First pick
Dollar Lake Provincial Park
Park or garden
1,199 ha5.1 km of path
1 h 5 minto walk all 5.1 km of path
18 km eastfrom the centre
Brook TrailField TrailShoreline Trail+2 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center · Public domain8.7%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Dutch Settlement · parks, protected land & trails
More of the land around Dutch Settlement is protected than around 8 in 10 Canadian towns
69 protected areas lie within 10 km. Swimmers have 8 beaches within 5 km, Oakfield Park Beach the nearest. 15% of the neighbourhood lies within a protected area.
Protected land
8.7%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
69
within 10 km, 55 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Dollar Lake Provincial Park
Walking routes
10
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
8
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
Where Dutch Settlement stands out outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round8.7% of the land within 10 km, more than 83% of Canadian townsWalking routes10 named routes within 2 kmMany protected areas55 public areas within 10 kmA provincial park at the edgeDollar Lake Provincial Park reaches the town
Dutch Settlement’s best card is protected land around it, with its choice of walking routes close behind.
Against other towns
Dutch Settlement 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 km8.7%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town15%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas55Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes10Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches8Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Among 40 towns its size, Dutch Settlement ranks 4th for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (6,126 to 6,344 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
Dutch Settlement8.7%
Towns its size1.8%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Dutch Settlement55
Towns its size4
Towns in Nova Scotia24
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Dutch Settlement10
Towns its size0
Towns in Nova Scotia2
Typical Canadian town0
For public protected areas, Dutch Settlement tops all 39 other towns its size.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hubley NS | 20% | 37% | 32 | 3 | 4 |
| 2 | Peachland BC | 18% | 0.4% | 22 | 1 | 6 |
| 3 | Playfair Park - Guildwood Estates ON | 13% | 0% | 37 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Dutch Settlement NS | 8.7% | 15% | 69 | 10 | 8 |
| 5 | Nouveau Greenfield Park QC | 6.9% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 | Central Business Dis ON | 6.9% | 11% | 21 | 3 | 2 |
| 7 | Lac-Brome QC | 6.8% | 1.7% | 55 | 0 | 6 |
| 8 | Beaver County AB | 6.8% | 7.7% | 143 | 2 | 0 |
| 9 | Les Coteaux QC | 6.7% | 0.2% | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Cumberland ON | 6.7% | 2.9% | 50 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Fatima QC | 6.6% | 4.5% | 26 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Turnball ON | 6.1% | 39% | 20 | 3 | 1 |
| 13 | Tay Valley ON | 5.8% | 3.9% | 37 | 5 | 8 |
| 14 | Electoral Area A, Cariboo BC | 5.4% | 6% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Beasley ON | 5.1% | 0% | 23 | 1 | 3 |
| 16 | Crown Point West ON | 4.1% | 0% | 24 | 1 | 7 |
| 17 | Delta East ON | 3.7% | 0% | 22 | 1 | 6 |
| 18 | Barrhead County No. 11 AB | 3.4% | 1.2% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Electoral Area C, Peace River BC | 1.9% | 1% | 14 | 0 | 2 |
| 20 | Rosemount ON | 1.8% | 0% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| 21 | Haultain SK | 1.7% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 3 |
| 22 | Cherry Hill ON | 1.6% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Glenora AB | 1.6% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 24 | Woodstock NB | 1.5% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Willow Creek No. 26 AB | 1.5% | 0.2% | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Highland ON | 1.5% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Sargent Park MB | 1.4% | 0% | 23 | 1 | 0 |
| 28 | Grosvenor Park SK | 1.4% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 3 |
| 29 | Neepawa MB | 1% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | St. Paul AB | 0.5% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Saint-Césaire QC | 0.4% | 0% | 25 | 0 | 1 |
| 32 | Capitol Hill AB | 0.4% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 33 | Mission AB | 0.4% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 34 | Castleridge AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Duggan AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Vegreville AB | 0.2% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | South Walkerville ON | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Beauceville QC | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 39 | The Orchards At Ellerslie AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 40 | Mildmay ON | 0% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Parks, woods and paths around Dutch Settlement
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
30 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Dutch Settlement
Largest first: Dollar Lake Provincial Park leads with 1,199 ha. Numbers match the map.
30 named parks and woods, 1,434 ha in all
Parks & gardens 1,434 ha
Most of it sits in Dollar Lake Provincial Park and Oakfield Provincial Park: 88% together.
