First pick
L. 48
Wood or forest
88 ha4.7 km of path
1 h 5 minto walk all 4.7 km of path
1.4 km eastfrom the centre
Log Train TrailBeaver Pond TrailCarriere Road trail+3 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Kevstan · CC BY-SA 3.01.8%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Port Alberni · parks, protected land & trails
31 named trails run within 2 km of Port Alberni
Sproat Lake Park is the closest provincial park, at 5.3 km. For a national park, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is 43 km away. Swimmers have 4 beaches within 5 km, Scout Camp Beach the nearest.
Protected land
1.8%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
11
within 10 km, 8 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
43 km
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
5.3 km
Sproat Lake Park
Walking routes
31
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
4
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Against other towns
Port Alberni beside other Canadian towns, figure by figure
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 km1.8%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town2.8%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas8Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes31Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches4Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Port Alberni sits 8th from last of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (19,270 to 20,080 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
Port Alberni1.8%
Towns its size3%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Port Alberni8
Towns its size6
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Port Alberni31
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
For public protected areas, Port Alberni sits near the top of its size group: 9 of 39 have more. On protected land nearby it is behind: 32 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beaconsfield QC | 45% | 3.2% | 47 | 0 | 6 |
| 2 | Kirkland QC | 41% | 0.2% | 50 | 0 | 6 |
| 3 | Overbrook ON | 14% | 1.1% | 43 | 2 | 2 |
| 4 | Esquimalt BC | 12% | 1% | 31 | 4 | 19 |
| 5 | Vinegar Hill ON | 8.7% | 0% | 14 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | Greensborough ON | 8.5% | 23% | 44 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | Tétreaultville QC | 8% | 0% | 27 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Laflèche QC | 7.4% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 5 |
| 9 | North End NS | 7% | 0% | 14 | 5 | 18 |
| 10 | Purpleville ON | 6.2% | 13% | 65 | 1 | 0 |
| 11 | Louis-Riel QC | 6.1% | 0% | 24 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Kanata Lakes ON | 6% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Evergreen AB | 5.9% | 1.5% | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 14 | Riverside South - Leitrim ON | 4.3% | 3.2% | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| 15 | Heart Lake South ON | 4.3% | 4.2% | 9 | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | Stittsville ON | 4.2% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Lorimier QC | 4% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 3 |
| 18 | Midland ON | 3.4% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 5 |
| 19 | Miramichi NB | 3.2% | 0.1% | 19 | 0 | 7 |
| 20 | Mont-Saint-Hilaire QC | 3% | 24% | 37 | 0 | 3 |
| 21 | Cranston AB | 2.9% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 14 |
| 22 | Tuscany AB | 2.8% | 1.2% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 23 | Pelham ON | 2.7% | 2.5% | 18 | 7 | 1 |
| 24 | Mount Pleasant Village ON | 2.6% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Westmount ON | 2.5% | 0% | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| 26 | Père-Marquette QC | 2.4% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| 27 | Mitchell MB | 2.3% | 0% | 65 | 0 | 3 |
| 28 | Highland ON | 2.2% | 0% | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| 29 | Kemptville ON | 2.1% | 1.7% | 30 | 5 | 3 |
| 30 | Petawawa ON | 1.9% | 1.2% | 9 | 0 | 15 |
| 31 | Henry Farm ON | 1.9% | 3.8% | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Central London ON | 1.9% | 0% | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| 33 | Port Alberni BC | 1.8% | 2.8% | 11 | 31 | 4 |
| 34 | Fort York-Liberty Village ON | 1.7% | 0% | 11 | 6 | 34 |
| 35 | Nicolas-Viel QC | 1.3% | 0% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Loyalist ON | 1.2% | 2.2% | 24 | 0 | 2 |
| 37 | Sainte-Sophie QC | 1% | 0.2% | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| 38 | Stony Plain AB | 0.7% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| 39 | Niagara-on-the-Lake ON | 0.6% | 0.4% | 8 | 3 | 4 |
| 40 | Walkerville ON | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
The map
Where the green is in Port Alberni
Green space, woods, protected areas and footpaths in and around the town; tap a number for its park or wood.
