First pick
Big Meadow Island
Wood or forest
3.1 ha
17 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center · Public domain13%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Bathurst · parks, protected land & trails
More of the land around Bathurst is protected than around 9 in 10 Canadian towns
The 10 km around town hold 42 protected areas. Within 5 km are 23 beaches; Beresford Beach is the nearest. Kouchibouguac National Park is the closest national park, 61 km from town.
Protected land
13%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
42
within 10 km, 38 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
61 km
Kouchibouguac National Park
Nearest provincial park
39 km
Mount Carleton Provincial Park
Walking routes
1
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
23
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What Bathurst has going for it outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round13% of the land within 10 km, more than 91% of Canadian townsMany protected areas38 public areas within 10 kmBeaches23 beaches within 5 km
What Bathurst has most to offer outdoors is protected land around it, with the number of public protected areas close by close behind.
Against other towns
How Bathurst 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 km13%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town9.9%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas38Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes1Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches23Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Bathurst has the 3rd most protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (4,732 to 4,939 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
Bathurst13%
Towns its size1.7%
Towns in New Brunswick6%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Bathurst38
Towns its size3
Towns in New Brunswick7
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Bathurst1
Towns its size0
Towns in New Brunswick0
Typical Canadian town0
Bathurst leads its size group for public protected areas: none of the other 39 has more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dundas NB | 29% | 1.3% | 12 | 0 | 6 |
| 2 | Rivière-Rouge QC | 17% | 6.6% | 36 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Bathurst NB | 13% | 9.9% | 42 | 1 | 23 |
| 4 | Château-Richer QC | 12% | 0.3% | 38 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 | Central Okanagan BC | 11% | 13% | 52 | 1 | 25 |
| 6 | Greenboro East ON | 11% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | Qualicum - Redwood ON | 11% | 0% | 25 | 2 | 5 |
| 8 | Cardston County AB | 8.8% | 7.6% | 73 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Westdale South ON | 7.1% | 28% | 23 | 2 | 3 |
| 10 | Sutton QC | 6.6% | 12% | 47 | 14 | 0 |
| 11 | York Road ON | 6.1% | 41% | 27 | 3 | 3 |
| 12 | Rosenthal AB | 6.1% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Marmora ON | 5.5% | 8.7% | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | North End East ON | 4.8% | 0% | 23 | 0 | 3 |
| 15 | Electoral Area H, Nanaimo BC | 3.3% | 1.2% | 56 | 11 | 6 |
| 16 | Roxton Pond QC | 2.6% | 7.3% | 9 | 0 | 5 |
| 17 | Glenwood AB | 2.6% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Amaranth ON | 2.3% | 0.2% | 27 | 1 | 1 |
| 19 | Canora AB | 2.3% | 0% | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | Woodlands County AB | 1.8% | 1.4% | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Maybank MB | 1.5% | 0% | 23 | 0 | 1 |
| 22 | Lakewood Urban Centre SK | 1.5% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Edenwold No. 158 SK | 1.4% | 2% | 12 | 13 | 0 |
| 24 | Electoral Area D, Columbia-Shuswap BC | 1.4% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 4 |
| 25 | Electoral Area D, Fraser-Fort George BC | 0.9% | 0.1% | 4 | 0 | 12 |
| 26 | Hampton NB | 0.8% | 0.9% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | St. Stephen NB | 0.7% | 0.2% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Richmond AB | 0.7% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 29 | Saint-Jacques QC | 0.3% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Highland Park AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 31 | Baturyn AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Empire Park AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Grand Valley ON | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Kindersley SK | 0.1% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | South Common ON | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Saint-Agapit QC | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 37 | Warwick QC | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Flin Flon (Part) MB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Barrhead AB | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Central McDougall AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 3 | 1 |
The map
The green map of Bathurst
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
Walk in Bathurst: one named park or wood
Big Meadow Island is the largest, at 3.1 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
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
Few people in Bathurst 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 (0%)Further (100%)
Bathurst0%
Towns in New Brunswick8.3%
Typical Canadian town83%
The usual figure for a Canadian town is 83%, above this. Around 4,800 residents are further than 400 m from a park.
Protected areas
The 42 protected areas near Bathurst
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Bathurst9.9%
Within 10 km13%
Towns in New Brunswick6%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
38 of the 42 are on public land. The largest named one is Scallop Buffer Zone (SFA 21), at 47,707 ha. Another 4 are privately owned conservation land; they count in the figures but aren’t named, as private land isn’t a place to visit.
