First pick
Judd's Pool Provincial Park
Park or garden · 220 m outside town
75 ha
26 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Dennis G. Jarvis · CC BY-SA 2.07.7%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Sheet Harbour · parks, protected land & trails
The boundary of Sable Island National Park Reserve runs along Sheet Harbour
CPCAD lists 124 protected areas within 10 km. Swimmers have 17 beaches within 5 km, Back Beach the nearest. 7.7% of the land and water within 10 km is protected (the typical Canadian town: 2.3%).
Protected land
7.7%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
124
within 10 km, 98 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
At the edge
Sable Island National Park Reserve
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Taylor Head Provincial Park
Walking routes
2
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
17
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What sets Sheet Harbour apart outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Next to a national parkSable Island National Park Reserve starts at the edge of townMany protected areas98 public areas within 10 kmProtected land all round7.7% of the land within 10 km, more than 81% of Canadian townsBeaches17 beaches within 5 km
Sheet Harbour’s best card is Sable Island National Park Reserve on its doorstep, with the number of public protected areas close by close behind.
Against other towns
Sheet 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. This page carries no grade, because Canada’s grading doesn’t cover the outdoors; the comparisons are the point.
Protected within 10 km7.7%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town7.8%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas98Areas 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
Among 40 towns its size, Sheet Harbour ranks 8th for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (3,290 to 3,389 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
Sheet Harbour7.7%
Towns its size1.7%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Sheet Harbour98
Towns its size1
Towns in Nova Scotia24
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Sheet Harbour2
Towns its size0
Towns in Nova Scotia2
Typical Canadian town0
For public protected areas, Sheet Harbour sits near the top of its size group: 1 of 39 has more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint-Jean-Port-Joli QC | 52% | 0.7% | 30 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | Pictou NS | 24% | 0.5% | 7 | 1 | 6 |
| 3 | Division No. 19, Unorganized MB | 22% | 24% | 57 | 0 | 65 |
| 4 | North Kawartha ON | 18% | 36% | 20 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | Atholville NB | 12% | 3.1% | 24 | 1 | 3 |
| 6 | Kensington, Part 1 PE | 11% | 0.9% | 21 | 11 | 6 |
| 7 | Inverness County, Subdivision C NS | 8.2% | 6.3% | 181 | 3 | 13 |
| 8 | Sheet Harbour NS | 7.7% | 7.8% | 124 | 2 | 17 |
| 9 | Saint-André-d'Argenteuil QC | 7.4% | 7.4% | 46 | 0 | 3 |
| 10 | Central Okanagan West BC | 6.7% | 5.4% | 49 | 1 | 35 |
| 11 | Electoral Area E (West Boundary), Kootenay Boundary BC | 6.5% | 1.6% | 24 | 0 | 36 |
| 12 | Enderby BC | 5.7% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 13 | Greeningdon ON | 5.4% | 0% | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| 14 | Grande-Rivière QC | 4.9% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| 15 | Havre-Saint-Pierre QC | 3.7% | 2.7% | 29 | 0 | 12 |
| 16 | Rankin Inlet NU | 3.5% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Saint-Jean-Baptiste QC | 2.2% | 2% | 35 | 0 | 3 |
| 18 | Wellington AB | 2.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | North Algona Wilberforce ON | 1.8% | 4.6% | 10 | 0 | 1 |
| 20 | Mill Courtland Woodside Park ON | 1.8% | 0% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Point Road MB | 1.5% | 0.2% | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | North St. Boniface MB | 1.4% | 7.7% | 20 | 4 | 0 |
| 23 | Bonavista NL | 0.7% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 24 | Channel-Port aux Basques NL | 0.4% | 0% | 1 | 1 | 16 |
| 25 | Compton QC | 0.3% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 26 | Coach Hill AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 27 | Miller AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Placentia NL | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 29 | Saint-Christophe-d'Arthabaska QC | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 30 | Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes QC | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Sainte-Clotilde QC | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Virden MB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Gibbons AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Inuvik NT | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Hay River NT | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| 36 | Arviat NU | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 72 |
| 37 | Eaux Claires AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Holyrood AB | 0% | 0% | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 39 | Montrose AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 40 | Northmount AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Sheet 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
11 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Sheet Harbour
Judd's Pool Provincial Park is the largest, at 75 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
11 named parks and woods, 191 ha in all
Parks & gardens 116 haWoods 75 ha
Most of it sits in Judd's Pool Provincial Park and Bouiliers Island: 79% together.
