First pick
Musquodoboit Trail at Greenway
Park or garden
48 ha14.8 km of path
3 h 15 minto walk all 14.8 km of path
11 km north-eastfrom the centre
Musquodoboit TrailwayAdmiral Lake TrailBlueberry Run
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center · Public domain15%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Gaetz Brook · parks, protected land & trails
More of the land around Gaetz Brook is protected than around 9 in 10 Canadian towns
Swimmers have 19 beaches within 5 km, Conrods Beach the nearest. The 10 km around town hold 55 protected areas. OpenStreetMap shows 2 walking routes nearby, including the Musquodoboit Trailway and Gibraltar Rock Loop.
Protected land
15%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
55
within 10 km, 20 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Lower East Chezzetcook Provincial Park
Walking routes
2
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
19
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What Gaetz Brook has going for it outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round15% of the land within 10 km, more than 93% of Canadian townsMany protected areas20 public areas within 10 kmBeaches19 beaches within 5 kmA provincial park at the edgeLower East Chezzetcook Provincial Park reaches the town
What Gaetz Brook has most to offer outdoors is protected land around it, with the number of public protected areas close by close behind.
Against other towns
How Gaetz Brook compares with 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. No letter: the outdoors is described for Canadian towns, not graded.
Protected within 10 km15%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town4.2%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas20Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes2Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches19Beaches 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, Gaetz Brook ranks 4th for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (4,390 to 4,555 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
Gaetz Brook15%
Towns its size2.5%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Gaetz Brook20
Towns its size3
Towns in Nova Scotia24
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Gaetz Brook2
Towns its size0
Towns in Nova Scotia2
Typical Canadian town0
Against towns its size, Gaetz Brook does best for public protected areas: 7 of the other 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake), Strathcona BC | 49% | 64% | 34 | 11 | 8 |
| 2 | Shelburne NS | 27% | 28% | 194 | 0 | 80 |
| 3 | Sparwood BC | 23% | 3.4% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Gaetz Brook NS | 15% | 4.2% | 55 | 2 | 19 |
| 5 | Douglas BC | 13% | 3.2% | 82 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | Queenswood - Chatelaine ON | 12% | 0% | 40 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | Electoral Area P (Rivers and the Peaks), Thompson-Nicola BC | 11% | 8.3% | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Bells Corners West ON | 9% | 11% | 13 | 3 | 1 |
| 9 | Bowen Island BC | 7.2% | 17% | 60 | 0 | 173 |
| 10 | Bellerive QC | 6% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Golden BC | 5.5% | 12% | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Melville SK | 5.2% | 1% | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Eastmount ON | 4.3% | 0% | 22 | 1 | 3 |
| 14 | Queensland AB | 4% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 11 |
| 15 | Deer Ridge AB | 3.7% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| 16 | Crossroads ON | 3.5% | 0% | 26 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Warner County No. 5 AB | 3.2% | 4.7% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Montague ON | 3% | 2.8% | 10 | 5 | 2 |
| 19 | Geraldton ON | 2.8% | 2.2% | 10 | 0 | 7 |
| 20 | Electoral Area E, Cowichan Valley BC | 2.8% | 3.6% | 42 | 3 | 2 |
| 21 | Red Hill ON | 2.1% | 0% | 17 | 3 | 5 |
| 22 | De Salaberry MB | 1.9% | 0.2% | 46 | 0 | 2 |
| 23 | New Maryland NB | 1.7% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Oxford AB | 1.7% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Highway Valley ON | 1.6% | 1.7% | 18 | 5 | 6 |
| 26 | Minnetonka MB | 1.6% | 1.7% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Roslyn MB | 1.6% | 0% | 23 | 4 | 0 |
| 28 | Felker ON | 1.5% | 0% | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| 29 | Centennial MB | 1.5% | 0% | 18 | 4 | 0 |
| 30 | Rockwood MB | 1.5% | 0% | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Casselman ON | 1.4% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Parkridge SK | 1.1% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 1 |
| 33 | South Calgary AB | 0.8% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 34 | Vulcan County AB | 0.3% | 0.4% | 33 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Montgomery AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 36 | Ormsby Place AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 37 | Vanderhoof BC | 0.2% | 3.8% | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 38 | Saint-Anselme QC | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Howick ON | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | High Level AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Where the green is in Gaetz Brook
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
14 named parks and woods to walk in near Gaetz Brook
The biggest is Musquodoboit Trail at Greenway, 48 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
14 named parks and woods, 82 ha in all
Parks & gardens 82 ha
Add Musquodoboit Trail at Greenway to Porters Lake Elementary School Park and you have 67% of it.
