First pick
Fraser River Park
Park or garden
9.4 ha1.8 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.8 km of path
1.5 km westfrom the centre
Fraser River Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: formulanone · CC BY-SA 2.017%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Marpole · parks, protected land & trails
Few places match Marpole for protected land nearby: more than 9 in 10 Canadian towns
The closest of Canada’s national parks is Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, at 38 km. Biggest among them: Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management Area, 7,775 ha, 3.4 km off. Mount Seymour Park is the closest provincial park, at 15 km.
Protected land
17%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
13
within 10 km, 11 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
38 km
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
15 km
Mount Seymour Park
Beaches
5
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What sets Marpole apart outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round17% of the land within 10 km, more than 94% of Canadian townsBeaches5 beaches within 5 km
Out of doors, Marpole leads with protected land around it, with its beaches close behind.
Against other towns
How Marpole compares with 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. No letter: the outdoors is described for Canadian towns, not graded.
Protected within 10 km17%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town0%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
Beaches5Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Among 40 towns its size, Marpole ranks 3rd for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (27,031 to 29,234 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
Marpole17%
Towns its size3.4%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Marpole11
Towns its size8
Towns in British Columbia14
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Marpole0
Towns its size0
Towns in British Columbia1
Typical Canadian town0
Against towns its size, Marpole does best for protected land nearby: 2 of the other 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Squamish BC | 30% | 21% | 20 | 3 | 20 |
| 2 | Du Plateau QC | 22% | 25% | 48 | 4 | 9 |
| 3 | Marpole BC | 17% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 5 |
| 4 | Bedford NS | 15% | 2.3% | 29 | 11 | 5 |
| 5 | Austinville NS | 11% | 0% | 27 | 7 | 17 |
| 6 | Kitsilano BC | 10% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 68 |
| 7 | René-Lévesque QC | 8.1% | 0% | 23 | 1 | 5 |
| 8 | Montagne QC | 7.7% | 42% | 20 | 1 | 5 |
| 9 | Ebenezer East ON | 7.5% | 6.6% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Parc-Kent QC | 5.4% | 0% | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Stonebridge - Half Moon Bay ON | 5% | 0.8% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Laurendeau QC | 4.9% | 0% | 27 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Marie-Victorin QC | 4.7% | 0% | 22 | 0 | 2 |
| 14 | La Prairie QC | 4.6% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 2 |
| 15 | King ON | 4.1% | 2.7% | 94 | 6 | 1 |
| 16 | Sandalwood West (sunny Meadow) ON | 4.1% | 4.4% | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| 17 | Collingwood ON | 3.9% | 0.2% | 15 | 0 | 3 |
| 18 | Duberger—Les Saules QC | 3.7% | 0% | 29 | 1 | 4 |
| 19 | Vieux-Rosemont QC | 3.7% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| 20 | Grandview-Woodland BC | 3.5% | 0% | 12 | 4 | 51 |
| 21 | Agincourt North ON | 3.3% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Wasaga Beach ON | 3% | 21% | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| 23 | Clairlea-Birchmount ON | 2.7% | 2.4% | 15 | 0 | 12 |
| 24 | Golfdale-Cedarbrae-Woburn ON | 2.7% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 4 |
| 25 | York University Heights ON | 2.7% | 1.2% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Thetford Mines QC | 2.4% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| 27 | West Hill ON | 2.4% | 15% | 16 | 0 | 6 |
| 28 | Harbourfront-CityPlace ON | 2.2% | 0% | 12 | 7 | 42 |
| 29 | Tam O'Shanter-Sullivan ON | 2.2% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Wexford/Maryvale ON | 2% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 5 |
| 31 | Parc-Extension QC | 1.6% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Banbury-Don Mills ON | 1.6% | 2.4% | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| 33 | Picton ON | 1.5% | 3.6% | 31 | 1 | 13 |
| 34 | South Riverdale ON | 1.5% | 16% | 12 | 9 | 49 |
| 35 | Argyle ON | 1.5% | 0.3% | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| 36 | Auteuil QC | 1.4% | 0% | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Beamsville ON | 1.2% | 1.3% | 26 | 5 | 9 |
| 38 | Sainte-Thérèse QC | 1% | 0% | 23 | 2 | 0 |
| 39 | Rathwood ON | 0.4% | 0% | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 40 | Amherstburg ON | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 4 |
The map
Where the green is in Marpole
The neighbourhood’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
16 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Marpole
The biggest is Fraser River Park, 9.4 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
16 named parks and woods, 31 ha in all
Parks & gardens 31 ha
Two places, Fraser River Park and Winona Park, make up 48% of the total.
Oak Park
Park or garden
5.7 ha0.8 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.8 km of path
Centralin the middle of Marpole
Directionsto a point inside
Cambie Park
Park or garden · 220 m outside town
1.1 ha
1.3 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Park Site on Shaughnessy Street
Park or garden
0.6 ha0.2 km of path
1.1 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 16 named parks and green spaces
Fraser River ParkPark or garden · 9.4 ha · 1.8 km of path
DirectionsOak ParkPark or garden · 5.7 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsWinona ParkPark or garden · 5.7 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsRiverview ParkPark or garden · 2.6 ha
DirectionsShannon ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha
DirectionsEburne ParkPark or garden · 1.2 ha
DirectionsCambie ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha · just outside town
DirectionsPark Site on Shaughnessy StreetPark or garden · 0.6 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsArbutus ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · just outside town
DirectionsEbisu ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsWilliam Mackie ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsAsh ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsShannon Mews ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsMitchell Island PierPark or garden · 0.6 ha · 0.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsMarpole ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsTzu Chi Community GardenPark 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
About 9 in 10 of Marpole’s residents are a short walk from 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 (6.5%)
Marpole94%
Towns in British Columbia72%
Typical Canadian town83%
Few do better: the typical Canadian town is at 83%. Around 2,000 residents are further than 400 m from a park.
