First pick
Sandy Lake Park
Park or garden
545 ha11.3 km of path
2 h 30 minto walk all 11.3 km of path
7.7 km eastfrom the centre
The CliffwalkCrest LoopStream Path+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Paulo O from Halifax, Canada · CC BY 2.016%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Hammonds Plains · parks, protected land & trails
Protected land around Hammonds Plains beats 9 in 10 Canadian towns
35 protected areas lie within 10 km. For a provincial park, Jerry Lawrence Provincial Park lies 0.1 km off. 1.6 km out lies the largest, Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area, at 8,626 ha.
Protected land
16%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
35
within 10 km, 32 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
0.1 km
Jerry Lawrence Provincial Park
Walking routes
2
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
3
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
Where Hammonds Plains stands out outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round16% of the land within 10 km, more than 94% of Canadian townsMany protected areas32 public areas within 10 km
What Hammonds Plains 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 Hammonds Plains 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. Outdoors isn’t graded in Canada. The page compares each figure with other towns and leaves it there.
Protected within 10 km16%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town4.9%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas32Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes2Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches3Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Hammonds Plains has the 2nd most protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (13,535 to 14,148 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
Hammonds Plains16%
Towns its size3.9%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Hammonds Plains32
Towns its size5
Towns in Nova Scotia24
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Hammonds Plains2
Towns its size0
Towns in Nova Scotia2
Typical Canadian town0
Against towns its size, Hammonds Plains does best for public protected areas: 1 of the other 39 has more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kerrisdale BC | 18% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 33 |
| 2 | Hammonds Plains NS | 16% | 4.9% | 35 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | Riverview ON | 15% | 1.9% | 45 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | Oakridge BC | 13% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 23 |
| 5 | Convent Glen - Orleans Woods ON | 13% | 0% | 35 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | Sandy Hill ON | 13% | 1.7% | 40 | 4 | 3 |
| 7 | Ville-Émard QC | 10% | 0% | 21 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | Findlay Creek ON | 8.2% | 2.5% | 14 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | Beaurivage QC | 8.1% | 0% | 30 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Rideaucrest - Davidson Heights ON | 6.8% | 11% | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Terrace BC | 6.7% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 4 |
| 12 | Cloverdale BC | 6% | 0.4% | 160 | 5 | 0 |
| 13 | Glen Cairn ON | 5.5% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Dolbeau-Mistassini QC | 5.4% | 6.6% | 19 | 0 | 12 |
| 15 | Manor Park NS | 5.3% | 0% | 22 | 6 | 21 |
| 16 | E-F-K-Section (bramalea) ON | 5% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 17 | Sillery QC | 4.8% | 0% | 24 | 1 | 5 |
| 18 | Montcalm QC | 4.7% | 0% | 17 | 1 | 3 |
| 19 | Saint-Amable QC | 4.3% | 0% | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | L'Aéroport QC | 4% | 0% | 33 | 1 | 3 |
| 21 | Strathcona BC | 3.8% | 0% | 13 | 4 | 76 |
| 22 | Oakridge ON | 2.5% | 11% | 12 | 1 | 13 |
| 23 | Fletchers Creek Village / Lundy Village ON | 2.5% | 7.1% | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 24 | Copperfield AB | 2.5% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| 25 | Greenwood-Coxwell ON | 2.2% | 0% | 12 | 3 | 38 |
| 26 | West Queen West ON | 2.1% | 0% | 11 | 6 | 24 |
| 27 | Wychwood ON | 2.1% | 0% | 11 | 4 | 10 |
| 28 | Humewood-Cedarvale ON | 2% | 0% | 13 | 2 | 1 |
| 29 | Parkwoods-O'Connor Hills ON | 1.9% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Avondale ON | 1.5% | 0% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Dawson Creek BC | 1% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Beaverton ON | 0.8% | 1.1% | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Streetsville ON | 0.7% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | The Maples MB | 0.4% | 0% | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | River West ON | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 36 | Rossmere-A MB | 0.2% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Wetaskiwin AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Sandwich ON | 0.1% | 2.9% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 39 | Sainte-Marie QC | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Skyview Ranch AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Where the green is in Hammonds Plains
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
Walk in Hammonds Plains: 30 named parks and woods
The biggest is Sandy Lake Park, 545 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
30 named parks and woods, 1,000 ha in all
Parks & gardens 1,000 ha
The bulk, 69%, is Sandy Lake Park and Jerry Lawrence Provincial Park.
