First pick
Pidherny Recreation Site
Park or garden
633 ha36.3 km of path
8 h 5 minto walk all 36.3 km of path
9.1 km north-westfrom the centre
Ridge Trail/Lookout AccessRidge TrailNorthern Lights+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: CPG1100 · CC BY-SA 4.00.3%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Prince George · parks, protected land & trails
7.9 km from Prince George to West Lake Park
51 beaches are mapped within 5 km, none with a name. The Timberwolf Trail is the one mapped walking route close by. Protected areas cover 0.3% of the land within 10 km; for the typical Canadian town it is 2.3%.
Protected land
0.3%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
5
within 10 km, 1 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
7.9 km
West Lake Park
Walking routes
1
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
51
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What sets Prince George apart outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Beaches51 beaches within 5 kmLittle protected land0.3% within 10 km; the typical Canadian town: 2.3%
What Prince George has most to offer outdoors is its beaches. The gap is protected land nearby.
Against other towns
Prince George against 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 graded in Canada. The page compares each figure with other towns and leaves it there.
Protected within 10 km0.3%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town0.5%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas1Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes1Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches51Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Prince George has the 5th least protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (66,480 to 113,671 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
Prince George0.3%
Towns its size3.3%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Prince George1
Towns its size12
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Prince George1
Towns its size1
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Against towns its size, Prince George is weakest for public protected areas: 32 of 39 have 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 | Port Coquitlam BC | 15% | 5.6% | 125 | 3 | 30 |
| 5 | Kamloops BC | 14% | 13% | 16 | 0 | 11 |
| 6 | Saint John NB | 14% | 11% | 63 | 3 | 97 |
| 7 | Chilliwack BC | 11% | 7.7% | 36 | 4 | 26 |
| 8 | Strathcona County AB | 9.4% | 1.4% | 38 | 7 | 6 |
| 9 | Repentigny QC | 8.3% | 1.6% | 41 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Cape Breton NS | 8.2% | 8.6% | 176 | 1 | 74 |
| 11 | New Westminster BC | 8% | 0% | 83 | 4 | 9 |
| 12 | Victoria BC | 8% | 0.9% | 20 | 4 | 34 |
| 13 | Lindsay ON | 7.6% | 9.2% | 60 | 5 | 9 |
| 14 | North Vancouver BC | 7.5% | 0% | 13 | 4 | 66 |
| 15 | Mirabel QC | 5.9% | 0.3% | 76 | 1 | 2 |
| 16 | Brossard QC | 5.6% | 9.1% | 31 | 0 | 6 |
| 17 | Bolton ON | 4.8% | 5.9% | 113 | 11 | 3 |
| 18 | Fredericton NB | 4.3% | 0% | 26 | 2 | 16 |
| 19 | Chomedey QC | 3.9% | 0.1% | 43 | 0 | 2 |
| 20 | St. Albert AB | 3.4% | 2.1% | 7 | 7 | 1 |
| 21 | Welland ON | 3.2% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Granby QC | 2.5% | 3.6% | 18 | 0 | 6 |
| 23 | Simcoe ON | 2.3% | 4.7% | 102 | 5 | 36 |
| 24 | Moncton NB | 2.2% | 1.7% | 17 | 0 | 2 |
| 25 | Aurora ON | 2.2% | 0.6% | 42 | 1 | 0 |
| 26 | Nanaimo BC | 1.9% | 6.7% | 42 | 2 | 33 |
| 27 | Georgetown ON | 1.8% | 3.5% | 38 | 6 | 2 |
| 28 | Grande Prairie AB | 1.7% | 0% | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| 29 | Sault Ste. Marie ON | 1.6% | 7.5% | 10 | 0 | 3 |
| 30 | Newmarket ON | 1.3% | 1.8% | 27 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu QC | 1.1% | 1.2% | 18 | 1 | 3 |
| 32 | Saint-Jérôme QC | 1% | 0.1% | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| 33 | Chatham ON | 1% | 1% | 21 | 0 | 8 |
| 34 | Peterborough ON | 0.6% | 0% | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| 35 | Lethbridge AB | 0.4% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Prince George BC | 0.3% | 0.5% | 5 | 1 | 51 |
| 37 | Sarnia ON | 0.2% | 0.3% | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| 38 | Drummondville QC | 0.1% | 0.2% | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 39 | Medicine Hat AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 40 | Airdrie AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Where the green is in Prince George
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
30 named parks and woods to walk in near Prince George
The biggest is Pidherny Recreation Site, 633 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
30 named parks and woods, 1,018 ha in all
Parks & gardens 1,018 ha
70% of the area is in just two places: Pidherny Recreation Site and Moore's Meadow Park.
