First pick
Rockwood Park
Park or garden
717 ha51.8 km of path
11 h 30 minto walk all 51.8 km of path
2.5 km northfrom the centre
Zoo TrailMoose TraxTrans Canada Trail+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.014%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Saint John · parks, protected land & trails
Protected land around Saint John beats 9 in 10 Canadian towns
Within 5 km are 97 beaches; Black Beach is the nearest. Walkers have 3 mapped routes close by, starting with the Trans Canada Trail (NB) and Coastal Link Trail. 63 areas within 10 km are protected for nature.
Protected land
14%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
63
within 10 km, 15 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
63 km
Fundy National Park
Nearest provincial park
22 km
New River Beach Provincial Park
Walking routes
3
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
97
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What sets Saint John apart outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round14% of the land within 10 km, more than 92% of Canadian townsBeaches97 beaches within 5 kmOn a national routeThe Trans Canada Trail (NB) passes within 2 kmWalking routes3 named routes within 2 km
What Saint John has most to offer outdoors is protected land around it, with its beaches close behind.
Against other towns
Saint John against 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. There is no Outdoors grade for Canadian towns; the figures stand beside the country’s towns of 2,500+ without a letter.
Protected within 10 km14%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town11%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas15Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes3Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches97Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Saint John comes 6th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (59,664 to 105,925 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
Saint John14%
Towns its size3.3%
Towns in New Brunswick6%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Saint John15
Towns its size10
Towns in New Brunswick7
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Saint John3
Towns its size1
Towns in New Brunswick0
Typical Canadian town0
Saint John beats most towns its size for protected land nearby; 5 of 39 do better.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort McMurray AB | 34% | 35% | 21 | 1 | 289 |
| 2 | Langford BC | 27% | 18% | 41 | 7 | 19 |
| 3 | Maple Ridge BC | 26% | 21% | 101 | 1 | 41 |
| 4 | North Vancouver BC | 15% | 22% | 18 | 11 | 169 |
| 5 | Port Coquitlam BC | 15% | 5.6% | 125 | 3 | 30 |
| 6 | Saint John NB | 14% | 11% | 63 | 3 | 97 |
| 7 | Chilliwack BC | 11% | 7.7% | 36 | 4 | 26 |
| 8 | Repentigny QC | 8.3% | 1.6% | 41 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | New Westminster BC | 8% | 0% | 83 | 4 | 9 |
| 10 | Victoria BC | 8% | 0.9% | 20 | 4 | 34 |
| 11 | Fleetwood BC | 7.8% | 7.9% | 162 | 10 | 0 |
| 12 | Lindsay ON | 7.6% | 9.2% | 60 | 5 | 9 |
| 13 | North Vancouver BC | 7.5% | 0% | 13 | 4 | 66 |
| 14 | North Bay ON | 7.4% | 5.6% | 4 | 4 | 13 |
| 15 | Mirabel QC | 5.9% | 0.3% | 76 | 1 | 2 |
| 16 | Brossard QC | 5.6% | 9.1% | 31 | 0 | 6 |
| 17 | Bolton ON | 4.8% | 5.9% | 113 | 11 | 3 |
| 18 | Fredericton NB | 4.3% | 0% | 26 | 2 | 16 |
| 19 | Chomedey QC | 3.9% | 0.1% | 43 | 0 | 2 |
| 20 | St. Albert AB | 3.4% | 2.1% | 7 | 7 | 1 |
| 21 | Welland ON | 3.2% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Granby QC | 2.5% | 3.6% | 18 | 0 | 6 |
| 23 | Simcoe ON | 2.3% | 4.7% | 102 | 5 | 36 |
| 24 | Moncton NB | 2.2% | 1.7% | 17 | 0 | 2 |
| 25 | Aurora ON | 2.2% | 0.6% | 42 | 1 | 0 |
| 26 | Georgetown ON | 1.8% | 3.5% | 38 | 6 | 2 |
| 27 | Grande Prairie AB | 1.7% | 0% | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| 28 | Sault Ste. Marie ON | 1.6% | 7.5% | 10 | 0 | 3 |
| 29 | Newmarket ON | 1.3% | 1.8% | 27 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Belleville ON | 1.2% | 1.8% | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| 31 | Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu QC | 1.1% | 1.2% | 18 | 1 | 3 |
| 32 | Blainville QC | 1.1% | 0% | 27 | 2 | 0 |
| 33 | Saint-Jérôme QC | 1% | 0.1% | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| 34 | Saint-Hyacinthe QC | 0.7% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Peterborough ON | 0.6% | 0% | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| 36 | Prince George BC | 0.3% | 0.5% | 5 | 1 | 51 |
| 37 | Sarnia ON | 0.2% | 0.3% | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| 38 | Drummondville QC | 0.1% | 0.2% | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 39 | Medicine Hat AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 40 | Airdrie AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Where the green is in Saint John
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
Walk in Saint John: 25 named parks and woods
The biggest is Rockwood Park, 717 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
25 named parks and woods, 1,236 ha in all
Parks & gardens 1,049 haWoods 187 ha
Most of it sits in Rockwood Park and Irving Nature Park: 80% together.