Jerry Lawrence Provincial Park
Park or garden · 140 m outside town
146 ha0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
7.5 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
St. Margaret's Bay Rail To Trails Park
Park or garden · 110 m outside town
106 ha14 km of path
3 h 5 minto walk all 14 km of path
17 km south-westfrom the centre
St Margarets Bay Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Unnamed Park
Park or garden · 120 m outside town
19 ha1.3 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.3 km of path
5.5 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
West Kingswood Park
Park or garden
13 ha1.5 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.5 km of path
4.0 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Bay View High School Park
Park or garden · 300 m outside town
15 ha
7.7 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Bedford Barrens
Park or garden · 110 m outside town
13 ha0.4 km of path
9.1 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Unnamed Park 5357
Park or garden · 170 m outside town
12 ha0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
6.8 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Sandy Lake ParkPark or garden · 545 ha · 11.3 km of path
DirectionsJerry Lawrence Provincial ParkPark or garden · 146 ha · 0.7 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSt. Margaret's Bay Rail To Trails ParkPark or garden · 106 ha · 14 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsUnnamed ParkPark or garden · 19 ha · 1.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsWest Kingswood ParkPark or garden · 13 ha · 1.5 km of path
DirectionsBay View High School ParkPark or garden · 15 ha · just outside town
DirectionsBedford BarrensPark or garden · 13 ha · 0.4 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsUnnamed Park 5357Park or garden · 12 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsWhite Hills ParkPark or garden · 12 ha
DirectionsBud Bremner ParkPark or garden · 9.5 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsMadeline Symonds Middle School ParkPark or garden · 10 ha
DirectionsKingswood Elementary School ParkPark or garden · 6.4 ha · 1.2 km of path
DirectionsBlue Mountain Drive ParkPark or garden · 7.1 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsLakeshore Drive ParkPark or garden · 5.8 ha · 1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsStonington ParkPark or garden · 6.6 ha · 0.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsUpper Tantallon Provincial ParkPark or garden · 7.7 ha · just outside town
DirectionsHammonds Plains Consolidated Elementary School ParkPark or garden · 7.3 ha
DirectionsGary Martin Drive ParkPark or garden · 6.9 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsWaterstone Run ParkPark or garden · 6.6 ha
DirectionsThe Gullies ParkPark or garden · 6.2 ha
DirectionsHaliburton ParkPark or garden · 4.8 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsUnnamed Park 16Park or garden · 5.2 ha
DirectionsSt. Margaret’s Bay CentrePark or garden · 5.1 ha · just outside town
DirectionsViscount Run ParkPark or garden · 3.8 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsMidnight Run ParkPark or garden · 4.0 ha
DirectionsCoyote ParkPark or garden · 4.0 ha · just outside town
DirectionsAbbey Road ParkPark or garden · 3.9 ha
DirectionsUplands ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsEisenhauer ParkPark or garden · 3.1 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsVoyageur Way ParkPark or garden · 3.1 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
5 in 10 people in Hammonds Plains live near 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 (49%)Further (51%)
Hammonds Plains49%
Towns in Nova Scotia18%
Typical Canadian town83%
That leaves about 7,000 people more than a short walk away. A median Canadian town manages 83%.
Protected areas
35 protected areas around Hammonds Plains
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Hammonds Plains4.9%
Within 10 km16%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
32 of the 35 belong to a government or an Indigenous nation. Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area covers 8,626 ha, the most of any named area. Another 3 are privately owned conservation land; they count in the figures but aren’t named, as private land isn’t a place to visit.