Porters Lake Elementary School Park
Park or garden
7.3 ha0.5 km of path
2.2 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Gaetz Brook Junior High School Park
Park or garden
5.5 ha
5.9 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Musquodoboit Harbour Peace Park
Park or garden · 170 m outside town
4.3 ha0.5 km of path
11 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Eastern Shore District High School Park
Park or garden · 230 m outside town
3.8 ha
9.9 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Nathan Smith Recreation Centre
Park or garden
3.7 ha
4.7 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Dale Bennett Memorial Park
Park or garden
3.3 ha
10 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 14 named parks and green spaces
Musquodoboit Trail at GreenwayPark or garden · 48 ha · 14.8 km of path
DirectionsPorters Lake Elementary School ParkPark or garden · 7.3 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsGaetz Brook Junior High School ParkPark or garden · 5.5 ha
DirectionsMusquodoboit Harbour Peace ParkPark or garden · 4.3 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsEastern Shore District High School ParkPark or garden · 3.8 ha · just outside town
DirectionsNathan Smith Recreation CentrePark or garden · 3.7 ha
DirectionsDale Bennett Memorial ParkPark or garden · 3.3 ha
DirectionsScotsdale ParkPark or garden · 3.3 ha
DirectionsPorters Lake Community Centre ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha · just outside town
DirectionsLoriann Drive ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsFormer Lakeview Consolidated School ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsScots Lake ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsPetpeswick Lake ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsConrod Beach Road ParkPark or garden · 0.2 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
In Gaetz Brook, parks are rarely a short walk away
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 (0%)Further (100%)
Gaetz Brook0%
Towns in Nova Scotia18%
Typical Canadian town83%
About 4,500 residents live further than 400 m from one. The typical Canadian town reaches 83%.
Protected areas
The 55 protected areas near Gaetz Brook
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Gaetz Brook4.2%
Within 10 km15%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Of the 55, 20 are public land; the others are privately held. Ship Harbour Long Lake Wilderness Area leads for size with 14,808 ha. Another 27 are privately owned conservation land; they count in the figures but aren’t named, as private land isn’t a place to visit.
White Lake Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 4,533 ha · reaches Gaetz Brook
White Lake Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 568 ha · reaches Gaetz Brook
Lower East Chezzetcook Provincial ParkProvincial park · 151 ha · reaches Gaetz Brook
Lower East Chezzetcook Provincial ParkProvincial park · 34 ha · reaches Gaetz Brook
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 5.9 ha · reaches Gaetz Brook
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 5.5 ha · reaches Gaetz Brook
Ship Harbour Long Lake Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 14,808 ha · reaches Gaetz Brook
Porters Lake Provincial ParkProvincial park · 90 ha · 1.6 km from the edge of town
White Lake Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 21 ha · 2.3 km from the edge of town
Martinique Beach Provincial ParkProvincial park · 47 ha · 2.5 km from the edge of town
3 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
Lower East Chezzetcook Provincial Park meets Gaetz Brook
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
Lower East Chezzetcook Provincial Park
At the edge1.5 km²since 2025
Provincial park
Lower East Chezzetcook Provincial Park
At the edge0.3 km²since 2025
Provincial park
Porters Lake Provincial Park
1.6 km south0.9 km²since 1974
Provincial park
Martinique Beach Provincial Park
2.5 km south-east0.5 km²since 1971
Provincial park
Dollar Lake Provincial Park
3.6 km north7.7 km²since 1981
For a national park, people in Gaetz Brook travel more than 100 km. 5 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
Gaetz Brook and its edge hold 75 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
75 km
in and around the town (266.7 km²)
Woodland
58%
about 153.7 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Gaetz BrookTowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.3
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Gaetz BrookTowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland58%
0%50%100%
For path density, 73% of Canadian towns do better. More of it is wooded than in 87% 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
Gaetz Brook has 2 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.