McDonald Sports Park
Park or garden
51 ha6.6 km of path
1 h 25 minto walk all 6.6 km of path
11 km southfrom the centre
Shirley AnneBig Paul's LoopAnnie Blois+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Musquodoboit Trail at Greenway
Park or garden · 150 m outside town
48 ha7.8 km of path
1 h 45 minto walk all 7.8 km of path
34 km eastfrom the centre
Musquodoboit Trailway
Directionsto a point inside
Oakfield Provincial Park
Park or garden
57 ha2.9 km of path
40 minto walk all 2.9 km of path
3.8 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Laurie Provincial Park
Park or garden · 360 m outside town
28 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
3.2 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Dollar Lake Provincial ParkPark or garden · 1,199 ha · 5.1 km of path
DirectionsMcDonald Sports ParkPark or garden · 51 ha · 6.6 km of path
DirectionsMusquodoboit Trail at GreenwayPark or garden · 48 ha · 7.8 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsOakfield Provincial ParkPark or garden · 57 ha · 2.9 km of path
DirectionsLaurie Provincial ParkPark or garden · 28 ha · 0.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsOakfield Woods ParkPark or garden · 5.4 ha
DirectionsSawgrass Drive ParkPark or garden · 4.7 ha
DirectionsBrookhill Dr Park 3Park or garden · 4.6 ha
DirectionsRockcliffe Drive ParkPark or garden · 4.5 ha
DirectionsCanterbury Lane ParkPark or garden · 3.1 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSilversides Residents Association ParkPark or garden · 3.1 ha
DirectionsBrookhill Dr Park 2Park or garden · 2.9 ha
DirectionsCarrolls Corner Community Centre ParkPark or garden · 2.4 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsBeechcrest Drive ParkPark or garden · 2.6 ha
DirectionsMornington Court ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsWaverley Memorial Elementary School ParkPark or garden · 2.3 ha
DirectionsDutch Settlement ParkPark or garden · 2.2 ha
DirectionsOldfield Consolidated Elementary School ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha
DirectionsDutch Settlement Elementary School ParkPark or garden · 1.5 ha
DirectionsGrand Lake Oakfield ParkPark or garden · 1.2 ha
DirectionsPerrin Drive ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha
DirectionsStage Road ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha
DirectionsWaverley on the Green ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsMyra Road Provincial ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · just outside town
DirectionsBeaverbrook ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha
DirectionsRiver ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha
DirectionsSchwarzwald ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha · just outside town
DirectionsElderbank ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha
DirectionsElderbank Provincial ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha
DirectionsMeaghers Grant ParkPark or garden · 0.6 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
About 1 in 10 of Dutch Settlement’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 (14%)Further (86%)
Dutch Settlement14%
Towns in Nova Scotia18%
Typical Canadian town83%
The typical Canadian town reaches 83%. For about 5,400 people, the nearest park is over 400 m away.
Protected areas
The 69 protected areas near Dutch Settlement
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Dutch Settlement15%
Within 10 km8.7%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public bodies own 55 of the 69; land trusts and private owners hold the others. The largest named one is Waverley - Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness Area, at 8,621 ha. The figures include 5 private conservation areas, left unnamed.
Waverley - Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 8,621 ha · reaches Dutch Settlement
Clattenburgh Brook Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 1,913 ha · reaches Dutch Settlement
Dollar Lake Provincial ParkProvincial park · 771 ha · reaches Dutch Settlement
White Lake Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 568 ha · reaches Dutch Settlement
Dollar Lake Provincial ParkProvincial park · 396 ha · reaches Dutch Settlement
Waverley - Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 288 ha · reaches Dutch Settlement
Bennery Lake Nature ReserveNature reserve · 279 ha · reaches Dutch Settlement
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 178 ha · reaches Dutch Settlement
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 171 ha · reaches Dutch Settlement
Lake Egmont Nature ReserveNature reserve · 89 ha · reaches Dutch Settlement
25 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
From the edge of Dutch Settlement, Dollar Lake Provincial Park begins
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
Dollar Lake Provincial Park
At the edge7.7 km²since 1981
Provincial park
Dollar Lake Provincial Park
At the edge4.0 km²since 2019
Provincial park
Oakfield Provincial Park
At the edge0.6 km²since 1973
Provincial park
Sackville Lakes Provincial Park
1.2 km south-west2.9 km²since 2013
No national park lies within 100 km of Dutch Settlement; 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
156 km of paths in and around Dutch Settlement
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
156 km
in and around the town (854 km²)
Woodland
68%
about 583.7 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Dutch SettlementTowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.2
