First pick
Shearwater Flyer Trail Park
Park or garden
36 ha1.4 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.4 km of path
3.7 km south-eastfrom the centre
Salt Marsh Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Coastal Elite from Halifax, Canada · CC BY-SA 2.04.4%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Cole Harbour · parks, protected land & trails
A provincial park at Cole Harbour’s edge: Cole Harbour - Lawrencetown Provincial Park
17 beaches are mapped within 5 km, the nearest Kiwanis Centre Beach. 7.0 km out lies the largest, Waverley - Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness Area, at 8,621 ha. Count 22 protected areas within 10 km of town.
Protected land
4.4%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
22
within 10 km, 14 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Cole Harbour - Lawrencetown Provincial Park
Walking routes
2
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
17
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
The outdoors in Cole Harbour, in short
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
A provincial park at the edgeCole Harbour - Lawrencetown Provincial Park reaches the townBeaches17 beaches within 5 km
Cole Harbour is strongest on a provincial park at its edge, with its beaches close behind.
Against other towns
Cole Harbour 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 one of Canada’s graded subjects, so there’s no letter here: each figure is set against other Canadian towns instead.
Protected within 10 km4.4%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town6.9%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas14Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes2Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches17Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Cole Harbour comes 15th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (21,130 to 22,076 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
Cole Harbour4.4%
Towns its size2.1%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Cole Harbour14
Towns its size5
Towns in Nova Scotia24
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Cole Harbour2
Towns its size1
Towns in Nova Scotia2
Typical Canadian town0
For public protected areas, Cole Harbour sits near the top of its size group: 7 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electoral Area A, Metro Vancouver BC | 26% | 34% | 203 | 11 | 269 |
| 2 | Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac QC | 19% | 0.1% | 28 | 0 | 7 |
| 3 | Mont-Bleu QC | 17% | 12% | 33 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | Cornell ON | 12% | 16% | 9 | 2 | 1 |
| 5 | Upper Lachine QC | 12% | 0% | 23 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 | South End NS | 11% | 4.5% | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| 7 | South Frontenac ON | 9.4% | 13% | 89 | 18 | 5 |
| 8 | Varennes QC | 9.3% | 6.2% | 56 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | Colchester County, Subdivision B NS | 9% | 4.9% | 84 | 10 | 5 |
| 10 | Rivière-des-Prairies QC | 8.8% | 8.6% | 41 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Petite-Bourgogne QC | 8.4% | 0% | 24 | 1 | 5 |
| 12 | Ile-des-Soeurs QC | 7.8% | 8% | 24 | 0 | 7 |
| 13 | Parcours-du-Cerf - Du Tremblay QC | 6.9% | 0% | 32 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | Old Barrhaven West ON | 6% | 0% | 18 | 2 | 0 |
| 15 | Cole Harbour NS | 4.4% | 6.9% | 22 | 2 | 17 |
| 16 | Sandalwood East (mountainash) ON | 4.3% | 11% | 12 | 0 | 1 |
| 17 | Black Creek ON | 2.7% | 1% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | East End-Danforth ON | 2.2% | 0% | 13 | 3 | 24 |
| 19 | East L'Amoreaux ON | 2.2% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | L'Amoreaux West ON | 2.2% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Port Colborne ON | 2% | 2.1% | 10 | 0 | 8 |
| 22 | Chameran/Montpellier QC | 1.9% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | The Beaches ON | 1.9% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 44 |
| 24 | Carling ON | 1.7% | 3.5% | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| 25 | Englemount-Lawrence ON | 1.4% | 0% | 13 | 2 | 0 |
| 26 | Sunningdale ON | 1.4% | 1.6% | 18 | 2 | 0 |
| 27 | South Parkdale ON | 1.3% | 0% | 10 | 4 | 22 |
| 28 | Red Deer County AB | 1.1% | 1.1% | 76 | 1 | 60 |
| 29 | Kingsview Village-The Westway ON | 0.9% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Oakdale-Beverley Heights ON | 0.9% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| 31 | Sturgeon County AB | 0.8% | 0.7% | 25 | 8 | 1 |
| 32 | Middlesex Centre ON | 0.5% | 0.5% | 22 | 5 | 0 |
| 33 | Lloydminster (Part) AB | 0.5% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Tillsonburg ON | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 35 | Lakeview ON | 0.2% | 0.8% | 5 | 1 | 7 |
| 36 | Forest Glade ON | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 37 | Steinbach MB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 38 | Riverside ON | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 39 | Evanston AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Saddle Ridge AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Cole Harbour on the map: green space, protected land and paths
Green space, woods, protected areas and footpaths in and around the neighbourhood; 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 Cole Harbour: 30 named parks and woods
Shearwater Flyer Trail Park is the largest, at 36 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
30 named parks and woods, 278 ha in all
Parks & gardens 268 haWoods 10 ha
Many small places make up the total; the biggest is 13%.
