First pick
Stubbs Island
Wood or forest · 290 m outside town
55 ha
2.2 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Buiobuione · CC BY-SA 4.041%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Tofino · parks, protected land & trails
Tofino borders Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Within 10 km of the town, 41% of the land is protected, against 2.3% around a typical Canadian town. For a swim, Chesterman Beach is the nearest of 34 beaches within 5 km. Vargas Island Park is the closest provincial park, at 2.2 km.
Protected land
41%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
14
within 10 km, 11 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
At the edge
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
2.2 km
Vargas Island Park
Beaches
34
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What sets Tofino apart outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Next to a national parkPacific Rim National Park Reserve starts at the edge of townProtected land all round41% of the land within 10 km, more than 99% of Canadian townsBeaches34 beaches within 5 kmProtected land in town21% of Tofino itself lies in protected areas
Tofino is strongest on Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on its doorstep, with protected land around it close behind.
Against other towns
Each figure for Tofino, 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. No letter: the outdoors is described for Canadian towns, not graded.
Protected within 10 km41%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town21%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
Beaches34Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
No town of the 40 its size has more protected land around it than Tofino
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (2,737 to 2,808 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
Tofino41%
Towns its size2.9%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Tofino11
Towns its size8
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Tofino0
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
For protected land nearby, Tofino tops all 39 other towns its size.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tofino BC | 41% | 21% | 14 | 0 | 34 |
| 2 | Victoria County, Subdivision A NS | 33% | 54% | 152 | 3 | 59 |
| 3 | Highlands BC | 24% | 41% | 40 | 0 | 18 |
| 4 | Atikokan ON | 19% | 1.1% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Electoral Area E, Peace River BC | 19% | 24% | 25 | 2 | 103 |
| 6 | Holyrood NL | 19% | 3.2% | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 7 | Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel QC | 18% | 23% | 83 | 0 | 4 |
| 8 | Little Current ON | 13% | 10% | 36 | 0 | 5 |
| 9 | Waterridge Village ON | 11% | 9.2% | 39 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Maria QC | 9.5% | 1% | 24 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Cultus Lake BC | 9.3% | 52% | 14 | 1 | 17 |
| 12 | Rivière-Beaudette QC | 7.6% | 0.1% | 8 | 0 | 2 |
| 13 | Marritt ON | 7.2% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Vernon River PE | 5.1% | 4.5% | 48 | 11 | 3 |
| 15 | Cochrane, Unorganized, North Part ON | 5.1% | 4.9% | 81 | 0 | 28 |
| 16 | Yamachiche QC | 5% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Front of Yonge ON | 4.9% | 6% | 15 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Sainte-Luce QC | 4% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 1 |
| 19 | Vars ON | 3.8% | 1.4% | 10 | 0 | 1 |
| 20 | Saint-Charles-de-Bellechasse QC | 3.6% | 0% | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Wakefield NB | 2.2% | 0.8% | 22 | 0 | 13 |
| 22 | Rosthern No. 403 SK | 2.2% | 2.6% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Sussex NB | 2.1% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 3 |
| 24 | Lacolle QC | 1.9% | 1.1% | 34 | 1 | 3 |
| 25 | Woodcroft AB | 1.9% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Gore QC | 1.6% | 2.3% | 18 | 0 | 3 |
| 27 | Saint-Prime QC | 1.5% | 3.4% | 10 | 0 | 7 |
| 28 | Turner Valley AB | 1.4% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Mathers MB | 1.4% | 0% | 24 | 0 | 1 |
| 30 | Electoral Area H, Cowichan Valley BC | 1.1% | 3.5% | 28 | 3 | 6 |
| 31 | Upper Mount Royal AB | 0.8% | 0% | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 32 | Souris MB | 0.5% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Grimshaw AB | 0.5% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Talbot-Grey MB | 0.5% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Downtown West End AB | 0.5% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 36 | Electoral Area I, Central Kootenay BC | 0.2% | 0.1% | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| 37 | Rivergrove MB | 0.2% | 4.7% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Wickham QC | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 39 | Kameyosek AB | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 40 | Kuujjuaq QC | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1 |
The map
Parks, woods and paths around Tofino
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
4 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Tofino
Largest first: Stubbs Island leads with 55 ha. Numbers match the map.
4 named parks and woods, 60 ha in all
Parks & gardens 4.9 haWoods 55 ha
98% of the area is in just two places: Stubbs Island and Naa’Waya’Sum Coastal Indigenous Gardens.
Naa’Waya’Sum Coastal Indigenous Gardens
Park or garden
3.6 ha0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
2.1 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Village Green
Park or garden
0.9 ha0.1 km of path
Centralin the middle of Tofino
Directionsto a point inside
Centennial Park
Park or garden
0.3 ha0.1 km of path
Centralin the middle of Tofino
Directionsto a point inside
Source: 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 3 in 10 in Tofino
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 (33%)Further (67%)
Tofino33%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
In the typical Canadian town the share is 83%, higher than here. About 1,900 residents live further than 400 m from one.
Protected areas
41% of the land around Tofino 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 Tofino21%
Within 10 km41%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Of those 14, 11 are public and the remainder private. Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is the biggest, 51,000 ha. 3 areas belong to private owners or land trusts and aren’t named here.
