First pick
S. W. Margaree Provincial Park
Park or garden
8.8 ha
26 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: WabbitWanderer from London, Canada · CC BY-SA 2.029%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Inverness County, Subdivision A · parks, protected land & trails
Cape Breton Highlands National Park reaches Inverness County, Subdivision A
Protected areas take in 40% of the town itself. Within 10 km are 156 protected areas. Out to 10 km from the town’s edge, 29% of the land is protected; 2.3% is typical for a Canadian town.
Protected land
29%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
156
within 10 km, 133 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
At the edge
Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Ainslie Point Provincial Park
Walking routes
2
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
35
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What Inverness County, Subdivision A has going for it outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Next to a national parkCape Breton Highlands National Park starts at the edge of townProtected land all round29% of the land within 10 km, more than 98% of Canadian townsBeaches35 beaches within 5 kmMany protected areas133 public areas within 10 km
Inverness County, Subdivision A’s best card is Cape Breton Highlands National Park on its doorstep, with protected land around it close behind.
Against other towns
Each figure for Inverness County, Subdivision A, set against 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 km29%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town40%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas133Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes2Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches35Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Inverness County, Subdivision A has the 2nd most protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (5,297 to 5,481 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
Inverness County, Subdivision A29%
Towns its size1%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Inverness County, Subdivision A133
Towns its size2
Towns in Nova Scotia24
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Inverness County, Subdivision A2
Towns its size0
Towns in Nova Scotia2
Typical Canadian town0
Inverness County, Subdivision A leads its size group for public protected areas: none of the other 39 has more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue QC | 43% | 33% | 45 | 0 | 10 |
| 2 | Inverness County, Subdivision A NS | 29% | 40% | 156 | 2 | 35 |
| 3 | Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay BC | 25% | 28% | 28 | 1 | 4 |
| 4 | Juan de Fuca (Part 1) BC | 14% | 50% | 64 | 12 | 71 |
| 5 | Billings Bridge - Heron Park ON | 11% | 2.4% | 35 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | Burton NB | 9.5% | 2% | 36 | 0 | 7 |
| 7 | Electoral Area L, Cariboo BC | 9.1% | 9.1% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Central Frontenac ON | 8.2% | 8.2% | 39 | 1 | 7 |
| 9 | The Ravines of Rainbow Creek ON | 6.9% | 8.2% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Garner ON | 6.5% | 0% | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| 11 | Carillon / Saint-Pie-X QC | 5.4% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 4 |
| 12 | Woodlands AB | 3.9% | 9.6% | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 13 | Aldergrove AB | 3.7% | 0% | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Saint-Boniface QC | 3.1% | 0% | 13 | 5 | 4 |
| 15 | West Meadowlark Park AB | 2.5% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | North Gower - Kars ON | 2% | 3% | 22 | 0 | 3 |
| 17 | Metcalfe ON | 1.9% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 3 |
| 18 | Normand Park MB | 1.5% | 3.1% | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| 19 | South West Industrial SK | 1.4% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 1 |
| 20 | Windsor QC | 1% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Headingley MB | 1% | 0% | 10 | 1 | 37 |
| 22 | Westdale MB | 1% | 1% | 10 | 0 | 37 |
| 23 | Saint-Jean-de-Matha QC | 0.7% | 0.1% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Deer Lake NL | 0.4% | 3.8% | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| 25 | Mandalay West MB | 0.4% | 0% | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Norwood ON | 0.3% | 0% | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 27 | Riverbend MB | 0.3% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Belgravia AB | 0.2% | 0% | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 29 | Belmont AB | 0.2% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 30 | Hillview AB | 0.2% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 31 | Larkspur AB | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 32 | Southwold ON | 0.1% | 0.1% | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| 33 | Grand Falls / Grand-Sault NB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 34 | Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce QC | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 35 | Chisasibi QC | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 36 | Wingham ON | 0% | 0.2% | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 37 | Stonewall MB | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 38 | Westlock AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Belvedere AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Kilkenny AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Inverness County, Subdivision A on the map: green space, protected land and paths
The town’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
3 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Inverness County, Subdivision A
Largest first: S. W. Margaree Provincial Park leads with 8.8 ha. Numbers match the map.