Irving Nature Park
Park or garden
275 ha14.5 km of path
3 h 15 minto walk all 14.5 km of path
8.8 km south-westfrom the centre
Sheldon Point TrailHeron TrailSeal Trail+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Milly Woods
Wood or forest
187 ha3.6 km of path
50 minto walk all 3.6 km of path
3.6 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Harbor Passage
Park or garden
6.4 ha2.3 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.3 km of path
1.7 km south-westfrom the centre
Harbour Passage
Directionsto a point inside
Fallsview Park
Park or garden
8.1 ha1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1 km of path
2.9 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Wolastoq Park
Park or garden
8.1 ha0.6 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
3.7 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Seaside Park
Park or garden
6.7 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
4.4 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Little Reservoir Park
Park or garden
4.0 ha1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
7.4 km eastfrom the centre
Little Lake Reservoir Walking TrailPipe Line Road East
Directionsto a point inside
All 25 named parks and green spaces
Rockwood ParkPark or garden · 717 ha · 51.8 km of path
DirectionsIrving Nature ParkPark or garden · 275 ha · 14.5 km of path
DirectionsMilly WoodsWood or forest · 187 ha · 3.6 km of path
DirectionsHarbor PassagePark or garden · 6.4 ha · 2.3 km of path
DirectionsFallsview ParkPark or garden · 8.1 ha · 1 km of path
DirectionsWolastoq ParkPark or garden · 8.1 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsSeaside ParkPark or garden · 6.7 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsLittle Reservoir ParkPark or garden · 4.0 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsFort HowePark or garden · 5.1 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsKings SquarePark or garden · 1.8 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsDominion ParkPark or garden · 3.0 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsQueen SquarePark or garden · 1.5 ha · 1 km of path
DirectionsLoyalist Burial GroundPark or garden · 1.4 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsPublic GardensPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsChown FieldPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsRoss Memorial ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsVictoria SquarePark or garden · 0.6 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsSimonds Lions Bicentennial ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsLarche Memorial ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsWellesley Avenue ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsHarriet Irving ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha
DirectionsIhtoli-maqahamok – The Gathering SpacePark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsPrivate David Greenslade Peace ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsChamplain Heights South ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsCarleton Community GardenPark or garden · 0.2 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 5 in 10 of Saint John’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 (55%)Further (45%)
Saint John55%
Towns in New Brunswick8.3%
Typical Canadian town83%
The usual figure for a Canadian town is 83%, above this. Around 36,000 residents are further than 400 m from a park.
Protected areas
The 63 protected areas near Saint John
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Saint John11%
Within 10 km14%
Towns in New Brunswick6%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
On public land: 15 of the 63. The others are private conservation land. Loch Alva leads for size with 22,216 ha. 31 more areas within 10 km are private land, held by landowners or conservation groups: counted here, not named.
Loch AlvaNature reserve · 22,216 ha · reaches Saint John
4049700Nature reserve · 280 ha · reaches Saint John
4049800Nature reserve · 259 ha · reaches Saint John
4040500Nature reserve · 98 ha · reaches Saint John
Musquash Estuary Marine Protected AreaNature reserve · 742 ha · reaches Saint John
4052500Nature reserve · 251 ha · 0.2 km from the edge of town
Musquash Estuary, Crown Land ComponentNature reserve · 5.1 ha · 1.6 km from the edge of town
4040800Nature reserve · 150 ha · 1.7 km from the edge of town
Gooseberry CoveNature reserve · 198 ha · 2.4 km from the edge of town
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
Fundy National Park, 63 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
New River Beach Provincial Park
22 km south-west3.0 km²since 1959
National park
Fundy National Park
63 km north-east206 km²since 1948
Nearer still is New River Beach Provincial Park, a provincial park 22 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
Saint John has 265 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
265 km
in and around the town (503.2 km²)
Woodland
52%
about 259.7 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Saint JohnTowns in New BrunswickTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.5
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Saint JohnTowns in New BrunswickTypical Canadian town
Woodland52%
0%50%100%
65% of Canadian towns have more footpath per km². More of it is wooded than in 84% 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 Trans Canada Trail (NB) passes Saint John
