First pick
Cobble Hill Mountain Regional Recreation Area
Park or garden
407 ha28.5 km of path
6 h 20 minto walk all 28.5 km of path
5.0 km northfrom the centre
Buck TrailWolf TrailBear Trail+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada · CC BY 2.022%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Shawnigan · parks, protected land & trails
Shawnigan is 11 km from Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Within 10 km of the town, 22% of the land is protected, against 2.3% around a typical Canadian town. 66 protected areas lie within 10 km. OpenStreetMap shows 4 walking routes nearby, including the Trans-Canada Trail - Cowichan Valley Trail and The Great Trail - Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail.
Protected land
22%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
66
within 10 km, 31 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
11 km
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Memory Island Park
Walking routes
4
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
8
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
Where Shawnigan 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 awayProtected land all round22% of the land within 10 km, more than 96% of Canadian townsMany protected areas31 public areas within 10 kmWalking routes4 named routes within 2 km
What Shawnigan has most to offer outdoors is Gulf Islands National Park Reserve within easy reach, with protected land around it close behind.
Against other towns
Each figure for Shawnigan, 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. 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 km22%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town6.4%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas31Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes4Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches8Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Shawnigan comes 2nd of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (9,742 to 10,062 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
Shawnigan22%
Towns its size1.5%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Shawnigan31
Towns its size4
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Shawnigan4
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Among its peers, Shawnigan’s strong point is protected land nearby, where 1 of 39 tops it.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electoral Area C (Puntledge - Black Creek), Comox Valley BC | 22% | 12% | 74 | 1 | 7 |
| 2 | Shawnigan BC | 22% | 6.4% | 66 | 4 | 8 |
| 3 | Kitimat BC | 20% | 6.6% | 10 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Shediac NB | 18% | 5.4% | 20 | 0 | 4 |
| 5 | Hatchet Lake NS | 14% | 36% | 53 | 4 | 23 |
| 6 | Lac-Deschênes QC | 14% | 49% | 32 | 3 | 10 |
| 7 | South Cambie BC | 8.6% | 0% | 13 | 2 | 49 |
| 8 | M-Section (bramalea) ON | 5.4% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Argyle North SK | 4.5% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Elizabethtown-Kitley ON | 4.2% | 1.7% | 25 | 1 | 2 |
| 11 | Glastonbury AB | 4.2% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | The Valleys of Thornhill ON | 3.8% | 12% | 34 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Acadia AB | 3.8% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| 14 | Mono ON | 3.7% | 6.4% | 56 | 7 | 1 |
| 15 | Van Kirk ON | 3.2% | 0% | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| 16 | Guildwood ON | 2.2% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 6 |
| 17 | Rosenberg ON | 2.2% | 9.1% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Laurentian Hills ON | 1.8% | 0% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Blind Bay BC | 1.6% | 1.5% | 15 | 0 | 8 |
| 20 | Bridle Path-Sunnybrook-York Mills ON | 1.5% | 3.9% | 12 | 2 | 1 |
| 21 | Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier QC | 1.4% | 0.1% | 27 | 0 | 16 |
| 22 | Wiarton ON | 1.4% | 2.4% | 64 | 3 | 55 |
| 23 | Ladysmith BC | 1.4% | 0% | 16 | 1 | 2 |
| 24 | Vincent ON | 1.3% | 3.1% | 14 | 4 | 7 |
| 25 | Lac-Saint-Charles QC | 1% | 1.6% | 21 | 1 | 4 |
| 26 | Caledonia-Fairbank ON | 0.9% | 0% | 11 | 2 | 1 |
| 27 | Willowgrove SK | 0.8% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 2 |
| 28 | Roberval QC | 0.6% | 0.1% | 8 | 0 | 7 |
| 29 | Thamesford ON | 0.5% | 0.4% | 15 | 4 | 0 |
| 30 | Malahide ON | 0.5% | 0% | 8 | 3 | 5 |
| 31 | Stanley MB | 0.5% | 0.8% | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 32 | Maple Leaf ON | 0.5% | 0% | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| 33 | Penbrooke Meadows AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Pineridge AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Springbank Hill AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 36 | River Valley Oleskiw AB | 0.3% | 0% | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 37 | Devonshire ON | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Bridgewater NS | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Mineola ON | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| 40 | Palmerston ON | 0% | 0.2% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
The map
The green map of Shawnigan
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 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Shawnigan
Cobble Hill Mountain Regional Recreation Area is the largest, at 407 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
30 named parks and woods, 744 ha in all
Parks & gardens 744 ha
Cobble Hill Mountain Regional Recreation Area plus Old Baldy Mountain Park account for 69% of the green.
