First pick
Metepenagiag heritage park
Park or garden
30 ha
4.0 km westfrom 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 Northesk · parks, protected land & trails
Northesk has more protected land around it than 9 in 10 Canadian towns
Within 10 km are 65 protected areas. Within 5 km lie 15 beaches, unnamed on the map. A drive of 44 km reaches Kouchibouguac National Park, the nearest national park.
Protected land
13%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
65
within 10 km, 63 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
44 km
Kouchibouguac National Park
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Mount Carleton Provincial Park
Walking routes
2
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
15
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What Northesk 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 90% of Canadian townsMany protected areas63 public areas within 10 kmOn a national routeThe International Appalachian Trail New-Brunswick passes within 2 kmBeaches15 beaches within 5 km
Northesk is strongest on protected land around it, with the number of public protected areas close by close behind.
Against other towns
Northesk 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. Outdoors isn’t graded in Canada. The page compares each figure with other towns and leaves it there.
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 town17%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas63Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes2Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches15Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Northesk has the 5th most protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (2,301 to 2,587 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
Northesk13%
Towns its size1.6%
Towns in New Brunswick6%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Northesk63
Towns its size4
Towns in New Brunswick7
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Northesk2
Towns its size0
Towns in New Brunswick0
Typical Canadian town0
Northesk 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 | Anmore BC | 22% | 47% | 16 | 5 | 98 |
| 2 | Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska QC | 19% | 0% | 28 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Gracefield QC | 19% | 19% | 34 | 0 | 6 |
| 4 | East Preston NS | 16% | 6.3% | 20 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | Northesk NB | 13% | 17% | 65 | 2 | 15 |
| 6 | Clearwater BC | 7.7% | 4.1% | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 | Roberval QC | 6.1% | 1.2% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague QC | 5.8% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | North Frontenac ON | 5.7% | 5.2% | 13 | 6 | 4 |
| 10 | Cap-Chat QC | 5.3% | 0.4% | 13 | 0 | 10 |
| 11 | Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards ON | 4.4% | 1.5% | 9 | 0 | 4 |
| 12 | Saint-Polycarpe QC | 4.2% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| 13 | Macassa ON | 4.1% | 0% | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| 14 | Saint-Damien QC | 4% | 3.2% | 22 | 1 | 9 |
| 15 | Unity SK | 3.4% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Sherwood ON | 3.4% | 0% | 19 | 2 | 0 |
| 17 | McNab SK | 2.6% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Mandeville QC | 2.5% | 1.8% | 19 | 4 | 7 |
| 19 | Esterhazy SK | 1.8% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | City Commercial Core ON | 1.8% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Caswell Hill SK | 1.4% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| 22 | Fossambault-sur-le-Lac QC | 1.3% | 7.8% | 15 | 0 | 14 |
| 23 | Pembina MB | 1.1% | 1.8% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Burrows-Keewatin MB | 1% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Elmwood AB | 0.8% | 0% | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 26 | Hatley QC | 0.7% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 5 |
| 27 | Munroe West MB | 0.4% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Brooke-Alvinston ON | 0.3% | 0.2% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Rosedale AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 30 | Minchau AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 31 | Lunenburg NS | 0.1% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 5 |
| 32 | Salisbury NB | 0.1% | 2.1% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Dufferin MB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Ekota AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 35 | Satoo AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 36 | Saint-Éphrem-de-Beauce QC | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 37 | Magrath AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Nanton AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Rimbey AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Sexsmith AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Northesk 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
One park or wood to walk in, in or near Northesk
Metepenagiag heritage park is the largest, at 30 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
Most of Northesk is more than 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 (0%)Further (100%)
Northesk0%
Towns in New Brunswick8.3%
Typical Canadian town83%
The typical Canadian town reaches 83%. For about 2,300 people, the nearest park is over 400 m away.
Protected areas
The 65 protected areas near Northesk
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Northesk17%
Within 10 km13%
Towns in New Brunswick6%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public bodies own 63 of the 65; land trusts and private owners hold the others. Biggest of the named areas: Mount Carleton Provincial Park, 17,313 ha. The figures include one private conservation area, left unnamed.