Moore's Meadow Park
Park or garden
78 ha11.6 km of path
2 h 35 minto walk all 11.6 km of path
3.5 km north-westfrom the centre
Tj's LoopBailey's Run
Directionsto a point inside
Ferguson Lake Nature Reserve
Park or garden
54 ha2.3 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.3 km of path
14 km northfrom the centre
Ferguson Lake Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Cottonwood Island Park
Park or garden
41 ha3.7 km of path
50 minto walk all 3.7 km of path
3.5 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Carrie Jane Gray Park
Park or garden
34 ha1.8 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.8 km of path
1.4 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Lheidli T'enneh Memorial Park
Park or garden
27 ha2.8 km of path
40 minto walk all 2.8 km of path
2.9 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Hudson's Bay Wetland Nature Park
Park or garden
22 ha1.5 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.5 km of path
2.6 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Wilson Park
Park or garden
17 ha1.6 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.6 km of path
2.5 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Pidherny Recreation SitePark or garden · 633 ha · 36.3 km of path
DirectionsMoore's Meadow ParkPark or garden · 78 ha · 11.6 km of path
DirectionsFerguson Lake Nature ReservePark or garden · 54 ha · 2.3 km of path
DirectionsCottonwood Island ParkPark or garden · 41 ha · 3.7 km of path
DirectionsCarrie Jane Gray ParkPark or garden · 34 ha · 1.8 km of path
DirectionsLheidli T'enneh Memorial ParkPark or garden · 27 ha · 2.8 km of path
DirectionsHudson's Bay Wetland Nature ParkPark or garden · 22 ha · 1.5 km of path
DirectionsWilson ParkPark or garden · 17 ha · 1.6 km of path
DirectionsMcMillan Creek TrailPark or garden · 12 ha · 1.7 km of path
DirectionsConnaught Hill ParkPark or garden · 13 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsNechako Riverside ParkPark or garden · 8.5 ha · 1.5 km of path
DirectionsHeather Road ParkPark or garden · 9.0 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsRainbow ParkPark or garden · 7.8 ha · 1.2 km of path
DirectionsNechako Ball ParkPark or garden · 7.7 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsLakewood ParkPark or garden · 6.0 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsGladstone ParkPark or garden · 4.5 ha · 1.6 km of path
DirectionsGordon Bryant ParkPark or garden · 5.2 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsMoran ParkPark or garden · 4.4 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsHarry Loder ParkPark or garden · 3.6 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsFreeman ParkPark or garden · 4.6 ha
DirectionsJasper ParkPark or garden · 4.4 ha
DirectionsVolunteer ParkPark or garden · 4.2 ha
DirectionsRustad ParkPark or garden · 3.5 ha
DirectionsLorne ParkPark or garden · 2.8 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsMalaspina ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsDuchess ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsVanier ParkPark or garden · 2.3 ha
DirectionsWestgate ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsBalsum ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha
DirectionsElroy Garden ParkPark or garden · 2.0 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 Prince George
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 (68%)Further (32%)
Prince George68%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
That is below the typical Canadian town (83%). That leaves about 28,000 people more than a short walk away.
Protected areas
5 protected areas lie within 10 km of Prince George
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Prince George0.5%
Within 10 km0.3%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
1 of the 5 belong to a government or an Indigenous nation. 4 more areas within 10 km are private land, held by landowners or conservation groups: counted here, not named.
