First pick
Sackville Lakes Provincial Park
Park or garden
294 ha13.3 km of path
2 h 55 minto walk all 13.3 km of path
5.3 km southfrom the centre
Beech Hill Trail - TransCanada TrailGreat Oak's LoopLakeside Trail+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Coastal Elite from Halifax, Canada · CC BY-SA 2.08.2%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Beaver Bank · parks, protected land & trails
Beaver Bank has more protected land around it than 8 in 10 Canadian towns
The 10 km around town hold 31 protected areas. The largest named area nearby is Waverley - Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness Area, 8,621 ha, 4.6 km away. For a swim, Oakfield Park Beach is the nearest of 6 beaches within 5 km.
Protected land
8.2%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
31
within 10 km, 31 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Oakfield Provincial Park
Walking routes
2
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
6
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What Beaver Bank has going for it outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round8.2% of the land within 10 km, more than 82% of Canadian townsMany protected areas31 public areas within 10 kmA provincial park at the edgeOakfield Provincial Park reaches the townBeaches6 beaches within 5 km
What Beaver Bank has most to offer outdoors is protected land around it, with the number of public protected areas close by close behind.
Against other towns
Each figure for Beaver Bank, set against 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 km8.2%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town3.8%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas31Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes2Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches6Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Beaver Bank comes 8th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (8,994 to 9,322 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
Beaver Bank8.2%
Towns its size2.9%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Beaver Bank31
Towns its size6
Towns in Nova Scotia24
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Beaver Bank2
Towns its size0
Towns in Nova Scotia2
Typical Canadian town0
Among its peers, Beaver Bank’s strong point is public protected areas, where 4 of 39 top it.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Three Rivers PE | 31% | 4.4% | 64 | 14 | 42 |
| 2 | Chelsea QC | 27% | 65% | 55 | 6 | 7 |
| 3 | Crescent Heights BC | 27% | 13% | 132 | 4 | 4 |
| 4 | Queenswood Heights ON | 14% | 0% | 38 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | Braemar Park-Belair Heights-Copeland Park ON | 13% | 1.7% | 30 | 2 | 7 |
| 6 | Fall River NS | 11% | 2.9% | 26 | 1 | 4 |
| 7 | Centrepointe - Briargreen ON | 11% | 0% | 26 | 1 | 5 |
| 8 | Beaver Bank NS | 8.2% | 3.8% | 31 | 2 | 6 |
| 9 | Burnaby Mountain BC | 8.1% | 0% | 36 | 2 | 84 |
| 10 | Saint-Robert QC | 7.8% | 0% | 22 | 0 | 4 |
| 11 | Boischatel QC | 5.9% | 0% | 25 | 0 | 6 |
| 12 | H-Section (bramalea) ON | 5.5% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 13 | Vankleek Hill ON | 5.2% | 0.1% | 19 | 0 | 4 |
| 14 | Saint-Apollinaire QC | 5.1% | 0% | 23 | 0 | 1 |
| 15 | Rosewood Park BC | 4.5% | 0% | 130 | 5 | 0 |
| 16 | L'Épiphanie QC | 4% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Sundance AB | 3.3% | 34% | 1 | 0 | 14 |
| 18 | North Central SK | 3.2% | 0% | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 19 | Fish Creek Park AB | 3.2% | 53% | 4 | 0 | 20 |
| 20 | Riverbend AB | 3.1% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 8 |
| 21 | Fletchers Meadow South ON | 2.7% | 11% | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | Old East York ON | 2.4% | 4.6% | 13 | 3 | 15 |
| 23 | Stony Mountain MB | 2.3% | 2.3% | 12 | 4 | 1 |
| 24 | Sainte-Brigitte-de-Laval QC | 1.7% | 0% | 24 | 0 | 2 |
| 25 | Portugal Cove-St. Philip's NL | 1.5% | 0% | 3 | 2 | 35 |
| 26 | Kimberley BC | 1.5% | 1.2% | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Churchville ON | 1.2% | 2% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Hampton Village SK | 1.2% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 2 |
| 29 | Booth MB | 0.9% | 1% | 20 | 1 | 37 |
| 30 | University Heights Urban Centre SK | 0.9% | 0% | 12 | 1 | 3 |
| 31 | Barbertown ON | 0.8% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Silver Springs AB | 0.8% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 33 | Kings County, Subdivision C NS | 0.6% | 0% | 20 | 1 | 1 |
| 34 | Hawkwood AB | 0.5% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 35 | La Salle MB | 0.4% | 0% | 25 | 0 | 1 |
| 36 | Downtown Commercial Core AB | 0.4% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 37 | Coaticook QC | 0.3% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 38 | Amber Trails MB | 0.3% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Mount Pleasant AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 40 | Cooksville NHD (East) ON | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
The map
The green map of Beaver Bank
The neighbourhood’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
30 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Beaver Bank
Largest first: Sackville Lakes Provincial Park leads with 294 ha. Numbers match the map.