Mount Carleton Provincial ParkProvincial park · 17,313 ha · reaches Northesk
NepisiquitNature reserve · 11,895 ha · reaches Northesk
East Branch Portage RiverNature reserve · 10,897 ha · reaches Northesk
4010200Nature reserve · 8,105 ha · reaches Northesk
4023700Nature reserve · 3,427 ha · reaches Northesk
4010100Nature reserve · 3,229 ha · reaches Northesk
4021900Nature reserve · 3,174 ha · reaches Northesk
4001400Nature reserve · 2,170 ha · reaches Northesk
4019900Nature reserve · 1,808 ha · reaches Northesk
South Branch Big Sevogle RiverNature reserve · 1,483 ha · reaches Northesk
29 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 is 44 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 Carleton Provincial Park
At the edge173 km²since 1970
National park
Kouchibouguac National Park
44 km east239 km²since 1969
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Northesk and its edge hold 823 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
823 km
in and around the town (3,740.2 km²)
Woodland
97%
about 3,628.4 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
NortheskTowns in New BrunswickTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.2
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
NortheskTowns in New BrunswickTypical Canadian town
Woodland97%
0%50%100%
It is more wooded than 100% of Canadian towns. Paths are thinner on the ground than in 76% 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
The International Appalachian Trail New-Brunswick passes Northesk
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
NationalRegional
International Appalachian Trail New-Brunswick532.8 km
Sentier Nepisiguit Mi'gmaq Trail149.3 km
12.6 km of the International Appalachian Trail New-Brunswick runs within 2 km of town; mapped end to end, it is 533 km.
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 Northesk: May to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Miramichi, 26 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) | 8.9 | 10.2 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 15.0 | 15.9 | 15.5 | 14.2 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.3 | 8.5 |
| High (°C) | -4 | -3 | 2 | 9 | 16 | 22 | 26 | 25 | 20 | 13 | 6 | -1 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 87 | 72 | 94 | 84 | 97 | 89 | 90 | 85 | 90 | 113 | 93 | 89 |
In July the typical high is 26 °C; in January, -4 °C. October is the wettest month (113 mm) and February the driest (72 mm). The climate in Northesk →
Beaches
15 unnamed beaches near Northesk
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Water quality isn’t shown: there’s no open national record of beach tests. Local health authorities post advisories.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Viewpoints and waterfalls near Northesk: 3 and 4
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 (98). Among the peaks, Mount Carleton is highest at 820 m.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 3
Plus 3 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 98
Acadians Rangein town
DirectionsAshton Hillin town
DirectionsBig Bald Mountain672 m · in town
DirectionsBig Bluffin town
DirectionsCaribou Mountainin town
DirectionsColonels Mountain600 m · in town
DirectionsFelspar Mountainin town
DirectionsFisher Ridgein town
DirectionsPlus 90 hills and peaks more.
Waterfalls 4
Plus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 2
Nepisiquit Protected Natural Areain town
DirectionsThe Enclosure1.3 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 3
Plus 3 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 1
Plus 1 playground without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Northesk
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
SoutheskNelsonNorthesk
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
Next door, protected shares stay within twice Northesk’s.
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.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- 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.
- 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.
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
Questions about the outdoors in Northesk
What is the nearest beach to Northesk?
There are beaches within 5 km, none of them named.
Where can you walk near Northesk?
OpenStreetMap maps the International Appalachian Trail New-Brunswick and Sentier Nepisiguit Mi'gmaq Trail close by, with others.
Is Northesk near a national park?
It is Kouchibouguac National Park, 44 km off.
Are there protected areas near Northesk?
Within 10 km, 13% of the land lies in protected areas.
What is the biggest park or reserve near Northesk?
Mount Carleton Provincial Park, a provincial park of 17,313 ha.
When should you visit Northesk for the outdoors?
On the normals, May to September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
What is the nearest provincial park to Northesk?
Mount Carleton Provincial Park touches the town.
Sources
Sources for this page on Northesk
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).