West Lake ParkProvincial park · 256 ha · 7.9 km from the edge of town
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
West Lake Park, 7.9 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
West Lake Park
7.9 km south2.6 km²since 1981
There is no national park within 100 km; for big parks, Prince George has its province’s.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Prince George has 384 km of footpaths in and around it
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
384 km
in and around the town (421.6 km²)
Woodland
55%
about 229.9 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Prince GeorgeTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.9
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Prince GeorgeTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland55%
0%50%100%
More of it is wooded than in 85% of Canadian towns. It has fewer paths per km² than 59% 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
Prince George has 1 named walking route
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Local
Timberwolf Trail5.1 km
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Prince George is best on foot in May and July to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Prince George (7.5 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) | 7.9 | 9.7 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 15.9 | 17.1 | 16.6 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.4 | 7.4 |
| High (°C) | -4 | -1 | 5 | 11 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 17 | 9 | 1 | -3 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 50 | 31 | 29 | 37 | 45 | 68 | 64 | 47 | 55 | 66 | 57 | 41 |
Precipitation runs from 29 mm in March to 68 mm in June. July is the warmest month, with highs around 23 °C; January the coldest, at -4 °C. Expect around 204 cm of snow over a winter. The climate in Prince George →
Beaches
51 unnamed beaches near Prince George
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
This page can’t show water quality: no open, Canada-wide record of beach testing exists. Check local advisories first.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Near Prince George: 9 viewpoints on the map
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Cranbrook Hill tops the hills nearby, 636 m. Playgrounds lead the count with 96.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 9
Plus 6 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 5
Carney Hill633 m · in town
DirectionsConnaught Hill615 m · in town
DirectionsCranbrook Hill636 m · in town
DirectionsPlus 2 hills and peaks more.
Nature reserves 2
Ferguson Lake Nature Reservein town
DirectionsMcMillan Creek Parkin town
DirectionsPicnic sites 4
Plus 4 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 96
Fraser River Benchland Parkin town
DirectionsRotary Playgroundin town
DirectionsZimmaro Parkin town
DirectionsPlus 93 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Plus 1 campsite without a name on the map.
Slipways 2
Plus 2 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Prince George
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Electoral Area D, Fraser-Fort GeorgeElectoral Area A, Fraser-Fort GeorgeElectoral Area C, Fraser-Fort GeorgeElectoral Area F, Fraser-Fort GeorgePrince George
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prince George | 0.3% | 5 | 1 | 51 |
| Electoral Area D, Fraser-Fort George 14 km | 0.9% | 4 | 0 | 12 |
| Electoral Area A, Fraser-Fort George 15 km | 4.3% | 11 | 0 | 45 |
| Electoral Area C, Fraser-Fort George 17 km | 3.1% | 15 | 1 | 32 |
| Electoral Area F, Fraser-Fort George 18 km | 20% | 28 | 1 | 70 |
Around Electoral Area A, Fraser-Fort George, Electoral Area C, Fraser-Fort George and Electoral Area F, Fraser-Fort George the protected share is at least double.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- National and provincial parks. The nearest national park and the nearest provincial park are always shown when they are within 100 km.
- Protected land. Protected here means in CPCAD, Canada’s official list: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and other conserved land, measured within 10 km of the town’s edge.
- Walking routes. The list is OpenStreetMap’s, so a missing trail may just be unmapped. The Trans Canada Trail appears where OSM maps it.
- Private land. Private conservation land is in the totals, not the lists. Many such areas are easements on working farms or woodlots.
- 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 Prince George
What is the best season to get outdoors in Prince George?
On the normals, May and July to September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
What is the biggest park or reserve near Prince George?
West Lake Park: 256 ha, a provincial park.
How far is the nearest provincial park from Prince George?
The closest is West Lake Park, at 7.9 km.
Is Prince George near a national park?
No national park lies within 100 km of Prince George.
How much land around Prince George is protected?
Yes: 0.3% of the land within 10 km is protected.
Where can you swim near Prince George?
The beaches mapped within 5 km have no names on the map.
Where can you walk near Prince George?
Try the Timberwolf Trail.
Sources
Where Prince George’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).