First pick
Plaster Provincial Park
Park or garden
14 ha
31 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Plumzee · CC BY-SA 4.033%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Victoria County, Subdivision A · parks, protected land & trails
All of Victoria County, Subdivision A sits within Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Protected areas take in 54% of the town itself. Within 10 km are 152 protected areas. Out to 10 km from the town’s edge, 33% of the land is protected; 2.3% is typical for a Canadian town.
Protected land
33%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
152
within 10 km, 145 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
Inside
Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Cape Smokey Provincial Park
Walking routes
3
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
59
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What Victoria County, Subdivision A has going for it outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Inside a national parkVictoria County, Subdivision A lies inside Cape Breton Highlands National ParkProtected land all round33% of the land within 10 km, more than 99% of Canadian townsBeaches59 beaches within 5 kmMany protected areas145 public areas within 10 km
Out of doors, Victoria County, Subdivision A leads with Cape Breton Highlands National Park all around it, with protected land around it close behind.
Against other towns
How Victoria County, Subdivision A 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 one of Canada’s graded subjects, so there’s no letter here: each figure is set against other Canadian towns instead.
Protected within 10 km33%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town54%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas145Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes3Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches59Beaches 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, Victoria County, Subdivision A ranks 2nd for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (2,715 to 2,779 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
Victoria County, Subdivision A33%
Towns its size3.7%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Victoria County, Subdivision A145
Towns its size7
Towns in Nova Scotia24
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Victoria County, Subdivision A3
Towns its size0
Towns in Nova Scotia2
Typical Canadian town0
Victoria 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 | Tofino BC | 41% | 21% | 14 | 0 | 34 |
| 2 | Victoria County, Subdivision A NS | 33% | 54% | 152 | 3 | 59 |
| 3 | Highlands BC | 24% | 41% | 40 | 0 | 18 |
| 4 | Waskaganish QC | 24% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Electoral Area E, Peace River BC | 19% | 24% | 25 | 2 | 103 |
| 6 | Holyrood NL | 19% | 3.2% | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 7 | Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel QC | 18% | 23% | 83 | 0 | 4 |
| 8 | Musquodoboit Harbour NS | 16% | 28% | 50 | 1 | 17 |
| 9 | Little Current ON | 13% | 10% | 36 | 0 | 5 |
| 10 | Waterridge Village ON | 11% | 9.2% | 39 | 0 | 2 |
| 11 | Maria QC | 9.5% | 1% | 24 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Cultus Lake BC | 9.3% | 52% | 14 | 1 | 17 |
| 13 | Marritt ON | 7.2% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Freelton ON | 5.6% | 1.6% | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Vernon River PE | 5.1% | 4.5% | 48 | 11 | 3 |
| 16 | Cochrane, Unorganized, North Part ON | 5.1% | 4.9% | 81 | 0 | 28 |
| 17 | Front of Yonge ON | 4.9% | 6% | 15 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Russell MB | 4.9% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Vars ON | 3.8% | 1.4% | 10 | 0 | 1 |
| 20 | Bonaventure QC | 3.7% | 1.5% | 7 | 0 | 11 |
| 21 | Saint-Charles-de-Bellechasse QC | 3.6% | 0% | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Wakefield NB | 2.2% | 0.8% | 22 | 0 | 13 |
| 23 | Sussex NB | 2.1% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 3 |
| 24 | Division No. 8, Subdivision L NL | 1.9% | 0.2% | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 25 | Woodcroft AB | 1.9% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Gore QC | 1.6% | 2.3% | 18 | 0 | 3 |
| 27 | Central River Heights MB | 1.5% | 0% | 23 | 0 | 1 |
| 28 | Tuxedo Industrial MB | 1.4% | 0% | 25 | 0 | 36 |
| 29 | Electoral Area H, Cowichan Valley BC | 1.1% | 3.5% | 28 | 3 | 6 |
| 30 | Upper Mount Royal AB | 0.8% | 0% | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 31 | Souris MB | 0.5% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Talbot-Grey MB | 0.5% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Electoral Area I, Central Kootenay BC | 0.2% | 0.1% | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| 34 | Rivergrove MB | 0.2% | 4.7% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Wickham QC | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 36 | Kameyosek AB | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 37 | Lee Ridge AB | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 38 | Plessisville QC | 0% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| 39 | Kuujjuaq QC | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 40 | Country Hills Village AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
The green map of Victoria County, Subdivision A
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
5 named parks and woods to walk in near Victoria County, Subdivision A
Largest first: Plaster Provincial Park leads with 14 ha. Numbers match the map.