Old Baldy Mountain Park
Park or garden
103 ha1.4 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.4 km of path
3.1 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Trials Bike Trails (Lot 273) Recreation Site
Park or garden
83 ha1.9 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.9 km of path
6.5 km southfrom the centre
Cowichan Valley Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Kinsol Trestle Trail Recreation Site
Park or garden
22 ha1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1 km of path
3.8 km north-westfrom the centre
Kinsol Trestle Forest TrailDragon tailKinsol Trestle
Directionsto a point inside
Wrigglesworth Lake Regional Park
Park or garden · 380 m outside town
16 ha
16 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Stebbings Road Park
Park or garden
12 ha1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
11 km southfrom the centre
Cowichan Valley Trail - Malahat Connector
Directionsto a point inside
Old Mill Park
Park or garden
6.9 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
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Cobble Hill Mountain Regional Recreation AreaPark or garden · 407 ha · 28.5 km of path
DirectionsOld Baldy Mountain ParkPark or garden · 103 ha · 1.4 km of path
DirectionsTrials Bike Trails (Lot 273) Recreation SitePark or garden · 83 ha · 1.9 km of path
DirectionsTrestle Estates ParkPark or garden · 31 ha
DirectionsKinsol Trestle Trail Recreation SitePark or garden · 22 ha · 1 km of path
DirectionsWrigglesworth Lake Regional ParkPark or garden · 16 ha · just outside town
DirectionsStebbings Road ParkPark or garden · 12 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsOld Mill ParkPark or garden · 6.9 ha · 1.8 km of path
DirectionsSiddoo Regional ParkPark or garden · 7.9 ha
DirectionsKingburne ParkPark or garden · 6.0 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsSilvermine TrailPark or garden · 4.4 ha · 1.2 km of path
DirectionsBonanza Bluffs Recreation SitePark or garden · 4.1 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsShawnigan Hills Athletic ParkPark or garden · 3.8 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsShawnigan West Arm ParkPark or garden · 5.5 ha
DirectionsSilvermine ParkPark or garden · 3.8 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsIngot Drive ParkPark or garden · 4.4 ha
DirectionsElkington ParkPark or garden · 4.3 ha
DirectionsCampbell ParkPark or garden · 2.8 ha
DirectionsTaylor ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsDougan ParkPark or garden · 2.2 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsKinsol South ParkPark or garden · 2.1 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsElsie Miles ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsNugget ParkPark or garden · 1.5 ha
DirectionsCourtney Way ParkPark or garden · 1.2 ha
DirectionsMalahat TrailPark or garden · 1.2 ha · just outside town
DirectionsIda CVT AccessPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsMountain ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha
DirectionsGibsons ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsShawnigan Wharf ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha
DirectionsMasons Beach ParkPark or garden · 1.0 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
6 in 10 people in Shawnigan 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 (57%)Further (43%)
Shawnigan57%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
That leaves about 4,200 people more than a short walk away. That is below the typical Canadian town (83%).
Protected areas
Within 10 km of Shawnigan, 22% is protected land
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Shawnigan6.4%
Within 10 km22%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Governments hold 31 of the 66, and private owners the rest. Biggest of the named areas: Greater Victoria Water Supply Area, 20,620 ha. 23 areas belong to private owners or land trusts and aren’t named here.
