First pick
Waterside Beach Provincial Park
Park or garden
100 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
14 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center · Public domain13%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Pictou County, Subdivision A · parks, protected land & trails
More of the land around Pictou County, Subdivision A is protected than around 9 in 10 Canadian towns
Within 10 km are 58 protected areas. 29 beaches are mapped within 5 km, the nearest Gordons Beach. OpenStreetMap shows 3 walking routes nearby, including the International Appalachian Trail (Nova Scotia) and Juniper Head Trail.
Protected land
13%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
58
within 10 km, 57 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
64 km
Prince Edward Island National Park
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Caribou-Munroe Island Provincial Park
Walking routes
3
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
29
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
The outdoors in Pictou County, Subdivision A, in short
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round13% of the land within 10 km, more than 90% of Canadian townsMany protected areas57 public areas within 10 kmBeaches29 beaches within 5 kmOn a national routeThe International Appalachian Trail (Nova Scotia) passes within 2 km
Pictou County, Subdivision A’s best card is protected land around it, with the number of public protected areas close by close behind.
Against other towns
Each figure for Pictou 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 km13%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town1.7%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas57Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes3Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches29Beaches 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, Pictou County, Subdivision A ranks 3rd for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (6,462 to 6,685 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
Pictou County, Subdivision A13%
Towns its size1.8%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Pictou County, Subdivision A57
Towns its size3
Towns in Nova Scotia24
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Pictou County, Subdivision A3
Towns its size0
Towns in Nova Scotia2
Typical Canadian town0
Among its peers, Pictou County, Subdivision A’s strong point is public protected areas, where 2 of 39 top it.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beresford NB | 26% | 19% | 10 | 0 | 16 |
| 2 | Pontiac QC | 21% | 51% | 67 | 3 | 30 |
| 3 | Pictou County, Subdivision A NS | 13% | 1.7% | 58 | 3 | 29 |
| 4 | City View ON | 12% | 0% | 30 | 0 | 6 |
| 5 | Antigonish County, Subdivision B NS | 11% | 1.8% | 103 | 1 | 35 |
| 6 | Tweed ON | 9.9% | 9.1% | 68 | 1 | 5 |
| 7 | Rivers Edge / Castlemore Crossing ON | 8.1% | 23% | 11 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Sackville NB | 6.5% | 0.1% | 85 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Centre QC | 6.5% | 0% | 21 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde QC | 6.4% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 4 |
| 11 | Mont-Joli QC | 5.7% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel QC | 5.7% | 21% | 22 | 1 | 1 |
| 13 | Bramalea Woods ON | 5.5% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | Humboldt SK | 4.9% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Barnstown ON | 4.9% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Pictou County, Subdivision B NS | 4.8% | 1.1% | 165 | 3 | 0 |
| 17 | Stipeley ON | 4.3% | 0% | 23 | 1 | 5 |
| 18 | Westview Village AB | 3.4% | 0% | 9 | 7 | 0 |
| 19 | Whitmore Park SK | 2.9% | 0% | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 20 | Cumberland AB | 2% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | West Broadway MB | 1.6% | 0% | 24 | 4 | 0 |
| 22 | Glamorgan AB | 1.5% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Battlefield ON | 1.4% | 0% | 13 | 4 | 8 |
| 24 | Fairhaven SK | 1.4% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 1 |
| 25 | Massey Place SK | 1.4% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| 26 | Corman ON | 1.3% | 0.2% | 17 | 4 | 8 |
| 27 | Glenwood MB | 1.3% | 1.2% | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Weston MB | 1.3% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Garden Village BC | 1.3% | 0% | 20 | 4 | 6 |
| 30 | Elmhurst MB | 0.9% | 1.8% | 19 | 1 | 38 |
| 31 | Oliver Paipoonge ON | 0.7% | 1.4% | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 32 | Terwillegar Towne AB | 0.7% | 0% | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 33 | Kings County, Subdivision D NS | 0.5% | 0.3% | 17 | 1 | 10 |
| 34 | Griesbach AB | 0.5% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | St. Paul County No. 19 AB | 0.4% | 0.7% | 23 | 0 | 9 |
| 36 | Glencoe ON | 0.3% | 0.7% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Abbeydale AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Renfrew AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 39 | Brintnell AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Sherwood AB | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Pictou 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
7 named parks and woods to walk in near Pictou County, Subdivision A
The biggest is Waterside Beach Provincial Park, 100 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
7 named parks and woods, 152 ha in all
Parks & gardens 152 ha
Two places, Waterside Beach Provincial Park and Salt Springs Provincial Park, make up 84% of the total.
