First pick
Blue Heron Park
Park or garden
12 ha1.7 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.7 km of path
2.3 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Sidney Museum · CC BY-SA 3.07%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Sidney · parks, protected land & trails
Step out of Sidney and you are in Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
2.0 km from town is Ƚáu,Welṉew̱/John Dean Park, the nearest provincial park. The protected share within 10 km is 7%, where a typical Canadian town has 2.3%. 7 beaches are mapped within 5 km, the nearest Glass Beach.
Protected land
7%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
22
within 10 km, 11 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
At the edge
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
2.0 km
Ƚáu,Welṉew̱/John Dean Park
Beaches
7
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
The outdoors in Sidney, in short
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Next to a national parkGulf Islands National Park Reserve starts at the edge of townProtected land all round7% of the land within 10 km, more than 78% of Canadian townsBeaches7 beaches within 5 km
For someone who likes to get outside, Sidney’s draw is Gulf Islands National Park Reserve on its doorstep, with protected land around it close behind.
Against other towns
Sidney 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. Canada’s grades don’t include the outdoors, so this page compares the figures rather than grading them.
Protected within 10 km7%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town0.6%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas11Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes0Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches7Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Sidney comes 6th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (13,171 to 13,710 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
Sidney7%
Towns its size3.6%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Sidney11
Towns its size5
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Sidney0
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
For public protected areas, Sidney sits near the top of its size group: 8 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Semiahmoo Town Centre BC | 21% | 0.8% | 103 | 2 | 4 |
| 2 | Bathurst NB | 20% | 2.6% | 13 | 1 | 17 |
| 3 | West Point Grey BC | 14% | 0.5% | 11 | 1 | 65 |
| 4 | Glebe-Dows Lake ON | 12% | 11% | 36 | 5 | 5 |
| 5 | Beaurivage QC | 8.1% | 0% | 30 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | Sidney BC | 7% | 0.6% | 22 | 0 | 7 |
| 7 | Saint-Jean-Vianney QC | 6.9% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 5 |
| 8 | Terrace BC | 6.7% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 4 |
| 9 | Durand ON | 6.3% | 0% | 24 | 1 | 3 |
| 10 | Pine Grove ON | 6.2% | 37% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Cloverdale BC | 6% | 0.4% | 160 | 5 | 0 |
| 12 | Bonnyville No. 87 AB | 5.5% | 1% | 13 | 0 | 20 |
| 13 | Dolbeau-Mistassini QC | 5.4% | 6.6% | 19 | 0 | 12 |
| 14 | E-F-K-Section (bramalea) ON | 5% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 15 | Springdale ON | 4.9% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 16 | Montcalm QC | 4.7% | 0% | 17 | 1 | 3 |
| 17 | Aloha Estates BC | 4.3% | 2% | 111 | 2 | 0 |
| 18 | Vanier QC | 4.2% | 0% | 15 | 1 | 3 |
| 19 | L'Aéroport QC | 4% | 0% | 33 | 1 | 3 |
| 20 | Stittsville North ON | 3.7% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Thornhill Woods ON | 3.5% | 2% | 29 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Centennial Scarborough ON | 3.5% | 8.1% | 14 | 0 | 7 |
| 23 | Ionview ON | 2.6% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 5 |
| 24 | Yonge-St.Clair ON | 2.5% | 0% | 14 | 3 | 4 |
| 25 | Douglasdale/Glen AB | 2.2% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 19 |
| 26 | Palmerston-Little Italy ON | 2.1% | 0% | 11 | 6 | 17 |
| 27 | West Queen West ON | 2.1% | 0% | 11 | 6 | 24 |
| 28 | Corso Italia-Davenport ON | 1.4% | 0% | 11 | 2 | 8 |
| 29 | Dawson Creek BC | 1% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Signal Hill AB | 0.9% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Beaverton ON | 0.8% | 1.1% | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Streetsville ON | 0.7% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Perth East ON | 0.5% | 1.7% | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| 34 | Mount Dennis ON | 0.2% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 35 | Rossmere-A MB | 0.2% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Huntington Hills AB | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Wetaskiwin AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Walker AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 39 | Lorette MB | 0% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Redstone AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
The green map of Sidney
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
19 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Sidney
Blue Heron Park is the largest, at 12 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
19 named parks and woods, 41 ha in all
Parks & gardens 41 ha
42% of the area is in just two places: Blue Heron Park and Reay Creek Park.
Reay Creek Park
Park or garden
4.9 ha0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
2.0 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Rotary Park
Park or garden · 80 m outside town
4.7 ha
2.2 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Iroquois Park
Park or garden
2.9 ha0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
1.2 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Peter Grant Park
Park or garden
2.7 ha0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
2.0 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Tulista Park
Park or garden
2.4 ha0.8 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.8 km of path
1.4 km southfrom the centre
Sidney Waterfront Walkway
Directionsto a point inside
Rathdown Park
Park or garden
2.0 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
0.8 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Brethour Park
Park or garden
2.2 ha0.5 km of path
1.3 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 19 named parks and green spaces
Blue Heron ParkPark or garden · 12 ha · 1.7 km of path
DirectionsReay Creek ParkPark or garden · 4.9 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsRotary ParkPark or garden · 4.7 ha · just outside town
DirectionsIroquois ParkPark or garden · 2.9 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsPeter Grant ParkPark or garden · 2.7 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsTulista ParkPark or garden · 2.4 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsRathdown ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsBrethour ParkPark or garden · 2.2 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsLillian Hoffar ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsResthaven ParkPark or garden · 1.2 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsResthaven Linear ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsMelville ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsRose GardenPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsBeacon ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsWaterfront WalkwayPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsMelissa PlaygroundPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsBeaver ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha
DirectionsMermaid ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsBevan 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
9 in 10 people in Sidney 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 (94%)Further (6.4%)
Sidney94%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
A typical Canadian town reaches only 83%. For about 900 people, the nearest park is over 400 m away.