Rainbow Haven Beach Provincial Park
Park or garden
33 ha2.3 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.3 km of path
5.5 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Bissett Lake Park
Park or garden
29 ha2.7 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.7 km of path
Centralin the middle of Cole Harbour
Bissett Lake GreenwayBissett Lake Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Cole Harbour Commons
Park or garden
25 ha3.3 km of path
45 minto walk all 3.3 km of path
2.3 km northfrom the centre
Forest Hills Greenway
Directionsto a point inside
Cole Harbour Salt Marsh Trail
Park or garden · 130 m outside town
13 ha5.3 km of path
1 h 10 minto walk all 5.3 km of path
7.9 km eastfrom the centre
Salt Marsh Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Settle Lake Park
Park or garden
17 ha3.3 km of path
45 minto walk all 3.3 km of path
2.3 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Bell Lake Park
Park or garden
12 ha1.5 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.5 km of path
2.7 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Bell Brook Park
Park or garden
8.3 ha2 km of path
25 minto walk all 2 km of path
1.5 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Shearwater Flyer Trail ParkPark or garden · 36 ha · 1.4 km of path
DirectionsRainbow Haven Beach Provincial ParkPark or garden · 33 ha · 2.3 km of path
DirectionsBissett Lake ParkPark or garden · 29 ha · 2.7 km of path
DirectionsCole Harbour CommonsPark or garden · 25 ha · 3.3 km of path
DirectionsCole Harbour Salt Marsh TrailPark or garden · 13 ha · 5.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSettle Lake ParkPark or garden · 17 ha · 3.3 km of path
DirectionsBell Lake ParkPark or garden · 12 ha · 1.5 km of path
DirectionsBell Brook ParkPark or garden · 8.3 ha · 2 km of path
DirectionsSmelt Brook ParkPark or garden · 11 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsMount Edward Road ParkPark or garden · 11 ha · just outside town
DirectionsCranberry Lake ParkPark or garden · 7.7 ha · 1.5 km of path
DirectionsPortland Estates School ParkPark or garden · 6.8 ha · 0.7 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsAstral Dr Elementary & Junior High School ParkPark or garden · 7.4 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsSir Robert Borden Junior High ParkPark or garden · 5.1 ha · 1 km of path
DirectionsColby Village Elementary School ParkPark or garden · 4.4 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsCow Bay Road ParkPark or garden · 4.1 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsSilver Sands Beach ParkPark or garden · 5.2 ha
DirectionsCaldwell Road Elementary School ParkPark or garden · 3.9 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsKiwanis Centre Beach and Park Morris LakePark or garden · 2.4 ha · 1 km of path
DirectionsPebblecreek Crescent ParkPark or garden · 3.5 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsGeorge Bissett Elementary School ParkPark or garden · 2.8 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsFlag Pond Coastal Access ParkPark or garden · 3.3 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsGorden Bell ParkPark or garden · 3.2 ha
DirectionsCarolyn's Way ParkPark or garden · 3.1 ha
DirectionsMoses IslandWood or forest · 10 ha
DirectionsJoseph Giles Elementary School ParkPark or garden · 2.2 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsForest Hills Greenway ParkPark or garden · 1.4 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsEvelyn Wood Place ParkPark or garden · 2.1 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsRobert Kemp Turner Elementary SchoolPark or garden · 2.2 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsEric Graves Memorial Junior High School ParkPark or garden · 2.2 ha · just outside town
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 9 in 10 in Cole Harbour
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 (87%)Further (13%)
Cole Harbour87%
Towns in Nova Scotia18%
Typical Canadian town83%
For about 3,000 people, the nearest park is over 400 m away. A typical Canadian town reaches only 83%.
Protected areas
4.4% of the land around Cole Harbour is protected
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Cole Harbour6.9%
Within 10 km4.4%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public ownership covers 14 of the 22. Waverley - Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness Area is the biggest, 8,621 ha. The figures include 8 private conservation areas, left unnamed.
