First pick
Kevin Lee Memorial Park
Park or garden · 390 m outside town
0.4 ha
11 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center · Public domain7.1%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Bright · parks, protected land & trails
Within 10 km of Bright: 38 public protected areas
Protected areas cover 7.1% of the land within 10 km; for the typical Canadian town it is 2.3%. The largest named area nearby is Nashwaak River, 3,984 ha, 6.7 km away. For a swim, Mactaquac Beach is the nearest of 5 beaches within 5 km.
Protected land
7.1%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
46
within 10 km, 38 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Mactaquac Provincial Park
Beaches
5
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
Where Bright stands out outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Many protected areas38 public areas within 10 kmProtected land all round7.1% of the land within 10 km, more than 79% of Canadian townsA provincial park at the edgeMactaquac Provincial Park reaches the townBeaches5 beaches within 5 km
Above all, Bright offers the number of public protected areas close by, with protected land around it close behind.
Against other towns
Bright 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. This page carries no grade, because Canada’s grading doesn’t cover the outdoors; the comparisons are the point.
Protected within 10 km7.1%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town4.6%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 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
Bright has the 7th most protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (3,601 to 3,702 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
Bright7.1%
Towns its size1.5%
Towns in New Brunswick6%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Bright38
Towns its size7
Towns in New Brunswick7
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Bright0
Towns its size0
Towns in New Brunswick0
Typical Canadian town0
For public protected areas, Bright sits near the top of its size group: 2 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pemberton BC | 41% | 34% | 12 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | Electoral Area A, Columbia-Shuswap BC | 33% | 25% | 26 | 26 | 2 |
| 3 | Colebrook BC | 28% | 14% | 145 | 2 | 1 |
| 4 | Blind River ON | 21% | 41% | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Timiskaming, Unorganized, West Part ON | 12% | 12% | 58 | 1 | 15 |
| 6 | Saint-Sulpice QC | 12% | 5.8% | 29 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Bright NB | 7.1% | 4.6% | 46 | 0 | 5 |
| 8 | Woodbridge Meadows ON | 5.7% | 2.7% | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Central ON | 5.6% | 0% | 24 | 1 | 3 |
| 10 | Electoral Area F, Bulkley-Nechako BC | 4.8% | 4.4% | 15 | 0 | 9 |
| 11 | Deer Run AB | 3.4% | 47% | 2 | 0 | 15 |
| 12 | Parkland AB | 3.4% | 39% | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| 13 | Piedmont QC | 3.1% | 15% | 17 | 2 | 3 |
| 14 | Quinndale ON | 2.9% | 0% | 16 | 3 | 0 |
| 15 | Ramsay AB | 2.4% | 0% | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 16 | Parkview West ON | 2.1% | 2.7% | 26 | 0 | 14 |
| 17 | Hudson AB | 2.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | North Glenora AB | 1.9% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | Powassan ON | 1.6% | 1.8% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Kensington AB | 1.5% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Studholm NB | 1.4% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 3 |
| 22 | WestLake-Gladstone MB | 1.3% | 1.2% | 29 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Deer Lodge MB | 1.3% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Fifty Point ON | 1.2% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 3 |
| 25 | South Tuxedo MB | 1.2% | 50% | 23 | 0 | 19 |
| 26 | Rapperswill AB | 1.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Saint-Alphonse-Rodriguez QC | 0.9% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| 28 | Inkster-Faraday MB | 0.8% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Lawson Heights Urban Centre SK | 0.7% | 0% | 10 | 1 | 2 |
| 30 | Mactaggart AB | 0.7% | 0.9% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Two Hills County No. 21 AB | 0.5% | 0.6% | 53 | 0 | 4 |
| 32 | Eaglemere MB | 0.5% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | East Elmwood MB | 0.5% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | North Inkster Industrial MB | 0.5% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Dunham QC | 0.4% | 0.3% | 24 | 0 | 2 |
| 36 | Radisson MB | 0.4% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Victoria West MB | 0.4% | 0% | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | West Kildonan Industrial MB | 0.3% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Saint-Michel QC | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Country Hills AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Bright on the map: green space, protected land and paths
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
A named park or wood to walk in near Bright
The biggest is Kevin Lee Memorial Park, 0.4 ha. Biggest first, 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 Bright 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%)
Bright0%
Towns in New Brunswick8.3%
Typical Canadian town83%
About 3,600 residents live further than 400 m from one. For comparison, the typical Canadian town has 83%.