LocalOther waymarked
Musquodoboit Trailway41.0 km
Gibraltar Rock Loop2.6 km
For a longer outing, the Musquodoboit Trailway runs 41.0 km.
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 Gaetz Brook: June to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Shearwater (23 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 | 15.6 | 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 |
December is the wettest month (156 mm) and August the driest (94 mm). Summer highs reach 23 °C in August; in January they stay near 0 °C. Some 215 cm of snow falls each winter. The climate in Gaetz Brook →
Beaches
19 beaches within 5 km of Gaetz Brook
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Conrods Beachin town
DirectionsFishermans Beachin town
DirectionsLower East Chezzetcook Beachsand · in town
DirectionsLower East Chezzetcook Beachsand · in town
DirectionsSandy Point Beachmixed · in town
DirectionsWest Petpeswick Beachin town
DirectionsSandy Point Beachpebbles · in town
DirectionsGrand Desert Beach1.5 km from town
DirectionsKinap Beachsand · 3.1 km from town
DirectionsMartinique Beach4.5 km from town
DirectionsThe coast is close: 213 km of shoreline within 5 km. Sandy ones: 3. OpenStreetMap shows 9 more, nameless. 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
22 viewpoints near Gaetz Brook
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
There are 22 viewpoints, more than of anything else.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 22
Patrick L. Horne Lookoff0.2 km from town
DirectionsGibraltar Rock Lookoff0.2 km from town
DirectionsChoose Happy Bench0.3 km from town
DirectionsBirchview0.4 km from town
DirectionsCliff Top Lookoff0.5 km from town
DirectionsValley View Lookoff0.5 km from town
DirectionsRidge View Lookoff0.5 km from town
DirectionsClear View Lookoff0.5 km from town
DirectionsPlus 14 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 6
Blue Hillin town
DirectionsFarquhars Mountainin town
DirectionsJerusalem Hillin town
DirectionsSoles Hillin town
DirectionsGibraltar Rock0.2 km from town
DirectionsGibraltar Hill1.4 km from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 12
Plus 12 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Plus 1 campsite without a name on the map.
Slipways 11
Plus 11 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Gaetz Brook
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
East LawrencetownLake EchoMusquodoboit HarbourEast PrestonLawrencetownWestphalGaetz Brook
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaetz Brook | 15% | 55 | 2 | 19 |
| East Lawrencetown 8.8 km | 5.9% | 20 | 0 | 23 |
| Lake Echo 8.9 km | 16% | 25 | 2 | 5 |
| Musquodoboit Harbour 9.8 km | 16% | 50 | 1 | 17 |
| East Preston 14 km | 16% | 20 | 1 | 5 |
| Lawrencetown 14 km | 8.5% | 14 | 2 | 14 |
| Westphal 18 km | 12% | 14 | 1 | 7 |
Gaetz Brook holds its own on protected land: no neighbour has twice its share.
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.
- Private land. Areas held by land trusts or private owners stay unnamed here, though they count in the shares.
- 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.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- Walking routes. A route counts when 300 m or more of it lies within 2 km of the town. Coverage of trails on OpenStreetMap varies by region.
Questions about the outdoors in Gaetz Brook
Which is the biggest protected area near Gaetz Brook?
It is Ship Harbour Long Lake Wilderness Area, a nature reserve covering 14,808 ha.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Gaetz Brook?
On the normals, June to September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
Is there a provincial park near Gaetz Brook?
Lower East Chezzetcook Provincial Park, which reaches the edge of town.
What is the nearest beach to Gaetz Brook?
Try Conrods Beach, in town, first of several.
What walking routes are near Gaetz Brook?
The Musquodoboit Trailway and Gibraltar Rock Loop, among the routes mapped within 2 km.
What is the nearest national park to Gaetz Brook?
The nearest national park is more than 100 km from Gaetz Brook.
Is there protected land near Gaetz Brook?
Within 10 km, 15% of the land lies in protected areas.
Sources
Sources for this page on Gaetz Brook
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).