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
NationalLocalOther waymarked
Trans Canada Trail (NB)90.0 km
Coastal Link Trail8.6 km
Musquash Estuary Coastal Trails5.3 km
The Trans Canada Trail (NB) (90 km) keeps within 2 km of town for 32.8 km. For a longer outing, the Coastal Link Trail runs 8.6 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Saint John is best on foot in May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Saint John (14 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) | 9.1 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.9 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.9 | 9.4 | 8.7 |
| High (°C) | -3 | -2 | 3 | 9 | 15 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 19 | 13 | 7 | 1 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 116 | 92 | 107 | 100 | 94 | 87 | 90 | 73 | 109 | 138 | 138 | 128 |
Expect around 215 cm of snow over a winter. July is the warmest month, with highs around 23 °C; January the coldest, at -3 °C. Rain and snow peak in November (138 mm) and ease in August (73 mm). The climate in Saint John →
Beaches
97 beaches within 5 km of Saint John
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Black Beachin town
DirectionsBoars Head Beachin town
DirectionsEvans Beachin town
DirectionsFisher Lake Beachin town
DirectionsLittle River Beachin town
DirectionsMartinon Beachin town
DirectionsRagged Point Beachsand · in town
DirectionsSaints Rest Beachin town
DirectionsSand Covein town
DirectionsTin Can Beachin town
DirectionsWithin 5 km is 123 km of coastline. OpenStreetMap shows 78 more, nameless. 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
Saint John has 42 viewpoints and 2 waterfalls nearby
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
42Viewpoints13Hills and peaks2Waterfalls2Nature reserves16Picnic sites74Playgrounds4Dog parks1Campsites12Slipways
Playgrounds lead the count with 74. Fort Howe Hill tops the hills nearby, 50 m.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 42
Lookout Pointin town
DirectionsReversing Falls Lookoutin town
DirectionsSeely Point Viewpointin town
DirectionsSpy Glass Hill1.7 km from town
DirectionsPlus 38 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 13
Ben Lomondin town
DirectionsCharliton Bluffin town
DirectionsCrane Mountainin town
DirectionsCrow Mountainin town
DirectionsFort Howe Hill50 m · in town
DirectionsGiants Stepsin town
DirectionsGolden Grove Mountainin town
DirectionsMount Pleasantin town
DirectionsPlus 5 hills and peaks more.
Nature reserves 2
Blueberry Hill Nature Preservein town
DirectionsBoars Head Nature Preservein town
DirectionsPicnic sites 16
Dominion Park Rest areain town
DirectionsPamdenec Picnic Site1.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 14 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 74
Anglin Drive Playgroundin town
DirectionsCelebration Street Parkin town
DirectionsChamplain Heights North Parkin town
DirectionsIrving Nature Park Children's Forestin town
DirectionsKiwanis Play Parkin town
DirectionsMabel Peters Playgroundin town
DirectionsMidwood Avenue Playgroundin town
DirectionsNorth End Play Parkin town
DirectionsPlus 66 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 4
Avenue Animal Hospital Groundsin town
DirectionsRockwood Park Bark Parkin town
DirectionsPlus 2 dog parks without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Rockwood Park Campgroundin town
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Saint John
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Grand Bay-WestfieldRothesayWestfieldQuispamsisSimondsSaint John
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint John | 14% | 63 | 3 | 97 |
| Grand Bay-Westfield 12 km | 29% | 21 | 1 | 39 |
| Rothesay 13 km | 5.5% | 9 | 1 | 37 |
| Westfield 15 km | 21% | 56 | 1 | 82 |
| Quispamsis 17 km | 5% | 14 | 3 | 14 |
| Simonds 18 km | 3.9% | 12 | 0 | 17 |
Grand Bay-Westfield has at least twice the protected share around it.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Walking routes. The list is OpenStreetMap’s, so a missing trail may just be unmapped. The Trans Canada Trail appears where OSM maps it.
- Beaches. Beaches are OpenStreetMap’s, named or not; in the north many are unnamed shoreline imports.
- 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. Land owned by individuals, companies or conservation groups counts toward the figures but is never named: a person’s land isn’t a place to visit.
- National and provincial parks. The nearest national park and the nearest provincial park are always shown when they are within 100 km.
Questions about the outdoors in Saint John
Where can you walk near Saint John?
OpenStreetMap maps the Trans Canada Trail (NB), Coastal Link Trail and Musquash Estuary Coastal Trails close by, with others.
Where can you swim near Saint John?
The nearest is Black Beach, in town.
Are there protected areas near Saint John?
Within 10 km, 14% of the land lies in protected areas.
What is the largest protected area near Saint John?
Loch Alva: 22,216 ha, a nature reserve.
What is the nearest provincial park to Saint John?
The closest is New River Beach Provincial Park, at 22 km.
Is Saint John near a national park?
The nearest is Fundy National Park, 63 km away.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Saint John?
May to September, on the 1991–2020 normals and the daylight: long days, highs of 15 °C or more, light rain for the place.
Sources
Sources for this page on Saint John
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).