30 named parks and woods, 461 ha in all
Parks & gardens 461 ha
The bulk, 76%, is Sackville Lakes Provincial Park and Oakfield Provincial Park.
Oakfield Provincial Park
Park or garden
57 ha2.9 km of path
40 minto walk all 2.9 km of path
12 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Laurie Provincial Park
Park or garden
29 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
7.9 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Harold T. Barrett Junior High School Park
Park or garden
10 ha0.3 km of path
1.7 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Lost Creek Park
Park or garden
6.9 ha0.5 km of path
1.0 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Oaken Hills Park
Park or garden
5.4 ha1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1 km of path
6.6 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Wellington Provincial Park
Park or garden
6.5 ha
5.1 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Sackville Lakes Provincial ParkPark or garden · 294 ha · 13.3 km of path
DirectionsOakfield Provincial ParkPark or garden · 57 ha · 2.9 km of path
DirectionsLaurie Provincial ParkPark or garden · 29 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsHarold T. Barrett Junior High School ParkPark or garden · 10 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsBearpaw Drive ParkPark or garden · 8.8 ha
DirectionsLost Creek ParkPark or garden · 6.9 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsOaken Hills ParkPark or garden · 5.4 ha · 1 km of path
DirectionsWellington Provincial ParkPark or garden · 6.5 ha
DirectionsDuck Lake Brook Greenway ParkPark or garden · 4.8 ha
DirectionsMonarch Rivendale ParkPark or garden · 3.3 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsBeaver Bank Monarch Elementary School ParkPark or garden · 4.4 ha
DirectionsBeaver Bank Kinsac ParkPark or garden · 3.6 ha
DirectionsHolland Road Elementary School ParkPark or garden · 3.4 ha · just outside town
DirectionsJoan Drive ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsBeaver Bank Kinsac Elementary School ParkPark or garden · 2.3 ha
DirectionsHeddas Way ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha · just outside town
DirectionsHeddas Way ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha · just outside town
DirectionsCapilano Common ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha
DirectionsTaylor Drive ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha
DirectionsGrand Lake Drive ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha
DirectionsMeadowbrook Drive ParkPark or garden · 1.5 ha
DirectionsHoneysuckle Road ParkPark or garden · 1.5 ha · just outside town
DirectionsDavis Drive ParkPark or garden · 1.4 ha
DirectionsGrand Lake Oakfield ParkPark or garden · 1.3 ha · just outside town
DirectionsArmcrest Community parkPark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsPiggott Avenue ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha · just outside town
DirectionsGreenforest ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha
DirectionsSandy Lake Road ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha
DirectionsEarls Road ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha
DirectionsOleary Drive ParkPark or garden · 0.7 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 Beaver Bank’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 (54%)Further (46%)
Beaver Bank54%
Towns in Nova Scotia18%
Typical Canadian town83%
For comparison, the typical Canadian town has 83%. About 4,200 residents live further than 400 m from one.
Protected areas
31 protected areas around Beaver Bank
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Beaver Bank3.8%
Within 10 km8.2%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Every one of the 31 is on public land. Waverley - Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness Area is the biggest, 8,621 ha.
