First pick
Shearwater Flyer Trail Park
Park or garden
36 ha1.4 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.4 km of path
2.9 km north-eastfrom the centre
Salt Marsh Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: ProjectHorizons · CC BY-SA 4.03.6%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Eastern Passage · parks, protected land & trails
Step out of Eastern Passage into McNabs & Lawlor Island Provincial Park
For a swim, Hangmans Beach is the nearest of 21 beaches within 5 km. 2 mapped walking routes pass within 2 km, among them the Shearwater Flyer Trail and McCormack's Beach Boardwalk. Within 100 km there is no national park.
Protected land
3.6%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
14
within 10 km, 6 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
McNabs & Lawlor Island Provincial Park
Walking routes
2
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
21
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What sets Eastern Passage apart outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
A provincial park at the edgeMcNabs & Lawlor Island Provincial Park reaches the townBeaches21 beaches within 5 km
For someone who likes to get outside, Eastern Passage’s draw is a provincial park at its edge, with its beaches close behind.
Against other towns
Eastern Passage 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. Canada’s grades don’t include the outdoors, so this page compares the figures rather than grading them.
Protected within 10 km3.6%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town2.2%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas6Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes2Named 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
Among 40 towns its size, Eastern Passage ranks 17th for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (10,482 to 11,014 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
Eastern Passage3.6%
Towns its size2.6%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Eastern Passage6
Towns its size6
Towns in Nova Scotia24
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Eastern Passage2
Towns its size0
Towns in Nova Scotia2
Typical Canadian town0
Eastern Passage beats most towns its size for protected land nearby; 16 of 39 do better.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ocean Park BC | 27% | 4% | 100 | 3 | 4 |
| 2 | Liverpool NS | 24% | 21% | 230 | 5 | 56 |
| 3 | Timberlea NS | 19% | 30% | 22 | 12 | 7 |
| 4 | Vanier North ON | 11% | 0.6% | 40 | 2 | 2 |
| 5 | Hintonburg-Mechanicsville ON | 11% | 1.4% | 32 | 3 | 5 |
| 6 | Rothwell Heights - Beacon Hill North ON | 11% | 7.8% | 42 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | Yellowhead County AB | 11% | 3.4% | 33 | 2 | 11 |
| 8 | Contrecoeur QC | 10% | 6.3% | 40 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Vieux Greenfield Park QC | 7.8% | 0% | 28 | 0 | 5 |
| 10 | Wendover ON | 6.7% | 4.4% | 58 | 0 | 4 |
| 11 | Bassin-de-la-Lièvre QC | 6.2% | 20% | 54 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Montecito BC | 5.5% | 0% | 22 | 2 | 53 |
| 13 | Yarmouth NS | 4.7% | 4.9% | 79 | 0 | 15 |
| 14 | Stittsville East ON | 4.5% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Birdland BC | 4.3% | 9.7% | 119 | 4 | 6 |
| 16 | Saint-Sacrement QC | 4% | 0% | 19 | 1 | 2 |
| 17 | Eastern Passage NS | 3.6% | 2.2% | 14 | 2 | 21 |
| 18 | Bendale South ON | 2.7% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| 19 | Rosemont/Mount Royal SK | 2.7% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 20 | Shelburne ON | 2.6% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Grand River South ON | 2.5% | 16% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | Dutrisac QC | 1.8% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | East London ON | 1.8% | 1.4% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Bois-des-Filion QC | 1.7% | 3.3% | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Westminster ON | 1.7% | 28% | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| 26 | Victoria Hills ON | 1.6% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Alexandria ON | 1.5% | 0.4% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Exeter ON | 1.5% | 0% | 8 | 0 | 5 |
| 29 | West St. Paul MB | 1.5% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Ponoka County AB | 0.5% | 0.2% | 36 | 0 | 2 |
| 31 | Whitecourt AB | 0.5% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Weston-Pelham Park ON | 0.5% | 0% | 11 | 2 | 9 |
| 33 | Rundle AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 34 | Temple AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Markland Wood ON | 0.2% | 0% | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 36 | Creditview ON | 0.2% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Walkerton ON | 0.1% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 38 | Lethbridge County AB | 0.1% | 0.2% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Morinville AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Hidden Valley AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Where the green is in Eastern Passage
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
16 named parks and woods to walk in near Eastern Passage
Largest first: Shearwater Flyer Trail Park leads with 36 ha. Numbers match the map.