Salt Springs Provincial Park
Park or garden
28 ha3.7 km of path
50 minto walk all 3.7 km of path
12 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Rushtons Beach Provincial Park
Park or garden
20 ha0.2 km of path
23 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
River John Remembrance Garden
Park or garden
2.2 ha0.2 km of path
18 km north-westfrom the centre
Trans Canada Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Colonel Dan Sutherland Memorial Park
Park or garden
1.3 ha
18 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Lions Park & Playground
Park or garden
0.2 ha
18 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Anna Sutherland Bissell Memorial Park
Park or garden
0.2 ha
19 km north-westfrom 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
In Pictou County, Subdivision A, 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%)
Pictou County, Subdivision A0%
Towns in Nova Scotia18%
Typical Canadian town83%
That leaves about 6,600 people more than a short walk away. A median Canadian town manages 83%.
Protected areas
58 protected areas around Pictou County, Subdivision A
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Pictou County, Subdivision A1.7%
Within 10 km13%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
57 of the 58 belong to a government or an Indigenous nation. Scallop Buffer Zone (SFA 24) covers 209,496 ha, the most of any named area. One area belongs to a private owner or a land trust and isn’t named here.
Scallop Buffer Zone (SFA 24)Nature reserve · 209,496 ha · reaches Pictou County, Subdivision A
Gully Lake Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 3,816 ha · reaches Pictou County, Subdivision A
Gully Lake Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 174 ha · reaches Pictou County, Subdivision A
Caribou-Munroe Island Provincial ParkProvincial park · 138 ha · reaches Pictou County, Subdivision A
Waterside Beach Provincial ParkProvincial park · 96 ha · reaches Pictou County, Subdivision A
Dalhousie Mountain Nature ReserveNature reserve · 46 ha · reaches Pictou County, Subdivision A
MacKenzie Beach Provincial ParkProvincial park · 42 ha · reaches Pictou County, Subdivision A
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 38 ha · reaches Pictou County, Subdivision A
Caribou Rivers Nature ReserveNature reserve · 32 ha · reaches Pictou County, Subdivision A
Salt Springs Provincial ParkProvincial park · 29 ha · reaches Pictou County, Subdivision A
29 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: Prince Edward Island National Park, 64 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
Caribou-Munroe Island Provincial Park
At the edge1.4 km²since 1972
Provincial park
Waterside Beach Provincial Park
At the edge1.0 km²since 1994
Provincial park
MacKenzie Beach Provincial Park
At the edge0.4 km²since 2024
Provincial park
Salt Springs Provincial Park
At the edge0.3 km²since 1993
Provincial park
Rushtons Beach Provincial Park
At the edge0.2 km²since 1978
National park
Prince Edward Island National Park
64 km north27 km²since 1937
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
Paths to walk: 101 km in and around Pictou County, Subdivision A
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
101 km
in and around the town (999.3 km²)
Woodland
67%
about 669.9 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Pictou County, Subdivision ATowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.1
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Pictou County, Subdivision ATowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland67%
0%50%100%
More of it is wooded than in 90% of Canadian towns. It has fewer paths per km² than 85% 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
Pictou County, Subdivision A is on the International Appalachian Trail (Nova Scotia)
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
NationalLocalOther waymarked
International Appalachian Trail (Nova Scotia)495.5 km
Gully Lake Trail11.0 km
Juniper Head Trail3.2 km
Of the International Appalachian Trail (Nova Scotia)’s 496 km, 33.7 km passes close to town. The Gully Lake Trail is the big one locally: 11.0 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Get out in Pictou County, Subdivision A in June to August
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Tatamagouche, 29 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 | 13.5 | 14.9 | 15.7 | 15.4 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 8.7 |