Blue Mountain - Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 451 ha · reaches Hammonds Plains
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 11 ha · reaches Hammonds Plains
Jerry Lawrence Provincial ParkProvincial park · 66 ha · 0.1 km from the edge of town
Jerry Lawrence Provincial ParkProvincial park · 141 ha · 0.2 km from the edge of town
Blue Mountain - Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 1,317 ha · 0.9 km from the edge of town
Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 8,626 ha · 1.6 km from the edge of town
Sackville Lakes Provincial ParkProvincial park · 292 ha · 1.9 km from the edge of town
Sackville River Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 804 ha · 2.4 km from the edge of town
Blue Mountain - Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 15 ha · 3.1 km from the edge of town
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 2.2 ha · 4.2 km from the edge of town
22 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
The nearest big park: Jerry Lawrence Provincial Park, 0.1 km away
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
Jerry Lawrence Provincial Park
0.1 km south-west0.7 km²since 2024
Provincial park
Jerry Lawrence Provincial Park
0.2 km south-west1.4 km²since 2024
Provincial park
Sackville Lakes Provincial Park
1.9 km east2.9 km²since 2013
Provincial park
Bell Provincial Park
9.5 km north0.2 km²since 2014
There is no national park within 100 km; for big parks, Hammonds Plains has its province’s. 4 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
87 km of paths in and around Hammonds Plains
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
87 km
in and around the town (148.2 km²)
Woodland
50%
about 74.5 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Hammonds PlainsTowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.6
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Hammonds PlainsTowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland50%
0%50%100%
It has fewer paths per km² than 64% of Canadian towns. More of it is wooded than in 83% 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 Hammonds Plains
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Local
Minister Hill Trail8.9 km
Lewis Lake Provincial Park Trail0.8 km
The Minister Hill Trail is the big one locally: 8.9 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 Hammonds Plains in June to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Shearwater (25 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 |
The warmest days come in August (23 °C highs), the coldest in January (0 °C). For dry weather, August is best (94 mm); December gets 156 mm. Winter brings about 215 cm of snow. The climate in Hammonds Plains →
Beaches
Beaches near Hammonds Plains: 3 within 5 km
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Springfield Lake Beachsand · 2.6 km from town
DirectionsKinsmen Park Beach2.6 km from town
DirectionsKearney Lake Beach4.1 km from town
DirectionsWithin 5 km is 33 km of coastline. Beach water tests aren’t published as open data across Canada, so swimming advisories come from the local health unit.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Hammonds Plains has 2 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.
There are 101 playgrounds, more than of anything else.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 3
Minister Hillin town
DirectionsWallace Hill0.1 km from town
DirectionsOland’s Hill0.8 km from town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
Lewis Lake Provincial Park1.0 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 2
Plus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 101
Carmel Crescent Playgroundin town
DirectionsWallace Lucas Community Centre Playgroundin town
DirectionsWestwind Playground0.6 km from town
DirectionsIce Patch Hollow0.7 km from town
DirectionsCommunity Centre Playground0.8 km from town
DirectionsSackville Heights Junior High School Playground0.9 km from town
DirectionsWalker Avenue Park Playground1.0 km from town
DirectionsBruce Drive Park1.1 km from town
DirectionsPlus 93 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Slipways 3
Plus 3 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
The garden near Hammonds Plains: Halifax Public Gardens, 12 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 · 12 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 Hammonds Plains
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Middle SackvilleUpper TantallonBedfordLower SackvilleHubleyTimberleaHammonds Plains
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hammonds Plains | 16% | 35 | 2 | 3 |
| Middle Sackville 7.7 km | 6.4% | 25 | 0 | 2 |
| Upper Tantallon 8.1 km | 13% | 157 | 3 | 12 |
| Bedford 8.3 km | 15% | 29 | 11 | 5 |
| Lower Sackville 9.2 km | 8.5% | 25 | 1 | 3 |
| Hubley 9.2 km | 20% | 32 | 3 | 4 |
| Timberlea 10 km | 19% | 22 | 12 | 7 |
Its neighbours have no more than twice Hammonds Plains’ protected share. For walking routes, Timberlea leads the area with 12.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Protected land. The share is of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s outline, from CPCAD’s mapped areas; marine areas count, so a coastal town can score high on water.
- National and provincial parks. A park at 0 km touches or overlaps the town’s outline; directions point from the town’s centre.
- Private land. Land owned by individuals, companies or conservation groups counts toward the figures but is never named: a person’s land isn’t a place to visit.
- Walking routes. Routes are what OpenStreetMap’s volunteers have mapped as named walking or hiking routes; many good trails aren’t mapped that way.
- 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 Hammonds Plains
When should you visit Hammonds Plains for the outdoors?
On the normals, June to September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
What is the largest protected area near Hammonds Plains?
Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area: 8,626 ha, a nature reserve.
What is the nearest national park to Hammonds Plains?
No national park lies within 100 km of Hammonds Plains.
How much land around Hammonds Plains is protected?
Yes: 16% of the land within 10 km is protected.
How far is the nearest provincial park from Hammonds Plains?
Jerry Lawrence Provincial Park, 0.1 km away.
Where can you swim near Hammonds Plains?
Springfield Lake Beach, 2.6 km from town, is the nearest mapped beach.
What walking routes are near Hammonds Plains?
The Minister Hill Trail and Lewis Lake Provincial Park Trail, among the routes mapped within 2 km.
Sources
Sources for this page on Hammonds Plains
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).