16 named parks and woods, 99 ha in all
Parks & gardens 95 haWoods 4.4 ha
67% of the area is in just two places: Shearwater Flyer Trail Park and Eastern Passage Commons.
Eastern Passage Commons
Park or garden
30 ha1.9 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.9 km of path
0.8 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Smelt Brook Park
Park or garden
11 ha0.5 km of path
1.7 km eastfrom the centre
Smelt Brook Park Trail
Directionsto a point inside
McCormacks Beach Provincial Park
Park or garden
6.6 ha1.5 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.5 km of path
1.1 km south-westfrom the centre
McCormack's Beach Boardwalk
Directionsto a point inside
South East Passage Provincial Park
Park or garden
1.9 ha
1.6 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 16 named parks and green spaces
Shearwater Flyer Trail ParkPark or garden · 36 ha · 1.4 km of path
DirectionsEastern Passage CommonsPark or garden · 30 ha · 1.9 km of path
DirectionsSmelt Brook ParkPark or garden · 11 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsMcCormacks Beach Provincial ParkPark or garden · 6.6 ha · 1.5 km of path
DirectionsSilver Sands Beach ParkPark or garden · 5.2 ha
DirectionsSouth East Passage Provincial ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha
DirectionsBig ThrumcapWood or forest · 4.4 ha
DirectionsMacDonalds BeachPark or garden · 1.1 ha
DirectionsRosewood Lane ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha
DirectionsKerri Lea Lane ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsSerop Crescent ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsSouthbrook Crescent ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsBirch Hill Estates ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsAstour Drive ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsBelmont Neighbourhood ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · just outside town
DirectionsHarmes Drive ParkPark or garden · 0.2 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 6 in 10 in Eastern Passage
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 (62%)Further (38%)
Eastern Passage62%
Towns in Nova Scotia18%
Typical Canadian town83%
In the typical Canadian town the share is 83%, higher than here. That leaves about 4,100 people more than a short walk away.
Protected areas
Around Eastern Passage, protected areas make up 3.6%
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Eastern Passage2.2%
Within 10 km3.6%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Governments hold 6 of the 14, and private owners the rest. Long Lake Provincial Park is the biggest, 1,723 ha. 8 more areas within 10 km are private land, held by landowners or conservation groups: counted here, not named.