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Dutch SettlementTowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland68%
0%50%100%
Paths are thinner on the ground than in 78% of Canadian towns. It is more wooded than 91% 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
Dutch Settlement has 10 named walking routes
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
RegionalLocalOther waymarked
Musquodoboit Trailway41.0 km
Crowbar Lake Trails16.1 km
Mastodon Greenway4.4 km
Gibraltar Rock Loop2.6 km
Oakfield Provincial Park Trail2.2 km
Porters Lake Loop1.8 km
Brook Trail1.5 km
Dollar Lake Provincial Park Trail1.0 km
Field Trail1.0 km
Spider Lake Trail0.7 km
Among local routes, the Musquodoboit Trailway is longest at 41.0 km. 7 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
The best months for walking in Dutch Settlement: May to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Halifax Stanfield (Airport), 5.1 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) | 9.1 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 14.1 | 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 |
Expect around 215 cm of snow over a winter. November is the wettest month (159 mm) and July the driest (87 mm). July is the warmest month, with highs around 24 °C; January the coldest, at -1 °C. The climate in Dutch Settlement →
Beaches
Dutch Settlement has 8 beaches close by
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Oakfield Park Beachpebbles · in town
DirectionsSandy Point Beachpebbles · 4.5 km from town
DirectionsKinsmen Park Beach4.5 km from town
DirectionsSandy Point Beachmixed · 4.6 km from town
Directions4 more are mapped without a name. No national or provincial register of beach water quality is published as open data, so check the local health unit before swimming.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Near Dutch Settlement: 10 viewpoints, 3 waterfalls
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Top of the list: playgrounds, 31 of them.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 10
Gibraltar Rock Lookoff0.5 km from town
DirectionsPatrick L. Horne Lookoff0.6 km from town
DirectionsFlat Rock0.7 km from town
DirectionsBog View1.6 km from town
DirectionsPlus 6 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 12
American Hillin town
DirectionsLaidlaw Hillin town
DirectionsLookout Hillin town
DirectionsNuttall Hillin town
DirectionsSugarloafin town
DirectionsTarget Hillin town
DirectionsBlue Hill0.4 km from town
DirectionsGibraltar Rock0.5 km from town
DirectionsPlus 4 hills and peaks more.
Waterfalls 3
Johnston Fallsin town
DirectionsMiller Lake Fallsin town
DirectionsPlus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 4
Plus 4 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 31
Grand Lake Oakfield Playgroundin town
DirectionsWaverley Memorial Playgroundin town
DirectionsWaverley Memorial Playground 2in town
DirectionsPlus 28 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Bark Parkin town
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
Halifax Public Gardens, 13 km from Dutch Settlement, is the garden to visit
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 · 13 km from town
Its pageA National Historic Site is among them.
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 Dutch Settlement
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Fall RiverBeaver BankEnfieldLower SackvilleMiddle SackvilleDutch Settlement
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dutch Settlement | 8.7% | 69 | 10 | 8 |
| Fall River 9.1 km | 11% | 26 | 1 | 4 |
| Beaver Bank 11 km | 8.2% | 31 | 2 | 6 |
| Enfield 16 km | 4.4% | 184 | 13 | 6 |
| Lower Sackville 16 km | 8.5% | 25 | 1 | 3 |
| Middle Sackville 16 km | 6.4% | 25 | 0 | 2 |
Dutch Settlement holds its own on protected land: no neighbour has twice its share. For walking routes, Enfield leads the area with 13.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Beaches. Beaches are OpenStreetMap’s, named or not; in the north many are unnamed shoreline imports.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- 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. Areas held by land trusts or private owners stay unnamed here, though they count in the shares.
- Walking routes. The list is OpenStreetMap’s, so a missing trail may just be unmapped. The Trans Canada Trail appears where OSM maps it.
Questions about the outdoors in Dutch Settlement
Which is the biggest protected area near Dutch Settlement?
Waverley - Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness Area: 8,621 ha, a nature reserve.
What is the nearest provincial park to Dutch Settlement?
Dollar Lake Provincial Park, which reaches the edge of town.
Is there a beach near Dutch Settlement?
Try Oakfield Park Beach, in town, first of several.
Are there hiking trails near Dutch Settlement?
OpenStreetMap maps the Musquodoboit Trailway, Crowbar Lake Trails and Oakfield Provincial Park Trail close by, with others.
Is there protected land near Dutch Settlement?
Protected areas cover 8.7% of the land within 10 km.
How far is Dutch Settlement from a national park?
None within 100 km of Dutch Settlement.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Dutch Settlement?
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
Where Dutch Settlement’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.
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).