5 named parks and woods, 45 ha in all
Parks & gardens 23 haWoods 23 ha
Add Plaster Provincial Park to Daisleys Island and you have 59% of it.
Cabot's Landing Provincial Park
Park or garden
8.7 ha
28 km northfrom 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 Victoria 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%)
Victoria County, Subdivision A0%
Towns in Nova Scotia18%
Typical Canadian town83%
The usual figure for a Canadian town is 83%, above this. That leaves about 2,700 people more than a short walk away.
Protected areas
Within 10 km of Victoria County, Subdivision A, 33% is protected land
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Victoria County, Subdivision A54%
Within 10 km33%
Towns in Nova Scotia8.7%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Governments hold 145 of the 152, and private owners the rest. The largest named one is Cape Breton Highlands National Park, at 94,800 ha. One is Indigenous-led: Unama'ki Institute of Natural Resources IPCA. 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.
Cape Breton Highlands National ParkNational park · 94,800 ha · Victoria County, Subdivision A lies inside it
Polletts Cove - Aspy Fault Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 27,227 ha · reaches Victoria County, Subdivision A
French River Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 16,418 ha · reaches Victoria County, Subdivision A
French River Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 7,097 ha · reaches Victoria County, Subdivision A
North River Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 3,987 ha · reaches Victoria County, Subdivision A
North River Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 979 ha · reaches Victoria County, Subdivision A
French River Wilderness AreaNature reserve · 686 ha · reaches Victoria County, Subdivision A
Cape Smokey Provincial ParkProvincial park · 539 ha · reaches Victoria County, Subdivision A
Old Growth Forest LandsNature reserve · 162 ha · reaches Victoria County, Subdivision A
Cape Smokey Provincial ParkProvincial park · 161 ha · reaches Victoria 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 Victoria 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
Victoria County, Subdivision A lies inside it948 km²since 1936
Provincial park
Cape Smokey Provincial Park
At the edge5.4 km²since 2015
Provincial park
Cape Smokey Provincial Park
At the edge1.6 km²since 1983
Provincial park
Plaster Provincial Park
At the edge0.2 km²since 1973
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
Victoria County, Subdivision A and its edge hold 164 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
164 km
in and around the town (1,951.7 km²)
Woodland
78%
about 1,513.3 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Victoria County, Subdivision ATowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.1
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Victoria County, Subdivision ATowns in Nova ScotiaTypical Canadian town
Woodland78%
0%50%100%
It is more wooded than 95% of Canadian towns. It has fewer paths per km² than 88% 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
Victoria County, Subdivision A is on the Franey
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
National
Franey9.4 km
Mica Hill Trail3.4 km
Middle head2.4 km
The Franey (9 km) keeps within 2 km of town for 9.4 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Victoria County, Subdivision A is best on foot in June to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Ingonish Beach (5.1 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) | 8.9 | 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 | 7 | 13 | 19 | 24 | 24 | 20 | 14 | 8 | 3 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 159 | 136 | 144 | 130 | 96 | 97 | 86 | 105 | 133 | 175 | 156 | 195 |
Summer highs reach 24 °C in August; in February they stay near -1 °C. Rain and snow peak in December (195 mm) and ease in July (86 mm). The climate in Victoria County, Subdivision A →
Beaches
Beaches near Victoria County, Subdivision A: 59 within 5 km
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Ingonish Beachsand · in town
DirectionsNeil’s harbor beachin town
DirectionsNeils Harbour Breakerin town
