First pick
Skaha Lake Park
Park or garden
9.3 ha1.9 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.9 km of path
3.1 km southfrom the centre
Skaha Lake Walkway
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Original uploader was Fawcett5 at en.wikipedia Later version(s) were uploaded by Peteforsyth at en.wikipedia . · Public domain12%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Penticton · parks, protected land & trails
Few places match Penticton for protected land nearby: more than 9 in 10 Canadian towns
For a swim, Marina Way Beach is the nearest of 61 beaches within 5 km. 26 areas within 10 km are protected for nature. Within 100 km there is no national park.
Protected land
12%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
26
within 10 km, 15 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Skaha Bluffs Park
Beaches
61
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What Penticton has going for it 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 90% of Canadian townsBeaches61 beaches within 5 kmA provincial park at the edgeSkaha Bluffs Park reaches the town
Penticton is strongest on protected land around it, with its beaches close behind.
Against other towns
How Penticton 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. This page carries no grade, because Canada’s grading doesn’t cover the outdoors; the comparisons are the point.
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 town1%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas15Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes0Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches61Beaches 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, Penticton ranks 9th for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (36,072 to 42,135 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
Penticton12%
Towns its size3.3%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Penticton15
Towns its size12
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Penticton0
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Against towns its size, Penticton does best for protected land nearby: 7 of the other 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pointe-Claire QC | 33% | 0.2% | 40 | 0 | 6 |
| 2 | Panorama Ridge BC | 23% | 13% | 181 | 2 | 1 |
| 3 | Strawberry Hill BC | 20% | 0.8% | 158 | 4 | 2 |
| 4 | Pierrefonds-Est QC | 18% | 3.1% | 40 | 0 | 6 |
| 5 | Port Moody BC | 16% | 23% | 48 | 5 | 102 |
| 6 | Sullivan BC | 15% | 5.6% | 190 | 6 | 0 |
| 7 | Côte-Saint-Luc QC | 14% | 0% | 27 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | Sorel-Tracy QC | 12% | 0% | 75 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | Penticton BC | 12% | 1% | 26 | 0 | 61 |
| 10 | Sainte-Dorothée QC | 12% | 3.7% | 45 | 0 | 5 |
| 11 | West Kelowna BC | 12% | 2.7% | 29 | 1 | 40 |
| 12 | Boucherville QC | 7.1% | 14% | 53 | 0 | 1 |
| 13 | Marc-Aurèle-Fortin QC | 7.1% | 0.5% | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Sunset BC | 6.9% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 9 |
| 15 | Vellore ON | 5.1% | 1.8% | 26 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Yaletown BC | 4.7% | 0% | 12 | 3 | 77 |
| 17 | Hastings-Sunrise BC | 4.7% | 0% | 12 | 4 | 27 |
| 18 | Mount Pleasant BC | 4.2% | 0% | 12 | 4 | 73 |
| 19 | Duvernay QC | 4.1% | 1.2% | 56 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Prince Albert SK | 3.3% | 0% | 30 | 0 | 5 |
| 21 | Neufchatel Est—Lebourgneuf QC | 3.2% | 0% | 26 | 1 | 4 |
| 22 | Le Boisé Champêtre QC | 3.2% | 0% | 37 | 0 | 2 |
| 23 | Campbell River BC | 3% | 7.3% | 27 | 0 | 2 |
| 24 | Kensington-Cedar Cottage BC | 3% | 0% | 14 | 3 | 26 |
| 25 | Beverley Glen ON | 2.8% | 0% | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Metrotown BC | 2.5% | 0% | 21 | 3 | 6 |
| 27 | Malton ON | 2.4% | 0% | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| 28 | Cochrane AB | 2.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Sainte-Rose QC | 1.9% | 0.1% | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Laval-des-Rapides QC | 1.7% | 0.1% | 31 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Stratford ON | 1.5% | 0% | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 32 | Meadowvale ON | 0.8% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Orillia ON | 0.7% | 0.1% | 17 | 4 | 7 |
| 34 | Fort Erie ON | 0.5% | 0.1% | 6 | 0 | 12 |
| 35 | Moose Jaw SK | 0.5% | 3.3% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Central Erin Mills ON | 0.5% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | LaSalle ON | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Clarkson - Lorne Park ON | 0.1% | 1.5% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 39 | Erin Mills ON | 0.1% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Leduc AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Penticton on the map: green space, protected land and paths
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
Walk in Penticton: 19 named parks and woods
The biggest is Skaha Lake Park, 9.3 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
19 named parks and woods, 40 ha in all
Parks & gardens 40 ha
Even the biggest has just 23% of the total.
