First pick
Tin Can Hill
Park or garden
30 ha2.6 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.6 km of path
1.6 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: TravelingOtter from Houston, Texas, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Yellowknife · parks, protected land & trails
7 named trails run within 2 km of Yellowknife
Protected areas cover 0% of the land within 10 km; for the typical Canadian town it is 2.3%. Within 5 km lie 4 beaches, unnamed on the map. National parks are all over 100 km off.
Protected land
0%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
0
within 10 km, 0 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Walking routes
7
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
4
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
Where Yellowknife stands out outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Walking routes7 named routes within 2 kmLittle protected land0% within 10 km; the typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Above all, Yellowknife offers its choice of walking routes. Less going for it: protected land nearby.
Against other towns
Yellowknife 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. Outdoors isn’t graded in Canada. The page compares each figure with other towns and leaves it there.
Protected within 10 km0%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town0%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas0Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes7Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches4Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Yellowknife is last of 40 towns its size for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (22,149 to 23,585 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
Yellowknife0%
Towns its size2.4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Yellowknife0
Towns its size5
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Yellowknife7
Towns its size1
Typical Canadian town0
For walking routes, Yellowknife sits near the top of its size group: 2 of 39 have more. It trails them for public protected areas, where 38 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colwood BC | 19% | 2.3% | 36 | 4 | 21 |
| 2 | Saint-Lazare QC | 13% | 0% | 42 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | Westmount NS | 11% | 4.8% | 16 | 6 | 18 |
| 4 | Brownsville BC | 11% | 1.3% | 119 | 7 | 6 |
| 5 | Snowdon QC | 10% | 0% | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Berczy Village ON | 9.3% | 0% | 17 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | Saint-Lambert QC | 8.1% | 0.4% | 31 | 0 | 6 |
| 8 | Mont-Royal QC | 7.5% | 0% | 29 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Old Barrhaven East ON | 6.9% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Du College/Hodge QC | 6% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Rivière-Blanche QC | 5.8% | 8.1% | 45 | 0 | 2 |
| 12 | Uxbridge ON | 4.8% | 5.1% | 25 | 2 | 1 |
| 13 | Cité-Universitaire QC | 4.1% | 0% | 20 | 1 | 5 |
| 14 | Brentwood BC | 4% | 0% | 12 | 2 | 29 |
| 15 | Riverview NB | 2.7% | 2.3% | 10 | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | South Eglinton-Davisville ON | 2.7% | 0% | 13 | 2 | 1 |
| 17 | Eglinton East ON | 2.6% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 5 |
| 18 | Birchcliffe-Cliffside ON | 2.5% | 0% | 14 | 2 | 19 |
| 19 | Cranbrook BC | 2.4% | 0% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Flemingdon Park ON | 2.4% | 17% | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| 21 | Church-Wellesley ON | 2.3% | 0% | 11 | 9 | 20 |
| 22 | Moss Park ON | 2.2% | 0% | 10 | 9 | 43 |
| 23 | Renfrew-Collingwood BC | 2.2% | 0.7% | 12 | 4 | 28 |
| 24 | Sainte-Lucie QC | 2% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Steeles ON | 1.9% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Junction-Wallace Emerson ON | 1.8% | 0% | 11 | 4 | 13 |
| 27 | Bayview Village ON | 1.7% | 16% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Bedford Park-Nortown ON | 1.4% | 0% | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| 29 | Joliette QC | 1.2% | 0.8% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | High Park-Swansea ON | 0.9% | 5% | 9 | 4 | 17 |
| 31 | Binbrook ON | 0.9% | 0.2% | 22 | 2 | 1 |
| 32 | Ouest (Montréal-Nord) QC | 0.8% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Willowridge-Martingrove-Richview ON | 0.7% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 34 | High Park North ON | 0.6% | 0% | 10 | 4 | 15 |
| 35 | New Hamburg ON | 0.4% | 0% | 18 | 3 | 1 |
| 36 | Humber Bay Shores ON | 0.3% | 0% | 6 | 3 | 18 |
| 37 | Rockcliffe-Smythe ON | 0.3% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 8 |
| 38 | Erindale ON | 0.2% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 39 | Cobourg ON | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 40 | Yellowknife NT | 0% | 0% | 0 | 7 | 4 |
The map
Parks, woods and paths around Yellowknife
Green space, woods, protected areas and footpaths in and around the town; 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
28 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Yellowknife
Tin Can Hill is the largest, at 30 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
28 named parks and woods, 107 ha in all
Parks & gardens 107 ha
Add Tin Can Hill to Legislative Assembly Site and you have 49% of it.
