First pick
St. Margaret's Bay Rail To Trails Park
Park or garden
103 ha27.5 km of path
6 h 5 minto walk all 27.5 km of path
22 km eastfrom the centre
St Margarets Bay TrailGeorgia Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center · Public domain4.1%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Chester · parks, protected land & trails
Chester is near Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq IPCA, an Indigenous protected area
For a swim, Algerine Shore is the nearest of 21 beaches within 5 km. 54 km separate the town from Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site, its nearest national park. One named trail is close: the Castle Rock trails.
Protected land
4.1%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
124
within 10 km, 109 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
54 km
Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Card Lake Provincial Park
Walking routes
1
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
21
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What Chester has going for it outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Many protected areas109 public areas within 10 kmIndigenous protected landConfederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq IPCA, within 10 kmBeaches21 beaches within 5 kmA provincial park at the edgeCard Lake Provincial Park reaches the town
Chester’s best card is the number of public protected areas close by, with an Indigenous protected and conserved area nearby close behind.
Against other towns
Chester 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. This page carries no grade, because Canada’s grading doesn’t cover the outdoors; the comparisons are the point.
Protected within 10 km4.1%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town6.1%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas109Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes1Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches21Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Chester has the 13th most protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (11,491 to 12,008 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
Chester4.1%
Towns its size1.7%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Chester109
Towns its size3
Towns in Nova Scotia24
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Chester1
Towns its size0
Towns in Nova Scotia2
Typical Canadian town0
Chester beats most towns its size for public protected areas; only 1 of 39 does better.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L'Île-Perrot QC | 42% | 0.5% | 44 | 0 | 4 |
| 2 | Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot QC | 34% | 0.6% | 50 | 0 | 5 |
| 3 | Mont-Tremblant QC | 27% | 29% | 20 | 0 | 18 |
| 4 | Chapel Hill North ON | 14% | 1.2% | 36 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Clearwater County AB | 13% | 5.7% | 44 | 3 | 4 |
| 6 | Cardinal Creek ON | 11% | 0% | 43 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | Ramara ON | 8.6% | 0.5% | 37 | 2 | 10 |
| 8 | Sechelt BC | 7.5% | 2% | 17 | 0 | 24 |
| 9 | Ebenezer West ON | 6.8% | 11% | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Valley Creek ON | 6.3% | 29% | 10 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Provinceton BC | 5.3% | 5.9% | 160 | 6 | 0 |
| 12 | Adjala-Tosorontio ON | 4.7% | 1.1% | 68 | 3 | 4 |
| 13 | Chester NS | 4.1% | 6.1% | 124 | 1 | 21 |
| 14 | McKenzie Lake AB | 3.3% | 1.1% | 2 | 0 | 17 |
| 15 | Fletchers Meadow North ON | 3% | 4.9% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Marieville QC | 2.9% | 0.7% | 37 | 0 | 5 |
| 17 | Morrisburg ON | 2.6% | 4.2% | 17 | 0 | 5 |
| 18 | North Riverdale ON | 2.2% | 0% | 10 | 5 | 31 |
| 19 | René-Goupil QC | 2.1% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Selkirk MB | 1.8% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | German Mills ON | 1.6% | 0% | 28 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Fort Richmond MB | 1.6% | 2.3% | 17 | 0 | 1 |
| 23 | Saint-Raymond QC | 1.2% | 1.2% | 27 | 8 | 5 |
| 24 | The Hamptons AB | 1.2% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Hamilton ON | 0.9% | 0.8% | 14 | 2 | 4 |
| 26 | Bowness AB | 0.9% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 27 | Millbrook ON | 0.6% | 0.1% | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| 28 | Tay ON | 0.5% | 0.6% | 17 | 3 | 5 |
| 29 | New Toronto ON | 0.3% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 17 |
| 30 | Jefferson MB | 0.3% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | West Springs AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 32 | Weyburn SK | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Fontainebleau ON | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 34 | South Cameron ON | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 35 | Dundalk ON | 0.1% | 0.1% | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 36 | Morden MB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 37 | Mississauga Valleys ON | 0.1% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 38 | Cityscape AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 39 | Drayton ON | 0% | 0% | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 40 | Martensville SK | 0% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Parks, woods and paths around Chester
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 Chester: 12 named parks and woods
St. Margaret's Bay Rail To Trails Park is the largest, at 103 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
12 named parks and woods, 170 ha in all
Parks & gardens 164 haWoods 5.7 ha
91% of the area is in just two places: St. Margaret's Bay Rail To Trails Park and Graves Island Provincial Park.
Graves Island Provincial Park
Park or garden
51 ha2.9 km of path
40 minto walk all 2.9 km of path
6.5 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Bayswater Beach Provincial Park
Park or garden
3.6 ha0.1 km of path
19 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Parade Square Park
Park or garden
0.7 ha0.2 km of path
6.7 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 12 named parks and green spaces
St. Margaret's Bay Rail To Trails ParkPark or garden · 103 ha · 27.5 km of path
DirectionsGraves Island Provincial ParkPark or garden · 51 ha · 2.9 km of path
DirectionsBayswater Beach Provincial ParkPark or garden · 3.6 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsHeritege ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha
DirectionsPartridge IslandWood or forest · 5.7 ha
DirectionsLordly ParkPark or garden · 1.4 ha
DirectionsParade Square ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsWild Rose ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha
DirectionsHubbards Community WaterfrontPark or garden · 0.5 ha · just outside town
DirectionsEast River Provincial ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsLegacy ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsJib Lot ParkPark or garden · 0.4 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
A park is within a short walk for 1 in 10 in Chester
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 (8%)Further (92%)
Chester8%
Towns in Nova Scotia18%
Typical Canadian town83%
In the typical Canadian town the share is 83%, higher than here. About 10,800 residents live further than 400 m from one.