Trout Brook Provincial Park
Park or garden
0.5 ha
45 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Source: 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
Most of Inverness County, Subdivision A is more than 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 (0%)Further (100%)
Inverness County, Subdivision A0%
Towns in Nova Scotia18%
Typical Canadian town83%
That leaves about 5,400 people more than a short walk away. Most towns do better: the typical Canadian town is at 83%.
Protected areas
29% of the land around Inverness County, Subdivision A 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 Inverness County, Subdivision A40%
Within 10 km29%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Governments hold 133 of the 156, and private owners the rest. Cape Breton Highlands National Park leads for size with 94,800 ha. Unama'ki Institute of Natural Resources IPCA is an Indigenous protected and conserved area, cared for by its nation. 3 areas belong to private owners or land trusts and aren’t named here.
Cape Breton Highlands National ParkNational park · 94,800 ha · reaches Inverness County, Subdivision A
Polletts Cove - Aspy Fault Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 27,227 ha · reaches Inverness County, Subdivision A
Margaree River Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 6,832 ha · reaches Inverness County, Subdivision A
Middle River Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 5,618 ha · reaches Inverness County, Subdivision A
Humes River Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 3,625 ha · reaches Inverness County, Subdivision A
Trout Brook Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 2,861 ha · reaches Inverness County, Subdivision A
Margaree River Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 2,140 ha · reaches Inverness County, Subdivision A
Jim Campbells Barren Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 1,736 ha · reaches Inverness County, Subdivision A
Ruiss Noir Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 1,603 ha · reaches Inverness County, Subdivision A
Masons Mountain Nature ReserveNature reserve · 831 ha · reaches Inverness County, Subdivision A
28 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
Parks around Inverness County, Subdivision A
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
Cape Breton Highlands National Park
At the edge · north948 km²since 1936
Provincial park
Ainslie Point Provincial Park
At the edge0.4 km²since 2024
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Inverness County, Subdivision A and its edge hold 213 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
213 km
in and around the town (2,425.3 km²)
Woodland
79%
about 1,906.1 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Inverness County, Subdivision ATowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.1
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Inverness County, Subdivision ATowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland79%
0%50%100%
More of it is wooded than in 95% of Canadian towns. It has fewer paths per km² than 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
The International Appalachian Trail (Nova Scotia) passes Inverness County, Subdivision A
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
NationalOther waymarked
International Appalachian Trail (Nova Scotia)495.5 km
Skyline Trail6.7 km
64.9 km of the International Appalachian Trail (Nova Scotia) runs within 2 km of town; mapped end to end, it is 496 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 Inverness County, Subdivision A: June to August
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Cheticamp, 19 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) | 9.0 | 10.2 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 15.0 | 15.8 | 15.5 | 14.2 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.3 | 8.6 |
| High (°C) | 0 | -1 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 19 | 24 | 23 | 19 | 14 | 8 | 3 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 113 | 101 | 93 | 88 | 82 | 88 | 93 | 103 | 127 | 136 | 135 | 144 |
From -1 °C in February to 24 °C in July: that is the range of daytime highs. May is the driest month at 82 mm; December the wettest at 144 mm. The climate in Inverness County, Subdivision A →
Beaches
35 beaches within 5 km of Inverness County, Subdivision A
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Belle Côte Beachin town
DirectionsChimney Corner Beachin town
DirectionsCorney Beachin town
DirectionsDonks Beachin town
DirectionsFrasers Beachin town
DirectionsKennedys Shorein town
DirectionsMacKinnons Beachin town
DirectionsMacLellans Shorein town
DirectionsMacLeods Beachin town
DirectionsMacLeods Shorein town