Sackville River Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 804 ha · reaches Beaver Bank
Sackville Lakes Provincial ParkProvincial park · 292 ha · reaches Beaver Bank
Rawdon River Nature ReserveNature reserve · 116 ha · reaches Beaver Bank
Oakfield Provincial ParkProvincial park · 56 ha · reaches Beaver Bank
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 15 ha · reaches Beaver Bank
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 3.2 ha · reaches Beaver Bank
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 2.1 ha · reaches Beaver Bank
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 6.7 ha · reaches Beaver Bank
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 5.1 ha · 0.2 km from the edge of town
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 3.1 ha · 1.5 km from the edge of town
21 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
Sackville Lakes Provincial Park meets Beaver Bank
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
Sackville Lakes Provincial Park
At the edge2.9 km²since 2013
Provincial park
Oakfield Provincial Park
At the edge0.6 km²since 1973
Provincial park
Bell Provincial Park
2.9 km west0.2 km²since 2014
For a national park, people in Beaver Bank travel more than 100 km. 3 provincial parks lie within 10 km.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Beaver Bank and its edge hold 41 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
41 km
in and around the town (217.8 km²)
Woodland
62%
about 135.7 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Beaver BankTowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.2
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Beaver BankTowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland62%
0%50%100%
For path density, 78% of Canadian towns do better. Woods cover more of it than in 88% 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
2 walking routes near Beaver Bank
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Local
Great Oaks Loop2.4 km
Oakfield Provincial Park Trail2.2 km
2 of them are under 3 km, good for a short outing.
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 Beaver Bank: May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Halifax Stanfield (Airport) (15 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 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 14.0 | 12.5 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°C) | -1 | -1 | 4 | 9 | 16 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 20 | 14 | 8 | 2 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 126 | 111 | 120 | 106 | 110 | 90 | 87 | 91 | 107 | 140 | 159 | 147 |
Winter brings about 215 cm of snow. The warmest days come in July (24 °C highs), the coldest in January (-1 °C). The wettest month, November, brings 159 mm, against 87 mm in July. The climate in Beaver Bank →
Beaches
6 beaches within 5 km of Beaver Bank
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Oakfield Park Beachpebbles · in town
DirectionsSpringfield Lake Beachsand · 1.3 km from town
DirectionsKinsmen Park Beach1.5 km from town
DirectionsThere are also 3 beaches without a name. 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
Beaver Bank has 4 viewpoints within 2 km
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
The most common are playgrounds: 45 on the map.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 4
Plus 4 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 4
Mount Rascalin town
DirectionsNicholson Hillin town
DirectionsBrushy Hill0.4 km from town
DirectionsPhillip Hill0.8 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 2
Plus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 45
Grand Lake Drive Park Playgroundin town
DirectionsGrand Lake Oakfield Playground0.4 km from town
DirectionsNordic Crescent Park Playground1.2 km from town
DirectionsSpringfield Lake Recreation Park Playground1.7 km from town
DirectionsSackville Heights Junior High School Playground2.0 km from town
DirectionsPlus 40 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Slipways 5
Springfield Lake Park Boat Launch1.3 km from town
DirectionsPlus 4 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Beaver Bank
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Fall RiverMiddle SackvilleLower SackvilleDutch SettlementBedfordHammonds PlainsBeaver Bank
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaver Bank | 8.2% | 31 | 2 | 6 |
| Fall River 4.7 km | 11% | 26 | 1 | 4 |
| Middle Sackville 6.1 km | 6.4% | 25 | 0 | 2 |
| Lower Sackville 7.3 km | 8.5% | 25 | 1 | 3 |
| Dutch Settlement 11 km | 8.7% | 69 | 10 | 8 |
| Bedford 13 km | 15% | 29 | 11 | 5 |
| Hammonds Plains 14 km | 16% | 35 | 2 | 3 |
For walking routes, Bedford leads the area with 11. Hammonds Plains 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. 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. National parks are Parks Canada’s; provincial parks are the province’s or territory’s, Québec’s parcs nationaux among them.
- 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. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
Questions about the outdoors in Beaver Bank
What is the biggest park or reserve near Beaver Bank?
It is Waverley - Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness Area, a nature reserve covering 8,621 ha.
Is there protected land near Beaver Bank?
Protected areas cover 8.2% of the land within 10 km.
Are there hiking trails near Beaver Bank?
The Oakfield Provincial Park Trail and Great Oaks Loop, among the routes mapped within 2 km.
Where can you swim near Beaver Bank?
Oakfield Park Beach, in town, is the nearest mapped beach.
How far is the nearest provincial park from Beaver Bank?
Oakfield Provincial Park, which reaches the edge of town.
Is Beaver Bank near a national park?
None within 100 km of Beaver Bank.
When should you visit Beaver Bank for the outdoors?
On the normals, May to September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
Sources
The sources behind Beaver Bank’s outdoors figures
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).