Lions Park
Park or garden
6.0 ha0.1 km of path
1.1 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Riverside Park
Park or garden
3.4 ha1.3 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.3 km of path
3.0 km north-westfrom the centre
Rose Gardens Walking Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Marina Way Park
Park or garden
1.9 ha0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
2.6 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Okanangan Lake Park
Park or garden
1.9 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
2.6 km northfrom the centre
Okanagan Lake Park Walking Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Rotary Park
Park or garden
1.6 ha0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
2.7 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Lakawanna Park
Park or garden
1.6 ha0.1 km of path
2.6 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 19 named parks and green spaces
Skaha Lake ParkPark or garden · 9.3 ha · 1.9 km of path
DirectionsLions ParkPark or garden · 6.0 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsRiverside ParkPark or garden · 3.4 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsMcNicoll ParkPark or garden · 5.0 ha
DirectionsMarina Way ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsOkanangan Lake ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsRotary ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsLakawanna ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsMcLaren ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha
DirectionsVancouver Avenue ParkPark or garden · 1.4 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsQueens ParkPark or garden · 1.3 ha
DirectionsSS Sicamous Heritage Shipyard AreaPark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsEllis Creek ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsKiawanis ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha
DirectionsRose Gardens ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsVeterans Memorial ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsPenticton Ikeda Friendship GardenPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsGyro ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha
DirectionsEllis 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
A park is within a short walk for 7 in 10 in Penticton
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 (74%)Further (27%)
Penticton74%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
For comparison, the typical Canadian town has 83%. About 10,000 residents live further than 400 m from one.
Protected areas
26 protected areas around Penticton
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Penticton1%
Within 10 km12%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Of those 26, 15 are public and the remainder private. At 6,491 ha, Mctaggart-Cowan/Nsek'iniw't Wildlife Management Area is the largest. The count includes 11 areas that are private or not recorded as public; they aren’t named.
Mctaggart-Cowan/Nsek'iniw't Wildlife Management AreaWildlife area · 6,491 ha · reaches Penticton
Skaha Bluffs ParkProvincial park · 554 ha · reaches Penticton
Kickininee ParkProvincial park · 49 ha · 2.9 km from the edge of town
Sun-Oka Beach ParkProvincial park · 30 ha · 3.1 km from the edge of town
Woodbridge Nature PreserveMunicipal park · 1.0 ha · 3.4 km from the edge of town
Landry ParklandMunicipal park · 0.3 ha · 4.9 km from the edge of town
Giant's Head and Little Giant's Head ParkMunicipal park · 170 ha · 6.6 km from the edge of town
Adam's Bird SanctuaryMunicipal park · 1.4 ha · 8.2 km from the edge of town
Trout Creek Ecological ReserveNature reserve · 83 ha · 8.3 km from the edge of town
Mount Conkle ParkMunicipal park · 154 ha · 8.5 km from the edge of town
4 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
From the edge of Penticton, Skaha Bluffs Park begins
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
Skaha Bluffs Park
At the edge5.5 km²since 2010
Provincial park
Kickininee Park
2.9 km north-west0.5 km²since 1970
Provincial park
Sun-Oka Beach Park
3.1 km north0.3 km²since 1969
Provincial park
SX̌ʷƏX̌ʷNITKʷ Park
9.0 km south0.0 km²since 1956
For a national park, people in Penticton travel more than 100 km. Within 10 km are 4 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
Penticton and its edge hold 211 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
211 km
in and around the town (92.1 km²)
Woodland
28%
about 25.5 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
PentictonTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths2.3
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
PentictonTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland28%
0%50%100%
Woods cover more of it than in 72% of Canadian towns. Paths are denser here than in 60% 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 Penticton
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Nothing near the town is mapped as a named walking route, which often means the trails just haven’t been entered as routes.