Mount William Provincial Park
Park or garden
25 ha
39 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Duncan MacMillan High School Park
Park or garden
4.2 ha
4.1 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Sheet Harbour Provincial Park
Park or garden
3.9 ha0.1 km of path
3.3 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Upper Musquodoboit Park
Park or garden
1.8 ha
39 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Eastern Consolidated Elementary School Park
Park or garden
1.3 ha
22 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 11 named parks and green spaces
Judd's Pool Provincial ParkPark or garden · 75 ha · just outside town
DirectionsMount William Provincial ParkPark or garden · 25 ha
DirectionsBouiliers IslandWood or forest · 75 ha
DirectionsDuncan MacMillan High School ParkPark or garden · 4.2 ha
DirectionsSheet Harbour Provincial ParkPark or garden · 3.9 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsUpper Musquodoboit ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha
DirectionsPleasant Valley ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha
DirectionsEastern Consolidated Elementary School ParkPark or garden · 1.3 ha
DirectionsSheet Harbour Lions Recreation Centre ParkPark or garden · 1.2 ha
DirectionsSamuel R Balcolm Community Centre ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha
DirectionsUpper Musquodoboit Elementary School ParkPark or garden · 1.0 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 Sheet Harbour, 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%)
Sheet Harbour0%
Towns in Nova Scotia18%
Typical Canadian town83%
Around 3,300 residents are further than 400 m from a park. The typical Canadian town reaches 83%.
Protected areas
7.7% of the land around Sheet 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 Sheet Harbour7.8%
Within 10 km7.7%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
98 of the 124 are on public land. The largest named one is Tangier Grand Lake Wilderness Area, at 16,030 ha. The figures include 12 private conservation areas, left unnamed.
Tangier Grand Lake Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 16,030 ha · reaches Sheet Harbour
Toadfish Lakes Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 6,320 ha · reaches Sheet Harbour
Boggy Lake Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 3,708 ha · reaches Sheet Harbour
Sable Island National Park ReserveNational park · 3,000 ha · reaches Sheet Harbour
Eastern Shore Islands Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 1,842 ha · reaches Sheet Harbour
Twelve Mile Stream Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 1,793 ha · reaches Sheet Harbour
Boggy Lake Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 973 ha · reaches Sheet Harbour
Taylor Head Provincial ParkProvincial park · 800 ha · reaches Sheet Harbour
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 304 ha · reaches Sheet Harbour
Tait Lake Nature ReserveNature reserve · 216 ha · reaches Sheet Harbour
19 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
Big parks near Sheet 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
National park
Sable Island National Park Reserve
At the edge · south-east30 km²since 2011
Provincial park
Taylor Head Provincial Park
At the edge8.0 km²since 1980
Provincial park
Taylor Head Provincial Park
At the edge0.6 km²since 2015
Provincial park
Mount William Provincial Park
At the edge0.3 km²since 2025
There are 3 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
Sheet Harbour has 141 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
141 km
in and around the town (2,465.6 km²)
Woodland
71%
about 1,761.7 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Sheet HarbourTowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.1
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Sheet HarbourTowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland71%
0%50%100%
91% of Canadian towns have more footpath per km². For woods, it beats 92% 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 Sheet 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
Taylor Head Provincial Park9.8 km
Fantum Falls Loop0.4 km
Among local routes, the Taylor Head Provincial Park is longest at 9.8 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
The best months for walking in Sheet Harbour: July to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Upper Stewiacke, 52 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 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°C) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 18 | 13 | 8 | 4 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 116 | 100 | 107 | 92 | 95 | 97 | 88 | 95 | 106 | 125 | 123 | 133 |