Scallop Buffer Zone (SFA 21)Nature reserve · 47,707 ha · reaches Bathurst
East Branch Portage RiverNature reserve · 10,897 ha · reaches Bathurst
4010200Nature reserve · 8,105 ha · reaches Bathurst
4017400Nature reserve · 2,028 ha · reaches Bathurst
4019900Nature reserve · 1,808 ha · reaches Bathurst
4017600Nature reserve · 1,302 ha · reaches Bathurst
AllardvilleNature reserve · 1,219 ha · reaches Bathurst
4017500Nature reserve · 1,063 ha · reaches Bathurst
4010300Nature reserve · 739 ha · reaches Bathurst
4021400Nature reserve · 707 ha · reaches Bathurst
26 more named areas within 10 km are in the 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
Kouchibouguac National Park, 61 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
Mount Carleton Provincial Park
39 km west173 km²since 1970
National park
Kouchibouguac National Park
61 km south-east239 km²since 1969
Closer to home, Mount Carleton Provincial Park is 39 km away.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Bathurst and its edge hold 423 km of footpath
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
423 km
in and around the town (1,755.9 km²)
Woodland
95%
about 1,661.4 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
BathurstTowns in New BrunswickTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.2
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
BathurstTowns in New BrunswickTypical Canadian town
Woodland95%
0%50%100%
75% of Canadian towns have more footpath per km². It is more wooded than 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
One mapped route to walk from Bathurst
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Regional
Sentier Nepisiguit Mi'gmaq Trail149.3 km
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Bathurst is best on foot in June to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Bathurst (1.6 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) | 8.8 | 10.2 | 11.8 | 13.6 | 15.1 | 16.0 | 15.6 | 14.3 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.2 | 8.4 |
| High (°C) | -5 | -4 | 2 | 8 | 16 | 22 | 25 | 24 | 20 | 12 | 5 | -2 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 82 | 72 | 87 | 78 | 108 | 99 | 99 | 88 | 88 | 120 | 97 | 100 |
Rain and snow peak in October (120 mm) and ease in February (72 mm). From -5 °C in January to 25 °C in July: that is the range of daytime highs. The yearly snowfall is near 337 cm. The climate in Bathurst →
Beaches
For a swim near Bathurst: Beresford Beach, 3.1 km off
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Beresford Beach3.1 km from town
DirectionsThe coast is close: 107 km of shoreline within 5 km. Another 22 have no name on the map. Whether the water is fit for a swim isn’t in any open national dataset; public health posts the local advisories.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Viewpoints and waterfalls near Bathurst: 1 and 4
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
There are 4 waterfalls, more than of anything else.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 2
Blue Mountainin town
DirectionsTetagouche Hill1.7 km from town
DirectionsWaterfalls 4
Plus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 1
Plus 1 playground without a name on the map.
Campsites 3
Wildlife Campground0.1 km from town
DirectionsCamping Malybel1.6 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 campsite without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Bathurst
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
BathurstBeresfordNigadooBeresfordPetit-RocherBathurst
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bathurst | 13% | 42 | 1 | 23 |
| Bathurst 7.4 km | 20% | 13 | 1 | 17 |
| Beresford 10 km | 24% | 6 | 0 | 18 |
| Nigadoo 13 km | 22% | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| Beresford 14 km | 26% | 10 | 0 | 16 |
| Petit-Rocher 19 km | 23% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
None of its neighbours has twice the protected land around it that Bathurst has.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- Walking routes. Routes are what OpenStreetMap’s volunteers have mapped as named walking or hiking routes; many good trails aren’t mapped that way.
- National and provincial parks. The nearest national park and the nearest provincial park are always shown when they are within 100 km.
- Private land. Areas held by land trusts or private owners stay unnamed here, though they count in the shares.
- 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 Bathurst
When is the best time for walking in Bathurst?
On the normals, June to September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
Which is the biggest protected area near Bathurst?
Scallop Buffer Zone (SFA 21), a nature reserve of 47,707 ha.
Is Bathurst near a national park?
Kouchibouguac National Park, 61 km from the edge of town.
Are there hiking trails near Bathurst?
The Sentier Nepisiguit Mi'gmaq Trail, mapped within 2 km.
Is there a beach near Bathurst?
The nearest is Beresford Beach, 3.1 km from town.
How far is the nearest provincial park from Bathurst?
Mount Carleton Provincial Park, 39 km away.
Are there protected areas near Bathurst?
Yes: 13% of the land within 10 km is protected.
Sources
Where Bathurst’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).