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 Penticton: April to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Penticton, 2.7 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 | 16.3 | 15.9 | 14.4 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.0 | 8.2 |
| High (°C) | 2 | 5 | 10 | 16 | 21 | 25 | 29 | 28 | 23 | 14 | 7 | 2 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 28 | 19 | 23 | 26 | 38 | 44 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 29 | 28 | 30 |
Snowfall averages 62 cm a year. The wettest month, June, brings 44 mm, against 19 mm in February. Daytime highs run from 2 °C in January up to 29 °C in July. The climate in Penticton →
Beaches
Penticton has 61 beaches close by
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Marina Way Beachsand · in town
DirectionsSkaha Lake Beachsand · in town
DirectionsPowell Beachsand · 3.5 km from town
DirectionsOpenStreetMap shows 58 more, nameless. Sandy ones: 3. 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
Penticton has 6 viewpoints within 2 km
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 Campbell (841 m). The map shows 31 playgrounds, ahead of the rest.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 6
Plus 6 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 3
Mount Campbell841 m · in town
DirectionsMunson Mountain470 m · in town
DirectionsOkanagan Highland835 m · 0.7 km from town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
Esplanadein town
DirectionsPicnic sites 5
Plus 5 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Dog parks 3
Dog Beachin town
DirectionsEllis Creek Dog Parkin town
DirectionsPlus 1 dog park without a name on the map.
Campsites 4
South Beach Gardens Campground0.0 km from town
DirectionsBarefoot Beach Resort0.1 km from town
DirectionsWright's Beach Camp RV Park0.5 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 campsite without a name on the map.
Slipways 6
Plus 6 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Penticton
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Penticton 1Electoral Area F, Okanagan-SimilkameenElectoral Area I, Okanagan-SimilkameenNaramataOkanagan FallsSummerlandPenticton
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penticton | 12% | 26 | 0 | 61 |
| Penticton 1 4.4 km | 12% | 42 | 0 | 69 |
| Electoral Area F, Okanagan-Similkameen 8.3 km | 8.9% | 34 | 0 | 70 |
| Electoral Area I, Okanagan-Similkameen 11 km | 13% | 37 | 0 | 6 |
| Naramata 12 km | 13% | 40 | 1 | 70 |
| Okanagan Falls 13 km | 9.1% | 34 | 0 | 30 |
| Summerland 15 km | 11% | 25 | 0 | 45 |
Penticton is not outdone two to one on protected land by any neighbour.
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.
- Walking routes. Only named route relations count; a park’s own path network may not show unless it is mapped as a route.
- Private land. Private conservation land is in the totals, not the lists. Many such areas are easements on working farms or woodlots.
- Protected land. CPCAD maps each protected area; the page counts how much of the 10 km around the town they cover, lakes and sea included.
- 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 Penticton
Is Penticton near a national park?
The nearest national park is more than 100 km from Penticton.
Which is the biggest protected area near Penticton?
It is Mctaggart-Cowan/Nsek'iniw't Wildlife Management Area, a wildlife area covering 6,491 ha.
Is there protected land near Penticton?
Within 10 km, 12% of the land lies in protected areas.
Is there a beach near Penticton?
Try Marina Way Beach, in town, first of several.
When is the best time for walking in Penticton?
April to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
Is there a provincial park near Penticton?
Skaha Bluffs Park touches the town.
Sources
The sources behind Penticton’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).