Summer highs reach 20 °C in August; in February they stay near 0 °C. December is the wettest month (133 mm) and July the driest (88 mm). The climate in Sheet Harbour →
Beaches
17 beaches within 5 km of Sheet Harbour
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Back Beachin town
DirectionsBack Shorein town
DirectionsBull Beachin town
DirectionsSouthwest Breakers0.1 km from town
DirectionsHawbolt Beach0.1 km from town
DirectionsThe Flats0.2 km from town
DirectionsHalibut Islands Breaker0.2 km from town
DirectionsAndersons Back Shore0.3 km from town
DirectionsWestern Shagroost Breakers0.5 km from town
DirectionsSteering Beaches0.9 km from town
DirectionsThe shoreline runs 676 km within 5 km of town. 5 further beaches go unnamed. 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
Near Sheet Harbour: 1 viewpoints, 7 waterfalls
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
1Viewpoints13Hills and peaks7Waterfalls3Nature reserves6Picnic sites11Playgrounds5Campsites7Slipways
Most numerous: hills and peaks (13). Among the peaks, Bald Dune is highest at 15 m.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 13
Bald Dune15 m · in town
DirectionsBunker Hillin town
DirectionsDays Hillin town
DirectionsHawes Hillin town
DirectionsLong Hillin town
DirectionsMitchells Hillin town
DirectionsMoose Hillin town
DirectionsPopes Hillin town
DirectionsPlus 5 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 7
Fantum Fallsin town
DirectionsGleason Brook Fallsin town
DirectionsHartlings Fallsin town
DirectionsRuth Fallsin town
DirectionsEnglehutts Falls0.3 km from town
DirectionsPlus 2 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 3
Tait Lake Nature Reservein town
DirectionsTaylor Head Provincial Parkin town
DirectionsEastern Shore Islands Wildlife Management Area1.7 km from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 11
Moser River Community Playgroundin town
DirectionsPlus 10 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 5
East River Lodge Campground & Trailer Parkin town
DirectionsSpry Bay Campground and Cabinsin town
DirectionsPlus 3 campsites without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Sheet Harbour
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page. Distances here run 53–68 km: that is how far the nearest places with figures are from Sheet Harbour.
St. Mary'sPictou County, Subdivision BColchester County, Subdivision CStewiackeStellartonSheet Harbour
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheet Harbour | 7.7% | 124 | 2 | 17 |
| St. Mary's 53 km | 8.3% | 351 | 0 | 43 |
| Pictou County, Subdivision B 66 km | 4.8% | 165 | 3 | 0 |
| Colchester County, Subdivision C 67 km | 1.7% | 125 | 5 | 1 |
| Stewiacke 68 km | 1% | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Stellarton 68 km | 3.1% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Around Sheet Harbour, nobody nearby has double its protected land. More routes are mapped around Colchester County, Subdivision C (5).
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- 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.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- Protected land. The 10 km band starts at the town’s outline, not its centre, so a large municipality reaches further than a small town.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- Private land. Private conservation land is in the totals, not the lists. Many such areas are easements on working farms or woodlots.
Questions about the outdoors in Sheet Harbour
How far is the nearest provincial park from Sheet Harbour?
Taylor Head Provincial Park, which reaches the edge of town.
Are there hiking trails near Sheet Harbour?
The Taylor Head Provincial Park and Fantum Falls Loop, among the routes mapped within 2 km.
Is there a beach near Sheet Harbour?
Back Beach, in town, is the nearest mapped beach.
Are there protected areas near Sheet Harbour?
Protected areas cover 7.7% of the land within 10 km.
Which is the biggest protected area near Sheet Harbour?
Tangier Grand Lake Wilderness Area: 16,030 ha, a nature reserve.
When is the best time for walking in Sheet Harbour?
July to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
What is the nearest national park to Sheet Harbour?
Yes: Sable Island National Park Reserve reaches the edge of Sheet Harbour.
Sources
The sources behind Sheet 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.
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).