1.2 km from the edge of town
Parksville Glass Sponge Reef Marine RefugeNature reserve · 205 ha · 1.8 km from the edge of town
Heritage ForestNature reserve · 19 ha · 5.6 km from the edge of town
Gerald Island ParkProvincial park · 12 ha · 5.7 km from the edge of town
Englishman River Falls ParkProvincial park · 97 ha · 6.3 km from the edge of town
Arbutus Grove ParkProvincial park · 22 ha · 8.4 km from the edge of town
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, 64 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
Rathtrevor Beach Park
At the edge3.5 km²since 1967
Provincial park
Gerald Island Park
5.7 km east0.1 km²since 2013
Provincial park
Englishman River Falls Park
6.3 km south1.0 km²since 1940
Provincial park
Arbutus Grove Park
8.4 km south-east0.2 km²since 1966
National park
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
64 km south-west510 km²since 1970
There are 4 provincial parks 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: 64 km in and around Parksville
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
64 km
in and around the town (43.3 km²)
Woodland
23%
about 9.8 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
ParksvilleTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths1.5
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
ParksvilleTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland23%
0%50%100%
52% of Canadian towns have more footpath per km². Woods cover more of it than in 69% 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
OpenStreetMap shows no walking route near Parksville
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
The map shows no named route near the town. That says more about OpenStreetMap’s coverage than about the paths on the ground.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Parksville is best on foot in May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Comox (61 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) | 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 |
Rain and snow peak in December (194 mm) and ease in July (24 mm). From 6 °C in December to 23 °C in July: that is the range of daytime highs. The climate in Parksville →
Beaches
11 beaches within 5 km of Parksville
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
North Rathtrevor Beachin town
DirectionsRathtrevor Beachmixed · 0.1 km from town
DirectionsWall Beach1.5 km from town
DirectionsColumbia Beach3.3 km from town
DirectionsRock Beach4.7 km from town
DirectionsThe coast is close: 46 km of shoreline within 5 km. Unnamed on the map: 6 more. No open data on beach water quality covers every province, so check with public health before a swim.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Outdoors around Parksville: 16 places to go
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
The most common are campsites: 7 on the map. For a climb, Little Mountain rises to 246 m.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 1
Little Mountain246 m · 1.4 km from town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
Ermineskin Landsin town
DirectionsPicnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 6
Beach playgroundin town
DirectionsParksville Lions Club Ventureland Playgroundin town
DirectionsPlus 4 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 7
Heart Haven RV Family Campgroundin town
DirectionsPark Sands Beach Resort RV Park & Campgroundin town
DirectionsRathtrevor Beach Campsitein town
DirectionsWalk-In Campgroundin town
DirectionsPathfinder Camp Resorts - Parksville0.2 km from town
DirectionsPlus 2 campsites without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Parksville
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Electoral Area G, NanaimoQualicum BeachElectoral Area F, NanaimoFairwindsLantzvilleParksville
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parksville | 4.4% | 24 | 0 | 11 |
| Electoral Area G, Nanaimo 3.5 km | 3.2% | 32 | 0 | 13 |
| Qualicum Beach 8.6 km | 4.4% | 24 | 0 | 7 |
| Electoral Area F, Nanaimo 8.9 km | 2.3% | 36 | 1 | 15 |
| Fairwinds 12 km | 2.2% | 23 | 0 | 15 |
| Lantzville 19 km | 1.5% | 19 | 0 | 8 |
For protected land, no neighbour of Parksville doubles its share.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Beaches. Beaches are OpenStreetMap’s, named or not; in the north many are unnamed shoreline imports.
- 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.
- 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 Parksville
How much land around Parksville is protected?
Within 10 km, 4.4% of the land lies in protected areas.
What is the nearest beach to Parksville?
North Rathtrevor Beach, in town, is the nearest mapped beach.
Is there a provincial park near Parksville?
Rathtrevor Beach Park begins at the town’s edge.
Which is the biggest protected area near Parksville?
Parksville-Qualicum Beach Wildlife Management Area, a wildlife area of 1,250 ha.
How far is Parksville from a national park?
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is closest, at 64 km.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Parksville?
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
Where Parksville’s outdoors figures come from
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).