Green: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, playing fields and woods. Hatched: CPCAD protected areas.© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); CPCAD (OGL-Canada)
Places to walk
27 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Port Alberni
L. 48 is the largest, at 88 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
27 named parks and woods, 487 ha in all
Parks & gardens 43 haWoods 444 ha
The area is spread out: the biggest holds 18% of it.
L. 146
Wood or forest · 240 m outside town
65 ha1.9 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.9 km of path
4.5 km northfrom the centre
Maplehurst Trail
Directionsto a point inside
L. 145
Wood or forest · 340 m outside town
54 ha2.3 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.3 km of path
4.1 km northfrom the centre
Maplehurst Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Dry Creek Park
Park or garden
19 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
Centralin the middle of Port Alberni
Directionsto a point inside
L. 143
Wood or forest
44 ha1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1 km of path
2.7 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
L. 19
Wood or forest · 110 m outside town
38 ha1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
3.3 km north-eastfrom the centre
Frank Stini's ConnectorLog Train Trail
Directionsto a point inside
L. 137
Wood or forest
26 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
2.3 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 27 named parks and green spaces
L. 48Wood or forest · 88 ha · 4.7 km of path
DirectionsL. 146Wood or forest · 65 ha · 1.9 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsL. 145Wood or forest · 54 ha · 2.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsDry Creek ParkPark or garden · 19 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsL. 143Wood or forest · 44 ha · 1 km of path
DirectionsL. 112Wood or forest · 47 ha
DirectionsL. 19Wood or forest · 38 ha · 1.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsL. 137Wood or forest · 26 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsRavenhill WoodsWood or forest · 16 ha · 1.6 km of path
DirectionsL. 92Wood or forest · 19 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsL. 11Wood or forest · 12 ha · 1.5 km of path
DirectionsKlitsa ParkPark or garden · 4.8 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsL. 142Wood or forest · 13 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsL. 152Wood or forest · 14 ha
DirectionsRussell ParkPark or garden · 3.7 ha
DirectionsEcho ParkPark or garden · 3.5 ha
DirectionsWeaver ParkPark or garden · 2.6 ha
DirectionsL. 18Wood or forest · 7.2 ha
DirectionsGyro ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsBlair ParkPark or garden · 2.1 ha
DirectionsWilliamson ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha
DirectionsStirling Off-leash Dog ParkPark or garden · 1.5 ha
Directions11th Avenue ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha
DirectionsTaylor Road ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsRiver Road ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsAngeliquePark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsKiwanis 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
7 in 10 people in Port Alberni 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 (73%)Further (27%)
Port Alberni73%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
The typical Canadian town reaches 83%. For about 5,300 people, the nearest park is over 400 m away.
Protected areas
1.8% of the country within 10 km of Port Alberni 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 Port Alberni2.8%
Within 10 km1.8%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public bodies own 8 of the 11; land trusts and private owners hold the others. Little Qualicum Falls Park leads for size with 440 ha. The figures include 3 private conservation areas, left unnamed.