McNabs & Lawlor Island Provincial ParkProvincial park · 58 ha · reaches Eastern Passage
Cole Harbour - Lawrencetown Provincial ParkProvincial park · 743 ha · 2.7 km from the edge of town
Herring Cove Provincial ParkProvincial park · 20 ha · 3.0 km from the edge of town
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 6.5 ha · 4.5 km from the edge of town
Long Lake Provincial ParkProvincial park · 1,723 ha · 6.4 km from the edge of town
Duncans Cove Nature ReserveNature reserve · 369 ha · 8.2 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
From the edge of Eastern Passage, McNabs & Lawlor Island 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
McNabs & Lawlor Island Provincial Park
At the edge0.6 km²since 2002
Provincial park
Cole Harbour - Lawrencetown Provincial Park
2.7 km north7.4 km²since 1998
Provincial park
Herring Cove Provincial Park
3.0 km south-west0.2 km²since 2024
Provincial park
Long Lake Provincial Park
6.4 km west17 km²since 1984
There is no national park within 100 km; for big parks, Eastern Passage has its province’s. Within 10 km are 4 provincial parks.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Eastern Passage has 30 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
30 km
in and around the town (63.3 km²)
Woodland
21%
about 13.3 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Eastern PassageTowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.5
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Eastern PassageTowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland21%
0%50%100%
For woods, it beats 68% of Canadian towns. It has fewer paths per km² than 67% 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 Eastern Passage
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
McCormack's Beach Boardwalk1.4 km
Among local routes, the Shearwater Flyer Trail is longest at 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
Walking season in Eastern Passage: June to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Shearwater (2.4 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) | 9.2 | 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 |
The warmest days come in August (23 °C highs), the coldest in January (0 °C). Most rain and snow falls in December, 156 mm; August sees 94 mm. Winter brings about 215 cm of snow. The climate in Eastern Passage →
Beaches
Eastern Passage has 21 beaches close by
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Hangmans Beachrock · in town
DirectionsMaugers Beach0.1 km from town
DirectionsSilver Sands Beach0.7 km from town
DirectionsKiwanis Centre Beachsand · 0.7 km from town
DirectionsBlack Rock Beach1.7 km from town
DirectionsAbenaki Canoe Club Beach2.4 km from town
DirectionsMaynard Lake Beach3.3 km from town
DirectionsLong Pond Beach4.5 km from town
DirectionsLions Beach4.6 km from town
DirectionsPublic beach and boat launchgravel · 4.7 km from town
DirectionsThe coast is close: 100 km of shoreline within 5 km. OpenStreetMap shows 8 more, nameless. Sandy ones: 3. 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
2 viewpoints near Eastern Passage
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
48 playgrounds top the list.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 5
Green Hillin town
DirectionsJenkins Hillin town
DirectionsRange Hillin town
DirectionsTimmins Hillin town
DirectionsFlandrum Hill2.0 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 4
Plus 4 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 48
Baker Drive Community Park Walkway1.1 km from town
DirectionsPlus 47 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Plus 1 campsite without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
The garden near Eastern Passage: Halifax Public Gardens, 3.8 km off
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 · 3.8 km from town
Its pageOne carries a national designation.
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 Eastern Passage
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Cole HarbourPortland EstatesManor ParkSchmidtvilleWestphalLawrencetownEastern Passage
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Passage | 3.6% | 14 | 2 | 21 |
| Cole Harbour 5.5 km | 4.4% | 22 | 2 | 17 |
| Portland Estates 6.1 km | 4.5% | 19 | 4 | 18 |
| Manor Park 8.3 km | 5.3% | 22 | 6 | 21 |
| Schmidtville 8.4 km | 5.9% | 16 | 4 | 18 |
| Westphal 8.9 km | 12% | 14 | 1 | 7 |
| Lawrencetown 9.3 km | 8.5% | 14 | 2 | 14 |
For protected land, Westphal and Lawrencetown have twice as much or more. More routes are mapped around Manor Park (6).
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
- 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. Areas held by land trusts or private owners stay unnamed here, though they count in the shares.
- 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. Protected here means in CPCAD, Canada’s official list: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and other conserved land, measured within 10 km of the town’s edge.
Questions about the outdoors in Eastern Passage
How far is the nearest provincial park from Eastern Passage?
McNabs & Lawlor Island Provincial Park begins at the town’s edge.
When should you visit Eastern Passage for the outdoors?
June to September, on the 1991–2020 normals and the daylight: long days, highs of 15 °C or more, light rain for the place.
Is Eastern Passage near a national park?
No national park lies within 100 km of Eastern Passage.
What is the largest protected area near Eastern Passage?
Long Lake Provincial Park, a provincial park of 1,723 ha.
Is there a beach near Eastern Passage?
Try Hangmans Beach, in town, first of several.
Where can you walk near Eastern Passage?
The Shearwater Flyer Trail and McCormack's Beach Boardwalk, among the routes mapped within 2 km.
How much land around Eastern Passage is protected?
Yes: 3.6% of the land within 10 km is protected.
Sources
Sources for this page on Eastern Passage
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).