Protected areas
7% of the country within 10 km of Sidney 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 Sidney0.6%
Within 10 km7%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public ownership covers 11 of the 22. Gulf Islands National Park Reserve covers 6,731 ha, the most of any named area. The figures include 11 private conservation areas, left unnamed.
Gulf Islands National Park ReserveNational park reserve · 6,731 ha · reaches Sidney
Shoal Harbour Migratory Bird SanctuaryWildlife area · 146 ha · reaches Sidney
Horth Hill Regional ParkMunicipal park · 36 ha · 1.7 km from the edge of town
Ƚáu,Welṉew̱/John Dean ParkProvincial park · 173 ha · 2.0 km from the edge of town
Coles Bay Regional ParkMunicipal park · 3.6 ha · 3.4 km from the edge of town
Satellite Channel Ecological ReserveNature reserve · 340 ha · 5.1 km from the edge of town
Island View Beach Regional ParkMunicipal park · 53 ha · 6.2 km from the edge of town
Mount Tuam Ecological ReserveNature reserve · 362 ha · 6.6 km from the edge of town
Gowlland Tod ParkProvincial park · 1,280 ha · 8.2 km from the edge of town
Bamberton ParkProvincial park · 27 ha · 8.4 km from the edge of town
1 more named area within 10 km is in the comparison figures.
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 Sidney
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
National park reserve
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
At the edge67 km²since 2010
Provincial park
Ƚáu,Welṉew̱/John Dean Park
2.0 km south-west1.7 km²since 1921
Provincial park
Gowlland Tod Park
8.2 km south-west13 km²since 1995
Provincial park
Bamberton Park
8.4 km south-west0.3 km²since 1960
Within 10 km are 3 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
Paths to walk: 36 km in and around Sidney
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
36 km
in and around the town (19.3 km²)
Woodland
2.4%
about 0.5 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
SidneyTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths1.9
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
SidneyTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland2.4%
0%50%100%
For woods, 73% of Canadian towns have more. For path density, it beats 54% 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
No named walking route passes Sidney on the map
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
There is no mapped walking route within 2 km of the town; a local trail club’s maps may show more.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Get out in Sidney in May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Victoria (Airport) (1.9 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 | 15.8 | 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 |
From 7 °C in December to 23 °C in July: that is the range of daytime highs. For dry weather, July is best (20 mm); January gets 155 mm. The yearly snowfall is near 39 cm. The climate in Sidney →
Beaches
Sidney has 7 beaches close by
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Glass Beachin town
DirectionsOpenStreetMap shows 6 more, nameless. OpenStreetMap maps 103 km of coastline within 5 km. For water quality, look to the local health unit: no open beach-testing data covers Canada.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
5 viewpoints near Sidney
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Most numerous: playgrounds (25).
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 5
Plus 5 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 25
Plus 25 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Smonećten (McDonald) Campground0.8 km from town
DirectionsSlipways 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 Sidney
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
North SaanichEast Saanich 2Central SaanichElectoral Area A, Cowichan ValleyCobble HillHighlandsSidney
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sidney | 7% | 22 | 0 | 7 |
| North Saanich 2.4 km | 9.2% | 37 | 0 | 24 |
| East Saanich 2 7.4 km | 9.4% | 21 | 0 | 2 |
| Central Saanich 9.4 km | 9.2% | 35 | 2 | 29 |
| Electoral Area A, Cowichan Valley 11 km | 23% | 58 | 4 | 24 |
| Cobble Hill 13 km | 6.6% | 51 | 0 | 6 |
| Highlands 15 km | 24% | 40 | 0 | 18 |
Electoral Area A, Cowichan Valley has the most mapped walking routes nearby: 4. For protected land, Electoral Area A, Cowichan Valley and Highlands have twice as much or more.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
- Walking routes. Routes are what OpenStreetMap’s volunteers have mapped as named walking or hiking routes; many good trails aren’t mapped that way.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- National and provincial parks. A park at 0 km touches or overlaps the town’s outline; directions point from the town’s centre.
- 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.
Questions about the outdoors in Sidney
Where can you swim near Sidney?
Try Glass Beach, in town, first of several.
Are there protected areas near Sidney?
Yes: 7% of the land within 10 km is protected.
Which is the biggest protected area near Sidney?
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, a national park reserve of 6,731 ha.
Is there a provincial park near Sidney?
It is Ƚáu,Welṉew̱/John Dean Park, 2.0 km away.
Is Sidney near a national park?
Yes: Gulf Islands National Park Reserve reaches the edge of Sidney.
When should you visit Sidney for the outdoors?
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
The sources behind Sidney’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).