Legislative Assembly Site
Park or garden
23 ha1.3 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.3 km of path
1.4 km northfrom the centre
Frame Lake Trail
Directionsto a point inside
McNiven Beach and Playground
Park or garden
14 ha1.7 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.7 km of path
Centralin the middle of Yellowknife
Directionsto a point inside
Parker Recreation Field
Park or garden
5.6 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
2.3 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Yellowknife River Territorial Park day use area
Park or garden
4.8 ha0.3 km of path
8.7 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Tommy Forrest Ball Park
Park or garden
4.6 ha0.2 km of path
Centralin the middle of Yellowknife
Directionsto a point inside
Frame Lake West Park
Park or garden
2.9 ha0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
0.9 km north-westfrom the centre
Frame Lake Trail
Directionsto a point inside
All 28 named parks and green spaces
Tin Can HillPark or garden · 30 ha · 2.6 km of path
DirectionsLegislative Assembly SitePark or garden · 23 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsMcNiven Beach and PlaygroundPark or garden · 14 ha · 1.7 km of path
DirectionsParker Recreation FieldPark or garden · 5.6 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsYellowknife River Territorial Park day use areaPark or garden · 4.8 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsTommy Forrest Ball ParkPark or garden · 4.6 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsMosher Island - Dii Tso DoPark or garden · 4.4 ha
DirectionsFrame Lake West ParkPark or garden · 2.9 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsSomba K'e Family ParkPark or garden · 3.0 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsSomba K'e Civic PlazaPark or garden · 2.3 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsFritz Theil Ball ParkPark or garden · 2.9 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsRotary Centennial ParkPark or garden · 1.3 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsBristol Monument ParkPark or garden · 1.4 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsSt Joes Soccer FieldPark or garden · 1.2 ha
DirectionsToboggan & Snowboard hillPark or garden · 0.9 ha
DirectionsWatt Drive ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha
DirectionsMoyle ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsJosephine Walcer ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsDeMelt ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsOtto Drive ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsParker ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsOlexin ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsRaccine ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsMitchell Drive ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsYvonne Quick Heritage WharfPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsForrest Drive ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsGrace Lake ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsLatham Island Community ParkPark or garden · 0.3 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
8 in 10 people in Yellowknife 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 (83%)Further (17%)
Yellowknife83%
Typical Canadian town83%
For about 4,000 people, the nearest park is over 400 m away. Few do better: the typical Canadian town is at 83%.
Protected areas
Within 10 km of Yellowknife, no land is protected
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
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.
Footpaths and woods
133 km of paths in and around Yellowknife
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
133 km
in and around the town (181.7 km²)
Woodland
31%
about 56.1 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
YellowknifeTowns in Northwest TerritoriesTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.7
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
YellowknifeTowns in Northwest TerritoriesTypical Canadian town
Woodland31%
0%50%100%
It is more wooded than 74% of Canadian towns. Paths are thinner on the ground than in 62% 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
Trails around Yellowknife
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Other waymarked
McMahon Frame Lake Trail6.7 km
Deh Cho Trail3.9 km
Niven Lake Trail2.8 km
Range Lake Trail2.2 km
Tin Can Hill Trail1.5 km
Ranney Hill Trail1.4 km
Back Bay Scenic Viewpoint Trail0.4 km
At 6.7 km, the McMahon Frame Lake Trail is the longest local route. For a short stroll, 5 are under 3 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 Yellowknife: June to August
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Yellowknife (Airport), 3.1 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) | 5.9 | 8.7 | 11.5 | 14.7 | 17.8 | 19.9 | 18.9 | 16.0 | 12.8 | 9.7 | 6.8 | 5.0 |
| High (°C) | -22 | -18 | -11 | 0 | 10 | 19 | 22 | 18 | 11 | 2 | -9 | -18 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 15 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 29 | 40 | 44 | 43 | 29 | 26 | 15 |
A typical year sees 155 cm of snow. February is the driest month at 11 mm; August the wettest at 44 mm. In July the typical high is 22 °C; in January, -22 °C. The climate in Yellowknife →
Beaches
4 unnamed beaches near Yellowknife
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
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
Viewpoints and waterfalls near Yellowknife: 6 and 1
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Most numerous: playgrounds (47). Among the peaks, Ranney Hill is highest at 240 m.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 6
Back Bay Scenic Viewpointin town
DirectionsCinnamon Island Scenic Viewpoint1.3 km from town
DirectionsPlus 4 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 2
Ranney Hill240 m · 0.6 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 peak without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 1
Ice Fallsin town
DirectionsPicnic sites 13
Plus 13 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 47
Dusseault Court Playgroundin town
DirectionsJumpstart Playgroundin town
DirectionsParker Parkin town
DirectionsPlus 44 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Yellowknife Dog Parkin town
DirectionsCampsites 3
Fred Henne Territorial Park Campgroundin town
DirectionsPlus 2 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 Yellowknife
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page. The one place listed is 95 km from Yellowknife, the nearest with figures.
BehchokòYellowknife
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellowknife | 0% | 0 | 7 | 4 |
| Behchokò 95 km | 59% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
For protected land, Behchokò has twice as much or more.
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. 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.
- 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.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
Questions about the outdoors in Yellowknife
When is the best time for walking in Yellowknife?
June to August: long days, mild highs and little rain.
Where can you swim near Yellowknife?
There are beaches within 5 km, none of them named.
Are there hiking trails near Yellowknife?
The McMahon Frame Lake Trail, Deh Cho Trail and Niven Lake Trail, among the routes mapped within 2 km.
Is Yellowknife near a national park?
None within 100 km of Yellowknife.
Sources
Sources for this page on Yellowknife
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).