Sproat Lake ParkProvincial park · 43 ha · 5.3 km from the edge of town
Macmillan ParkProvincial park · 301 ha · 6.9 km from the edge of town
Fossli ParkProvincial park · 52 ha · 6.9 km from the edge of town
Horne Lake Caves ParkProvincial park · 158 ha · 7.3 km from the edge of town
Stamp River ParkProvincial park · 327 ha · 7.5 km from the edge of town
Little Qualicum Falls ParkProvincial park · 440 ha · 8.8 km from the edge of town
2 areas recorded only by their type (provincial layers such as wildlife habitat areas) are 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 43 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
Sproat Lake Park
5.3 km north-west0.4 km²since 1966
Provincial park
Macmillan Park
6.9 km east3.0 km²since 1947
Provincial park
Fossli Park
6.9 km west0.5 km²since 1974
Provincial park
Horne Lake Caves Park
7.3 km north1.6 km²since 1971
Provincial park
Stamp River Park
7.5 km north-west3.3 km²since 1940
Provincial park
Little Qualicum Falls Park
8.8 km east4.4 km²since 1940
Nearer still is Sproat Lake Park, a provincial park 5.3 km away. There are 6 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: 91 km in and around Port Alberni
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
91 km
in and around the town (50.6 km²)
Woodland
38%
about 19.3 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Port AlberniTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths1.8
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Port AlberniTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland38%
0%50%100%
For path density, it beats 53% of Canadian towns. For woods, it beats 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
Where to walk from Port Alberni
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
Alberni Inlet Trail (Stage 1)15.1 km
Rogers Creek Nature Trail13.4 km
Dry Creek Ship Creek Trail7.7 km
Alberni Pacific Grade6.4 km
Roger Creek Ravine Trails4.9 km
Roger Creek Canyon Trail4.8 km
Maplehurst Trail4.4 km
Kitsuksis Dyke Walking Path3.9 km
Indecision Trail3.4 km
Ship Creek Main3.3 km
Plus 19 more waymarked walks on the map.
The longest of the rest is the Vancouver Island Trail, 742.1 km. 19 are short walks 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 Port Alberni: May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Comox (54 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 |
In July the typical high is 23 °C; in December, 6 °C. December is the wettest month (194 mm) and July the driest (24 mm). The climate in Port Alberni →
Beaches
The beach near Port Alberni: Scout Camp Beach, 1.7 km away
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Scout Camp Beach1.7 km from town
DirectionsWithin 5 km is 31 km of coastline. There are also 3 beaches without a name. 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
Near Port Alberni: 17 viewpoints, 1 waterfalls
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Most numerous: viewpoints (17).
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 17
Lagoon A Beachin town
DirectionsRoger Creek Canyonin town
DirectionsRoger Creek Ravinein town
DirectionsSomass Estuary Viewpoint0.1 km from town
DirectionsAlberni Inlet Viewpoint0.2 km from town
DirectionsSomass River Rapids0.5 km from town
DirectionsDry Creek Valley0.7 km from town
DirectionsArrowsmith View1.1 km from town
DirectionsPlus 9 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 2
Plus 2 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 1
Plus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Stirling Off-leash Dog Parkin town
DirectionsCampsites 1
Arrowvale Campground and Cottages1.5 km from town
DirectionsSlipways 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 Port Alberni
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-ClayoquotElectoral Area E, Alberni-ClayoquotElectoral Area D, Alberni-ClayoquotPort Alberni
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Alberni | 1.8% | 11 | 31 | 4 |
| Electoral Area F, Alberni-Clayoquot 3.4 km | 1.3% | 12 | 30 | 8 |
| Electoral Area E, Alberni-Clayoquot 6.0 km | 1.9% | 10 | 15 | 2 |
| Electoral Area D, Alberni-Clayoquot 12 km | 29% | 19 | 18 | 10 |
Electoral Area D, Alberni-Clayoquot has at least twice the protected share around it.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
- Walking routes. A route counts when 300 m or more of it lies within 2 km of the town. Coverage of trails on OpenStreetMap varies by region.
- 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.
- 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.
Questions about the outdoors in Port Alberni
What is the largest protected area near Port Alberni?
Little Qualicum Falls Park, a provincial park of 440 ha.
Is Port Alberni near a national park?
It is Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, 43 km off.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Port Alberni?
On the normals, May to September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
How much land around Port Alberni is protected?
Protected areas cover 1.8% of the land within 10 km.
What is the nearest provincial park to Port Alberni?
It is Sproat Lake Park, 5.3 km away.
Are there hiking trails near Port Alberni?
OpenStreetMap maps the Vancouver Island Trail, Rogers Creek Nature Trail and Log Train Trail close by, with others.
Where can you swim near Port Alberni?
Scout Camp Beach, 1.7 km from town, is the nearest mapped beach.
Sources
Sources for this page on Port Alberni
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).