Protected areas
13 protected areas around Marpole
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Marpole0%
Within 10 km17%
Towns in British Columbia6.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
11 of the 13 are on public land. Biggest of the named areas: Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management Area, 7,775 ha. Another 2 are privately owned conservation land; they count in the figures but aren’t named, as private land isn’t a place to visit.
Sea Island Conservation AreaNature reserve · 141 ha · 0.1 km from the edge of town
Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management AreaWildlife area · 7,775 ha · 3.4 km from the edge of town
Pacific Spirit Regional ParkNature reserve · 648 ha · 3.8 km from the edge of town
Iona Beach Regional ParkNature reserve · 2.3 ha · 4.3 km from the edge of town
Everett Crowley ParkMunicipal park · 21 ha · 4.4 km from the edge of town
Captain Cook ParkMunicipal park · 3.7 ha · 5.0 km from the edge of town
GrauerNature reserve · 50 ha · 5.3 km from the edge of town
Renfrew Ravine ParkMunicipal park · 4.6 ha · 5.3 km from the edge of town
Stanley ParkProtected area · 302 ha · 7.8 km from the edge of town
Fraser Islands Regional Park ReserveNature reserve · 198 ha · 9.1 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
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is 38 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
Mount Seymour Park
15 km north-east35 km²since 1936
National park reserve
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
38 km south67 km²since 2010
A provincial park is closer: Mount Seymour Park, at 15 km.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Marpole has 54 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
54 km
in and around the town (19.8 km²)
Woodland
0.8%
about 0.2 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
MarpoleTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths2.7
024 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
MarpoleTowns in British ColumbiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland0.8%
0%50%100%
Woods cover less of it than in 83% of Canadian towns. Paths are denser here than in 67% 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
OpenStreetMap shows no walking route near Marpole
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Nothing near the neighbourhood is mapped as a named walking route, which often means the trails just haven’t been entered as routes.
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 Marpole: May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Vancouver International (Airport) (4.5 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) | 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) | 7 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 14 | 9 | 7 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 174 | 91 | 106 | 86 | 59 | 51 | 34 | 36 | 52 | 124 | 175 | 172 |
Summer highs reach 22 °C in July; in December they stay near 7 °C. July is the driest month at 34 mm; November the wettest at 175 mm. Some 37 cm of snow falls each winter. The climate in Marpole →
Beaches
For a swim near Marpole: Iona Beach, 4.5 km off
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Iona Beachsand · 4.5 km from town
DirectionsAdd 4 unnamed beaches to the count. 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 Marpole: 6 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.
The map shows 98 playgrounds, ahead of the rest.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 6
26R Spotting Location0.5 km from town
DirectionsPlus 5 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 1
Plus 1 peak without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 98
Little Wings Outdoor Area1.3 km from town
DirectionsPlus 97 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 3
Aberdeen Neighbourhood Dog Off-Leash Area1.5 km from town
DirectionsAnimal Relief Area1.9 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 dog park without a name on the map.
Slipways 1
Plus 1 slipway without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
Near Marpole: 5 gardens and parks to visit
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
VanDusen Botanical GardenGarden or park · 2.3 km from town
DirectionsQueen Elizabeth ParkGarden or park · 2.6 km from town
DirectionsDr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese GardenGarden or park · 6.8 km from town
DirectionsStanley ParkNational Historic Site · 9.0 km from town
Its pageNitobe Memorial GardenGarden or park · 9.5 km from town
DirectionsA National Historic Site is among them.
Sources: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL, and Wikidata (CC0), as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic places from Parks Canada’s Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, the Canadian Register of Historic Places and Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel.
Next door
Next to Marpole
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
OakridgeSunsetKerrisdaleShaughnessySouth CambieRiley ParkMarpole
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marpole | 17% | 13 | 0 | 5 |
| Oakridge 1.8 km | 13% | 11 | 0 | 23 |
| Sunset 2.8 km | 6.9% | 15 | 0 | 9 |
| Kerrisdale 2.9 km | 18% | 11 | 0 | 33 |
| Shaughnessy 3.7 km | 13% | 12 | 1 | 55 |
| South Cambie 4.1 km | 8.6% | 13 | 2 | 49 |
| Riley Park 4.3 km | 6.2% | 14 | 2 | 48 |
None of its neighbours has twice the protected land around it that Marpole has. More routes are mapped around South Cambie (2).
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.
- Private land. Private conservation land is in the totals, not the lists. Many such areas are easements on working farms or woodlots.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
Questions about the outdoors in Marpole
What is the best season to get outdoors in Marpole?
May to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
Is there a provincial park near Marpole?
Mount Seymour Park, 15 km away.
How far is Marpole from a national park?
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, 38 km from the edge of town.
What is the biggest park or reserve near Marpole?
Sturgeon Bank Wildlife Management Area, a wildlife area of 7,775 ha.
Is there protected land near Marpole?
Yes: 17% of the land within 10 km is protected.
What is the nearest beach to Marpole?
Try Iona Beach, 4.5 km from town, first of several.
Sources
Sources for this page on Marpole
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.
Gardens: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden) and Wikidata gardens within 15 km, as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic gardens and parks from Canada’s heritage registers (Parks Canada DFHD, the Canadian Register of Historic Places, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel).
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).