Pacific Rim National Park ReserveNational park · 51,000 ha · reaches Tofino
Wanačas-Hiłḥuuʔis CONSERVANCYProtected area · 5,366 ha · reaches Tofino
Tofino Mudflats Wildlife Management AreaWildlife area · 1,582 ha · reaches Tofino
Vargas Island ParkProvincial park · 5,805 ha · 2.2 km from the edge of town
Supitsaqtuʔis CONSERVANCYProtected area · 1,272 ha · 3.3 km from the edge of town
Dawley Passage ParkProvincial park · 154 ha · 4.4 km from the edge of town
Unaacuł-Ḥiłsyakƛis CONSERVANCYProtected area · 12,104 ha · 4.9 km from the edge of town
ƛułpic CONSERVANCYProtected area · 1,168 ha · 5.1 km from the edge of town
Epper Passage ParkProvincial park · 328 ha · 6.1 km from the edge of town
Waʔuus čaʔakminḥ CONSERVANCYProtected area · 52 ha · 8.2 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
Big parks near Tofino
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
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
At the edge510 km²since 1970
Provincial park
Vargas Island Park
2.2 km north-west58 km²since 1995
Provincial park
Dawley Passage Park
4.4 km east1.5 km²since 1995
Provincial park
Epper Passage Park
6.1 km north-west3.3 km²since 1995
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
Tofino has 29 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
29 km
in and around the town (43.2 km²)
Woodland
34%
about 14.6 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
TofinoTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.7
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
TofinoTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland34%
0%50%100%
For woods, it beats 76% of Canadian towns. For path density, 62% of Canadian towns do better.
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 mapped walking route near Tofino
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
The map shows no named route near the town. That says more about OpenStreetMap’s coverage than about the paths on the ground.
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 Tofino: June to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Estevan Point, 53 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 | 10.1 | 11.7 | 13.6 | 15.3 | 16.2 | 15.8 | 14.4 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.0 | 8.2 |
| High (°C) | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 8 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 445 | 288 | 299 | 257 | 134 | 119 | 74 | 112 | 162 | 335 | 454 | 431 |
August is the warmest month, with highs around 18 °C; January the coldest, at 8 °C. Most rain and snow falls in November, 454 mm; July sees 74 mm. The climate in Tofino →
Beaches
Tofino has 34 beaches close by
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Chesterman Beachsand · in town
DirectionsShell Beachin town
DirectionsThird Beachin town
DirectionsTonquin Beachsand · in town
DirectionsMiddle Beachsand · 0.1 km from town
DirectionsCox Bay Beachsand · 0.2 km from town
DirectionsTinwissand · 0.2 km from town
DirectionsRadar Beachessand · 2.5 km from town
DirectionsRassier Beachsand · 3.5 km from town
DirectionsMedallion Beachsand · 4.1 km from town
DirectionsUnnamed on the map: 23 more. OpenStreetMap marks 9 as sandy. The coast is close: 243 km of shoreline within 5 km. Canada publishes no open register of beach water tests; the local public health unit posts swimming advisories.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
12 viewpoints near Tofino
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
The most common are hills and peaks: 33 on the map. For a climb, Radar Hill rises to 123 m.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 12
Mushroom Islandin town
DirectionsCox Bay Trail0.5 km from town
DirectionsPlus 10 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 33
Barrs Mountain80 m · in town
DirectionsVargas Cone117 m · 0.6 km from town
DirectionsRadar Hill123 m · 1.2 km from town
DirectionsWickaninnish Island67 m · 1.9 km from town
DirectionsPlus 29 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 2
Plus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 5
Plus 5 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 3
Bella Pacifica Campgroundin town
DirectionsOcean Campingin town
DirectionsSurf Grove Campgroundin town
DirectionsSlipways 6
Remote Passages0.0 km from town
DirectionsTofino Boat Lanuch0.0 km from town
DirectionsG & N Towing Ltd0.0 km from town
DirectionsKayak Launch0.0 km from town
DirectionsCermaq Canada0.1 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 slipway without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Tofino
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page. Distances here run 22–79 km: that is how far the nearest places with figures are from Tofino.
Electoral Area C, Alberni-ClayoquotUclueletElectoral Area D, Alberni-ClayoquotGold RiverElectoral Area E, Alberni-ClayoquotTofino
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tofino | 41% | 14 | 0 | 34 |
| Electoral Area C, Alberni-Clayoquot 22 km | 35% | 42 | 7 | 85 |
| Ucluelet 35 km | 10% | 4 | 5 | 10 |
| Electoral Area D, Alberni-Clayoquot 70 km | 29% | 19 | 18 | 10 |
| Gold River 71 km | 9.7% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electoral Area E, Alberni-Clayoquot 79 km | 1.9% | 10 | 15 | 2 |
Its neighbours have no more than twice Tofino’s protected share. For walking routes, Electoral Area D, Alberni-Clayoquot leads the area with 18.
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.
- 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.
- Private land. Areas held by land trusts or private owners stay unnamed here, though they count in the shares.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- Walking routes. The list is OpenStreetMap’s, so a missing trail may just be unmapped. The Trans Canada Trail appears where OSM maps it.
Questions about the outdoors in Tofino
What is the nearest provincial park to Tofino?
Vargas Island Park, 2.2 km from the edge of town.
When should you visit Tofino for the outdoors?
June to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
Is Tofino near a national park?
Yes: Pacific Rim National Park Reserve reaches the edge of Tofino.
Which is the biggest protected area near Tofino?
It is Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, a national park covering 51,000 ha.
Where can you swim near Tofino?
Try Chesterman Beach, in town, first of several.
How much land around Tofino is protected?
Protected areas cover 41% of the land within 10 km.
Sources
Sources for this page on Tofino
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).