Directions17 further beaches go unnamed. The coast is close: 246 km of shoreline within 5 km. Whether the water is fit for a swim isn’t in any open national dataset; public health posts the local advisories.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Near Inverness County, Subdivision A: 64 viewpoints, 18 waterfalls
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
64Viewpoints52Hills and peaks18Waterfalls6Nature reserves17Picnic sites4Playgrounds18Campsites9Slipways
Count 64 viewpoints, the biggest group.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 64
Best Viewpoint of Cabot Trailin town
DirectionsCape Clearin town
DirectionsChance Poolin town
DirectionsFence Poolin town
DirectionsFirst Poolin town
DirectionsLake Viewin town
DirectionsView form Taop of the Rockin town
DirectionsPlus 57 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 52
Andrews Mountainin town
DirectionsArsenaults Hillin town
DirectionsBaldyin town
DirectionsBear Hillin town
DirectionsBeatons Mountainin town
DirectionsBlack Brook Mountainin town
DirectionsBoarsbackin town
DirectionsDonks Mountainin town
DirectionsPlus 44 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 18
Aucoin Brook Fallin town
DirectionsFaribault Brook Fallsin town
DirectionsHighest Waterfallin town
DirectionsLower Egypt Fallsin town
DirectionsMackintosh Brook Fallsin town
DirectionsTurner Brookin town
DirectionsUpper Egypt Fallsin town
DirectionsBeulach Ban Falls0.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 10 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 6
Cape Breton Highlands National Parkin town
DirectionsJim Campbells Barren Wilderness Areain town
DirectionsMasons Mountain Nature Reservein town
DirectionsTrout Brook Wilderness Areain town
DirectionsLes Caps Nature Reserve0.0 km from town
DirectionsSeven Falls Nature Reserve0.2 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 17
Les Falaisesin town
Directionspicknick areain town
DirectionsPlus 15 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 4
Plus 4 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 18
Ainslie Village Campgroundin town
DirectionsCheticamp Campgroundin town
DirectionsCorney Brook Campgroundin town
DirectionsMacKinnons Campgroundin town
DirectionsMacLeod's Beach & Campsitein town
DirectionsMkwesaqtuk/Cap-Rouge Campgroundin town
DirectionsPlage St-Pierre Beach and Campgroundin town
DirectionsWaves End Rv & Campgroundin town
DirectionsPlus 10 campsites without a name on the map.
Slipways 9
Plus 9 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Inverness County, Subdivision A
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 49–79 km: that is how far the nearest places with figures are from Inverness County, Subdivision A.
InvernessVictoria County, Subdivision BVictoria County, Subdivision AEskasoni 3Cape BretonInverness County, Subdivision A
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inverness County, Subdivision A | 29% | 156 | 2 | 35 |
| Inverness 49 km | 13% | 141 | 4 | 20 |
| Victoria County, Subdivision B 51 km | 12% | 244 | 1 | 21 |
| Victoria County, Subdivision A 54 km | 33% | 152 | 3 | 59 |
| Eskasoni 3 72 km | 2.1% | 27 | 0 | 1 |
| Cape Breton 79 km | 8.2% | 176 | 1 | 74 |
For walking routes, Inverness leads the area with 4. Inverness County, Subdivision A 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
- 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.
- Walking routes. Routes are what OpenStreetMap’s volunteers have mapped as named walking or hiking routes; many good trails aren’t mapped that way.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- 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 Inverness County, Subdivision A
What is the nearest national park to Inverness County, Subdivision A?
Yes: Cape Breton Highlands National Park reaches the edge of Inverness County, Subdivision A.
What is the biggest park or reserve near Inverness County, Subdivision A?
Cape Breton Highlands National Park, a national park of 94,800 ha.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Inverness County, Subdivision A?
June to August: long days, mild highs and little rain.
What walking routes are near Inverness County, Subdivision A?
OpenStreetMap maps the International Appalachian Trail (Nova Scotia) and Skyline Trail close by, with others.
What is the nearest beach to Inverness County, Subdivision A?
Try Belle Côte Beach, in town, first of several.
What is the nearest provincial park to Inverness County, Subdivision A?
Ainslie Point Provincial Park begins at the town’s edge.
Is there protected land near Inverness County, Subdivision A?
Protected areas cover 29% of the land within 10 km.
Sources
Where Inverness County, Subdivision A’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.
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).