DirectionsNorth Harbour Beachsand · in town
DirectionsPlaster Shorein town
DirectionsRinging Beachin town
DirectionsRoss Beachin town
DirectionsSmelt Brook Shorein town
DirectionsSouth Harbour Beachin town
DirectionsSt. Anns Beachin town
DirectionsThe map adds 34 unnamed stretches of beach. OpenStreetMap marks 3 as sandy. Within 5 km is 312 km of coastline. 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
Viewpoints and waterfalls near Victoria County, Subdivision A: 55 and 6
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
55Viewpoints24Hills and peaks6Waterfalls5Nature reserves14Picnic sites5Playgrounds9Campsites9Slipways
There are 55 viewpoints, more than of anything else. The highest named peak nearby is White Hill, at 535 m.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 55
Clyburn River Goldminein town
DirectionsLakies Headin town
Directionslook offin town
DirectionsLookout Pointin town
DirectionsPlus 51 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 24
Broad Cove Mountainin town
DirectionsCrogan Mountainin town
DirectionsCross Mountainin town
DirectionsFraney Mountainin town
DirectionsIndian Risingin town
DirectionsKlondike Mountainin town
DirectionsMacDonalds Mountainin town
DirectionsMartin Powers Mountainin town
DirectionsPlus 16 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 6
Plus 3 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 5
Cape Breton Highlands National Parkin town
DirectionsCape Smokey Provincial Parkin town
DirectionsFrench River Wilderness Areain town
DirectionsPlaster Provincial Parkin town
DirectionsPlus 1 nature reserve more.
Playgrounds 5
Plus 5 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 9
Avoca Birches Campgroundin town
DirectionsBig Intervale Campgroundin town
DirectionsBroad Cove Campgroundin town
DirectionsCabot Shores Wilderness Camping & Domesin town
DirectionsCeilidh's Varietyin town
DirectionsHideaway Campgroundin town
DirectionsIndian Brookin town
DirectionsIngonish Beach Campgroundin town
DirectionsPlus 1 campsite more.
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 Victoria 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. The nearest places to Victoria County, Subdivision A with figures are 54–70 km away.
Inverness County, Subdivision ACape BretonMembertou 28BVictoria County, Subdivision BVictoria County, Subdivision A
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria County, Subdivision A | 33% | 152 | 3 | 59 |
| Inverness County, Subdivision A 54 km | 29% | 156 | 2 | 35 |
| Cape Breton 62 km | 8.2% | 176 | 1 | 74 |
| Membertou 28B 67 km | 0.7% | 15 | 0 | 1 |
| Victoria County, Subdivision B 70 km | 12% | 244 | 1 | 21 |
Next door, protected shares stay within twice Victoria County, Subdivision A’s.
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.
- National and provincial parks. The nearest national park and the nearest provincial park are always shown when they are within 100 km.
- Protected land. Measured on CPCAD’s outlines: the part of a 10 km band around the town that lies in a protected or conserved area, water included.
- 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.
- 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 Victoria County, Subdivision A
Is there a provincial park near Victoria County, Subdivision A?
Cape Smokey Provincial Park touches the town.
When should you visit Victoria County, Subdivision A for the outdoors?
June to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
What is the largest protected area near Victoria County, Subdivision A?
It is Cape Breton Highlands National Park, a national park covering 94,800 ha.
Is there a beach near Victoria County, Subdivision A?
The nearest is Ingonish Beach, in town.
Where can you walk near Victoria County, Subdivision A?
Try the Franey, Mica Hill Trail and Middle head; more are on the map.
How much land around Victoria County, Subdivision A is protected?
Within 10 km, 33% of the land lies in protected areas.
What is the nearest national park to Victoria County, Subdivision A?
Cape Breton Highlands National Park begins right at Victoria County, Subdivision A’s edge.
Sources
Sources for this page on Victoria County, Subdivision A
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).