Cole Harbour - Lawrencetown Provincial ParkProvincial park · 743 ha · reaches Cole Harbour
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 6.5 ha · 0.6 km from the edge of town
McNabs & Lawlor Island Provincial ParkProvincial park · 58 ha · 2.9 km from the edge of town
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 178 ha · 6.5 km from the edge of town
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 28 ha · 6.5 km from the edge of town
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 2.6 ha · 6.5 km from the edge of town
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 4.1 ha · 6.7 km from the edge of town
Waverley - Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 8,621 ha · 7.0 km from the edge of town
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 24 ha · 7.7 km from the edge of town
Herring Cove Provincial ParkProvincial park · 20 ha · 8.2 km from the edge of town
4 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
Cole Harbour - Lawrencetown Provincial Park starts at the edge of Cole Harbour
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
Cole Harbour - Lawrencetown Provincial Park
At the edge7.4 km²since 1998
Provincial park
McNabs & Lawlor Island Provincial Park
2.9 km south0.6 km²since 2002
Provincial park
Herring Cove Provincial Park
8.2 km south-west0.2 km²since 2024
Provincial park
Porters Lake Provincial Park
9.3 km east0.9 km²since 1974
No national park lies within 100 km of Cole Harbour; the provincial parks are the big protected land within reach. There are 4 provincial parks 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
Paths to walk: 76 km in and around Cole Harbour
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
76 km
in and around the town (70.7 km²)
Woodland
30%
about 21.4 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Cole HarbourTowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths1.1
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Cole HarbourTowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland30%
0%50%100%
Paths are thinner on the ground than in 57% of Canadian towns. For woods, it beats 74% 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 mapped routes to walk from Cole Harbour
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Local
Shearwater Flyer Trail8.8 km
Cole Harbour Heritage Trails6.7 km
The longest of the rest is the Shearwater Flyer Trail, 8.8 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Get out in Cole Harbour in June to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Shearwater, 3.9 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 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 19 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 14 | 9 | 4 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 124 | 114 | 120 | 108 | 115 | 107 | 95 | 94 | 107 | 141 | 135 | 156 |
Winter brings about 215 cm of snow. For dry weather, August is best (94 mm); December gets 156 mm. The warmest days come in August (23 °C highs), the coldest in January (0 °C). The climate in Cole Harbour →
Beaches
Beaches near Cole Harbour: 17 within 5 km
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Kiwanis Centre Beachsand · in town
DirectionsRainbow Haven Beachsand · in town
DirectionsSilver Sands Beach0.1 km from town
DirectionsAbenaki Canoe Club Beach0.3 km from town
DirectionsMaynard Lake Beach3.4 km from town
DirectionsSunrise Beachpebbles · 4.2 km from town
DirectionsBirch Cove Beachsand · 4.4 km from town
DirectionsLions Beach4.5 km from town
DirectionsMaugers Beach4.6 km from town
DirectionsShubie Beach4.6 km from town
DirectionsOpenStreetMap marks 3 as sandy. 6 further beaches go unnamed. OpenStreetMap maps 84 km of coastline within 5 km. For water quality, look to the local health unit: no open beach-testing data covers Canada.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Cole Harbour has a viewpoint within 2 km
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Among the peaks, Mount Edward is highest at 110 m. Most numerous: playgrounds (88).
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 3
Flandrum Hillin town
DirectionsBreak Heart Hill100 m · 0.4 km from town
DirectionsMount Edward110 m · 0.8 km from town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
Rainbow Haven Beach Provincial Parkin town
DirectionsPicnic sites 6
Plus 6 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 88
Bisset Community Playgroundin town
DirectionsCarolyn's Way Playground0.1 km from town
DirectionsMount Edward Elementary School Playground0.9 km from town
DirectionsBaker Drive Community Park Walkway1.5 km from town
DirectionsPlus 84 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
A garden to visit near Cole Harbour: Halifax Public Gardens, 6.3 km away
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
Halifax Public GardensNational Historic Site · 6.3 km from town
Its pageOne is a National Historic Site.
Sources: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL, and Wikidata (CC0), as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic places from Parks Canada’s Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, the Canadian Register of Historic Places and Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel.
Next door
Next to Cole Harbour
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Portland EstatesWestphalWoodlawnManor ParkEastern PassageLawrencetownCole Harbour
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cole Harbour | 4.4% | 22 | 2 | 17 |
| Portland Estates 2.8 km | 4.5% | 19 | 4 | 18 |
| Westphal 3.4 km | 12% | 14 | 1 | 7 |
| Woodlawn 4.7 km | 15% | 27 | 5 | 11 |
| Manor Park 5.3 km | 5.3% | 22 | 6 | 21 |
| Eastern Passage 5.5 km | 3.6% | 14 | 2 | 21 |
| Lawrencetown 6.0 km | 8.5% | 14 | 2 | 14 |
For walking routes, Manor Park leads the area with 6. Around Westphal and Woodlawn the protected share is at least double.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- National and provincial parks. A park at 0 km touches or overlaps the town’s outline; directions point from the town’s centre.
- Walking routes. Routes are what OpenStreetMap’s volunteers have mapped as named walking or hiking routes; many good trails aren’t mapped that way.
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
- Beaches. Beaches are OpenStreetMap’s, named or not; in the north many are unnamed shoreline imports.
- Protected land. Measured on CPCAD’s outlines: the part of a 10 km band around the town that lies in a protected or conserved area, water included.
Questions about the outdoors in Cole Harbour
How much land around Cole Harbour is protected?
Within 10 km, 4.4% of the land lies in protected areas.
How far is Cole Harbour from a national park?
No national park lies within 100 km of Cole Harbour.
Where can you walk near Cole Harbour?
Try the Shearwater Flyer Trail and Cole Harbour Heritage Trails; more are on the map.
What is the nearest beach to Cole Harbour?
The nearest is Kiwanis Centre Beach, in town.
What is the biggest park or reserve near Cole Harbour?
Waverley - Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness Area, a nature reserve of 8,621 ha.
When is the best time for walking in Cole Harbour?
June to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
How far is the nearest provincial park from Cole Harbour?
Cole Harbour - Lawrencetown Provincial Park touches the town.
Sources
The sources behind Cole Harbour’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.
Gardens: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden) and Wikidata gardens within 15 km, as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic gardens and parks from Canada’s heritage registers (Parks Canada DFHD, the Canadian Register of Historic Places, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel).
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).