Greater Victoria Water Supply AreaProtected area · 20,620 ha · reaches Shawnigan
Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional ParkMunicipal park · 4,120 ha · reaches Shawnigan
Koksilah River ParkProvincial park · 230 ha · reaches Shawnigan
Hwsalu-Utsum ParkProvincial park · 143 ha · reaches Shawnigan
Spectacle Lake ParkProvincial park · 67 ha · reaches Shawnigan
West Shawnigan Lake ParkProvincial park · 9.7 ha · reaches Shawnigan
Memory Island ParkProvincial park · 0.9 ha · reaches Shawnigan
Wrigglesworth Lake Regional ParkMunicipal park · 16 ha · 0.4 km from the edge of town
Bamberton ParkProvincial park · 27 ha · 1.0 km from the edge of town
Gowlland Tod ParkProvincial park · 1,280 ha · 2.7 km from the edge of town
6 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
The parks within reach of Shawnigan
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
Koksilah River Park
At the edge2.3 km²since 1959
Provincial park
Hwsalu-Utsum Park
At the edge1.4 km²since 2021
Provincial park
Spectacle Lake Park
At the edge0.7 km²since 1963
Provincial park
West Shawnigan Lake Park
At the edge0.1 km²since 1979
Provincial park
Memory Island Park
At the edge0.0 km²since 1945
Provincial park
Bamberton Park
1.0 km south-east0.3 km²since 1960
7 provincial parks lie 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
290 km of paths in and around Shawnigan
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
290 km
in and around the town (426 km²)
Woodland
90%
about 385.4 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
ShawniganTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.7
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
ShawniganTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland90%
0%50%100%
It has fewer paths per km² than 63% of Canadian towns. For woods, it beats 100% 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 Trans-Canada Trail - Cowichan Valley Trail runs past Shawnigan
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
NationalRegional
Trans-Canada Trail - Cowichan Valley Trail127.5 km
The Great Trail - Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail13.1 km
Vancouver Island Trail742.1 km
Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail13.2 km
The Trans-Canada Trail - Cowichan Valley Trail (128 km) keeps within 2 km of town for 31.5 km. The Vancouver Island Trail is the big one locally: 742.1 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Shawnigan is best on foot in May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Victoria (Airport) (16 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) | 8.7 | 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 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 14 | 10 | 7 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 155 | 85 | 80 | 48 | 37 | 29 | 20 | 24 | 36 | 96 | 146 | 146 |
Expect around 39 cm of snow over a winter. July is the warmest month, with highs around 23 °C; December the coldest, at 7 °C. Precipitation runs from 20 mm in July to 155 mm in January. The climate in Shawnigan →
Beaches
8 beaches within 5 km of Shawnigan, none named
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Within 5 km is 75 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
Near Shawnigan: 26 viewpoints, 2 waterfalls
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
26Viewpoints55Hills and peaks2Waterfalls3Nature reserves3Picnic sites20Playgrounds1Dog parks5Campsites2Slipways
Look up to Survey Mountain: 933 m. Count 55 hills and peaks, the biggest group.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 26
Plus 26 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 55
Cobble Hill329 m · in town
DirectionsEagle Heights817 m · in town
DirectionsMount Lazar840 m · in town
DirectionsMount Wood603 m · in town
DirectionsOld Baldy Mountain464 m · in town
DirectionsMount Jeffrey586 m · 0.6 km from town
DirectionsSheepshanks Hill398 m · 1.4 km from town
DirectionsSurvey Mountain933 m · 1.7 km from town
DirectionsPlus 47 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 2
Plus 2 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 3
Memory Island Provincial Parkin town
DirectionsShawnigan Creek Nature Parkin town
DirectionsSpectacle Lake Provincial Parkin town
DirectionsDog parks 1
South Cowichan Off-Leash Dog Park0.8 km from town
DirectionsCampsites 5
Sol Sante Clubin town
DirectionsSunny Daze Campgroundin town
DirectionsBamberton Provincial Park Campground1.4 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 Shawnigan
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Electoral Area A, Cowichan ValleyCobble HillCowichan BayCowichanElectoral Area E, Cowichan ValleyDuncanShawnigan
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawnigan | 22% | 66 | 4 | 8 |
| Electoral Area A, Cowichan Valley 6.6 km | 23% | 58 | 4 | 24 |
| Cobble Hill 7.0 km | 6.6% | 51 | 0 | 6 |
| Cowichan Bay 9.6 km | 4.2% | 64 | 2 | 10 |
| Cowichan 13 km | 5.9% | 58 | 3 | 4 |
| Electoral Area E, Cowichan Valley 13 km | 2.8% | 42 | 3 | 2 |
| Duncan 15 km | 1.9% | 31 | 2 | 1 |
Next door, protected shares stay within twice Shawnigan’s.
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.
- National and provincial parks. The nearest national park and the nearest provincial park are always shown when they are within 100 km.
- Walking routes. The list is OpenStreetMap’s, so a missing trail may just be unmapped. The Trans Canada Trail appears where OSM maps it.
- Beaches. Beaches are OpenStreetMap’s, named or not; in the north many are unnamed shoreline imports.
- 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.
Questions about the outdoors in Shawnigan
Is Shawnigan near a national park?
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is closest, at 11 km.
What walking routes are near Shawnigan?
OpenStreetMap maps the Trans-Canada Trail - Cowichan Valley Trail, The Great Trail - Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail and Vancouver Island Trail close by, with others.
Is there a beach near Shawnigan?
There are beaches within 5 km, none of them named.
Is there protected land near Shawnigan?
Within 10 km, 22% of the land lies in protected areas.
What is the largest protected area near Shawnigan?
It is Greater Victoria Water Supply Area, a protected area covering 20,620 ha.
Is there a provincial park near Shawnigan?
Memory Island Park begins at the town’s edge.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Shawnigan?
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 Shawnigan’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).