Protected areas
Protected areas cover 4.1% of the land near Chester
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Chester6.1%
Within 10 km4.1%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Of the 124, 109 are public land; the others are privately held. South Panuke Wilderness Area covers 6,843 ha, the most of any named area. Among them is Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq IPCA, an Indigenous protected and conserved area. One more area within 10 km is private land, held by a landowner or a conservation group: counted here, not named.
South Panuke Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 6,843 ha · reaches Chester
Holden Lake Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 1,491 ha · reaches Chester
Long Lake Nature ReserveNature reserve · 401 ha · reaches Chester
Blandford Nature ReserveNature reserve · 319 ha · reaches Chester
Long Lake Nature ReserveNature reserve · 285 ha · reaches Chester
Card Lake Provincial ParkProvincial park · 104 ha · reaches Chester
Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq IPCAIndigenous protected and conserved area · 83 ha · reaches Chester · Indigenous name: Kmitkinu
St. Margarets Bay Islands Nature ReserveNature reserve · 58 ha · reaches Chester
Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq IPCAIndigenous protected and conserved area · 43 ha · reaches Chester · Indigenous name: Kmitkinu
Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq IPCAIndigenous protected and conserved area · 29 ha · reaches Chester · Indigenous name: Kmitkinu
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
54 km to Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site
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
Card Lake Provincial Park
At the edge1.0 km²since 1976
National park
Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site
54 km west404 km²since 1967
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Chester and its edge hold 131 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
131 km
in and around the town (1,484.8 km²)
Woodland
75%
about 1,106.6 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
ChesterTowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.1
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
ChesterTowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland75%
0%50%100%
For path density, 87% of Canadian towns do better. More of it is wooded than in 93% 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
Chester has 1 named walking route
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Other waymarked
Castle Rock trails2.9 km
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 Chester: May to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Bridgewater, 31 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) | 9.2 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.5 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°C) | 0 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 17 | 22 | 26 | 25 | 21 | 14 | 9 | 3 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 136 | 115 | 143 | 121 | 138 | 104 | 87 | 107 | 125 | 162 | 160 | 163 |
About 184 cm of snow falls in a year. Most rain and snow falls in December, 163 mm; July sees 87 mm. January brings highs of 0 °C, July highs of 26 °C. The climate in Chester →
Beaches
21 beaches within 5 km of Chester
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Algerine Shorein town
DirectionsBackhouse Shorein town
DirectionsCherrys Beachin town
DirectionsCooks Beachin town
DirectionsFox Point Beachsand · in town
DirectionsGates Beachin town
DirectionsMeisners Beachin town
DirectionsFreda’s Beachin town
DirectionsBayswater Beachsand · in town
DirectionsDauphinees Beach0.9 km from town
DirectionsWithin 5 km is 289 km of coastline. 4 are mapped as sand. 9 more are mapped without a name. 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
Near Chester: 8 viewpoints, 4 waterfalls
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
8Viewpoints25Hills and peaks4Waterfalls6Nature reserves12Picnic sites2Playgrounds5Campsites3Slipways
25 hills and peaks top the list.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 8
Plus 5 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 25
Aspotogan Mountainin town
DirectionsBeech Hillin town
DirectionsBurnt Blanket Hillin town
DirectionsCard Lake Hillin town
DirectionsDeep Cove Mountainin town
DirectionsHaddon Hillin town
DirectionsKeddys Hillin town
DirectionsKings Hillin town
DirectionsPlus 17 hills and peaks more.
Nature reserves 6
Bayswater Beach Provincial Parkin town
DirectionsBlandford Nature Reservein town
DirectionsGraves Island Provincial Parkin town
DirectionsLittle Gooseberry Islandin town
DirectionsSimms Settlement Provincial Parkin town
DirectionsPlus 1 nature reserve more.
Picnic sites 12
Lake-side Picnic Lookoutin town
DirectionsLordly Parkin town
DirectionsNoonan Lake Picnic Parkin town
DirectionsPicnic Tablein town
DirectionsPlus 8 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Campsites 5
Hubbards Beach Campgrounds and Cottages0.7 km from town
DirectionsPlus 4 campsites without a name on the map.
Slipways 3
Water Street Launch Ramp0.1 km from town
DirectionsPlus 2 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Chester
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page. The nearest places to Chester with figures are 18–28 km away.
Mahone BayLunenburgLunenburgChester
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester | 4.1% | 124 | 1 | 21 |
| Mahone Bay 18 km | 0.1% | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Lunenburg 24 km | 0.1% | 19 | 0 | 5 |
| Lunenburg 28 km | 2.1% | 140 | 5 | 33 |
None of the places nearby has twice as much protected land around it as Chester. For walking routes, Lunenburg leads the area with 5.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Protected land. The 10 km band starts at the town’s outline, not its centre, so a large municipality reaches further than a small town.
- Beaches. Beaches are OpenStreetMap’s, named or not; in the north many are unnamed shoreline imports.
- 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.
- Walking routes. The list is OpenStreetMap’s, so a missing trail may just be unmapped. The Trans Canada Trail appears where OSM maps it.
- 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.
Questions about the outdoors in Chester
What is the biggest park or reserve near Chester?
South Panuke Wilderness Area: 6,843 ha, a nature reserve.
Is Chester near a national park?
The nearest is Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site, 54 km away.
Where can you walk near Chester?
The Castle Rock trails, mapped within 2 km.
Is there a beach near Chester?
The nearest is Algerine Shore, in town.
Are there protected areas near Chester?
Protected areas cover 4.1% of the land within 10 km.
When should you visit Chester for the outdoors?
May to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
Is there a provincial park near Chester?
Card Lake Provincial Park begins at the town’s edge.
Sources
Where Chester’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).