Protected areas
Around Bright, protected areas make up 7.1%
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Bright4.6%
Within 10 km7.1%
Towns in New Brunswick6%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Of the 46, 38 are public land; the others are privately held. At 3,984 ha, Nashwaak River is the largest. The figures include 7 private conservation areas, left unnamed.
East CloverdaleNature reserve · 1,088 ha · reaches Bright
4048100Nature reserve · 660 ha · reaches Bright
4032200Nature reserve · 552 ha · reaches Bright
Mactaquac Provincial ParkProvincial park · 544 ha · reaches Bright
Otter BrookNature reserve · 334 ha · reaches Bright
4048300Nature reserve · 311 ha · reaches Bright
4048200Nature reserve · 136 ha · reaches Bright
4003800Nature reserve · 57 ha · reaches Bright
4049500Nature reserve · 35 ha · reaches Bright
4048000Nature reserve · 41 ha · 0.7 km from the edge of town
23 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
From the edge of Bright, Mactaquac Provincial Park begins
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
Mactaquac Provincial Park
At the edge5.4 km²since 1965
For a national park, people in Bright travel more than 100 km.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
257 km of paths in and around Bright
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
257 km
in and around the town (556.1 km²)
Woodland
82%
about 456.2 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
BrightTowns in New BrunswickTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.5
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
BrightTowns in New BrunswickTypical Canadian town
Woodland82%
0%50%100%
Woods cover more of it than in 96% of Canadian towns. For path density, 67% 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 named walking route passes Bright 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
Walking season in Bright: May to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Fredericton (Airport), 37 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) | 9.0 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 14.9 | 15.7 | 15.4 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 8.7 |
| High (°C) | -4 | -2 | 3 | 10 | 18 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 21 | 14 | 6 | 0 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 86 | 63 | 88 | 77 | 79 | 83 | 94 | 66 | 90 | 106 | 97 | 93 |
The wettest month, October, brings 106 mm, against 63 mm in February. Highs peak near 26 °C in July and fall to -4 °C in January. Snow totals about 241 cm a year. The climate in Bright →
Beaches
Bright has 5 beaches close by
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Mactaquac Beachsand · in town
DirectionsThere are also 4 beaches without a name. 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
Bright has 3 viewpoints and 1 waterfalls nearby
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Most numerous: hills and peaks (14). Among the peaks, Crabbe Mountain is highest at 404 m.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 14
Big Spruce Peak302 m · in town
DirectionsCrabbe Mountain404 m · in town
DirectionsGreen Hillin town
DirectionsKeswick Ridge190 m · in town
DirectionsLawrence Peakin town
DirectionsLittle Spruce Peak281 m · in town
DirectionsSugarloaf Mountainin town
DirectionsPughs Peak0.1 km from town
DirectionsPlus 6 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 1
Plus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 4
James C. Yerxa Nature Preservein town
DirectionsMargaret (Coburn) Cameron Woods Nature Preservein town
DirectionsSlippery Mitten Nature Preservein town
DirectionsWarren Kent Coleman Nature Preservein town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 5
Plus 5 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 2
Green Hill Lake Campin town
DirectionsMactaquac Provincial Park Campgroundin town
DirectionsSlipways 6
Plus 6 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Bright
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
QueensburyDouglasKingsclearBright
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bright | 7.1% | 46 | 0 | 5 |
| Queensbury 10 km | 6.3% | 31 | 0 | 5 |
| Douglas 13 km | 6.4% | 54 | 1 | 18 |
| Kingsclear 15 km | 7.4% | 31 | 1 | 14 |
Bright is not outdone two to one on protected land by any neighbour.
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. 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.
- Walking routes. Only named route relations count; a park’s own path network may not show unless it is mapped as a route.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- Private land. Areas held by land trusts or private owners stay unnamed here, though they count in the shares.
Questions about the outdoors in Bright
How much land around Bright is protected?
Protected areas cover 7.1% of the land within 10 km.
What is the nearest provincial park to Bright?
Mactaquac Provincial Park begins at the town’s edge.
Where can you swim near Bright?
Try Mactaquac Beach, in town, first of several.
How far is Bright from a national park?
None within 100 km of Bright.
When is the best time for walking in Bright?
May to September, on the 1991–2020 normals and the daylight: long days, highs of 15 °C or more, light rain for the place.
What is the largest protected area near Bright?
Nashwaak River, a nature reserve of 3,984 ha.
Sources
Where Bright’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).