| High (°C) | -1 | -2 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 18 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 14 | 8 | 3 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 92 | 75 | 81 | 79 | 81 | 103 | 70 | 90 | 115 | 119 | 118 | 111 |
A typical year sees 187 cm of snow. For dry weather, July is best (70 mm); October gets 119 mm. In July the typical high is 23 °C; in February, -2 °C. The climate in Pictou County, Subdivision A →
Beaches
Pictou County, Subdivision A has 29 beaches close by
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Gordons Beachin town
DirectionsLowdens Beachin town
DirectionsMurray Beachin town
DirectionsLighthouse Beach1.1 km from town
Directions25 further beaches go unnamed. The coast is close: 227 km of shoreline within 5 km. No open data on beach water quality covers every province, so check with public health before a swim.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Near Pictou County, Subdivision A: one waterfall on the map
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
For a climb, Dalhousie Mountain rises to 341 m. The most common are hills and peaks: 12 on the map.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 12
Beech Hillin town
DirectionsCampbell Hillin town
DirectionsCobequid Mountainsin town
DirectionsDalhousie Mountain341 m · in town
DirectionsDurham Hillin town
DirectionsFitzpatricks Mountainin town
DirectionsHardwood Hill147 m · in town
DirectionsMount Ephraim309 m · in town
DirectionsPlus 4 hills and peaks more.
Waterfalls 1
Plus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 5
Dalhousie Mountain Nature Reservein town
DirectionsMacKay Brook Nature Reservein town
DirectionsSalt Springs Provincial Parkin town
DirectionsSawmill Brook Conservation Landsin town
DirectionsGully Lake Wilderness Area1.7 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 3
Plus 3 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 7
Plus 7 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 7
Applebrook Campgroundin town
DirectionsBirchwood Campground & Cottagesin town
DirectionsCaribou–Munroes Island Campsitein town
DirectionsHarbour Light Campgroundin town
DirectionsSeafoam Campgroundin town
DirectionsPlus 2 campsites without a name on the map.
Slipways 4
Plus 4 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Pictou 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.
PictouWestvillePictou County, Subdivision BNew GlasgowTrentonStellartonPictou County, Subdivision A
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pictou County, Subdivision A | 13% | 58 | 3 | 29 |
| Pictou 13 km | 24% | 7 | 1 | 6 |
| Westville 16 km | 4.1% | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Pictou County, Subdivision B 17 km | 4.8% | 165 | 3 | 0 |
| New Glasgow 18 km | 9.2% | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Trenton 19 km | 18% | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| Stellarton 19 km | 3.1% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Trenton has the most mapped walking routes nearby: 6. No place nearby has double Pictou County, Subdivision A’s share of protected land.
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. 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.
- Private land. Areas held by land trusts or private owners stay unnamed here, though they count in the shares.
- National and provincial parks. A park at 0 km touches or overlaps the town’s outline; directions point from the town’s centre.
- 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 Pictou County, Subdivision A
Is there a provincial park near Pictou County, Subdivision A?
Caribou-Munroe Island Provincial Park touches the town.
What is the nearest beach to Pictou County, Subdivision A?
Try Gordons Beach, in town, first of several.
Where can you walk near Pictou County, Subdivision A?
The International Appalachian Trail (Nova Scotia), Juniper Head Trail and Gully Lake Trail, among the routes mapped within 2 km.
How much land around Pictou County, Subdivision A is protected?
Within 10 km, 13% of the land lies in protected areas.
Which is the biggest protected area near Pictou County, Subdivision A?
It is Scallop Buffer Zone (SFA 24), a nature reserve covering 209,496 ha.
When should you visit Pictou County, Subdivision A for the outdoors?
On the normals, June to August: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
Is Pictou County, Subdivision A near a national park?
Prince Edward Island National Park is closest, at 64 km.
Sources
The sources behind Pictou County, Subdivision A’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).