First pick
Bowmanville Creek
Park or garden
42 ha3.7 km of path
50 minto walk all 3.7 km of path
1.7 km south-eastfrom the centre
Bowmanville Valley Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Drozwik Drones · CC BY 3.01.6%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Bowmanville · parks, protected land & trails
A national park 24 km from Bowmanville: Rouge National Urban Park
Within 5 km are 9 beaches; East Beach is the nearest. Walkers have 2 mapped routes close by, starting with the Oak Ridges Trail and Ganaraska Trail. 1.6% of the land and water within 10 km is protected (the typical Canadian town: 2.3%).
Protected land
1.6%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
25
within 10 km, 7 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
24 km
Rouge National Urban Park
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Darlington Provincial Park
Walking routes
2
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
9
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What Bowmanville has going for it outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
A national park nearbyRouge National Urban Park, 24 km awayA provincial park at the edgeDarlington Provincial Park reaches the townBeaches9 beaches within 5 km
For someone who likes to get outside, Bowmanville’s draw is Rouge National Urban Park within easy reach, with a provincial park at its edge close behind.
Against other towns
Bowmanville 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 one of Canada’s graded subjects, so there’s no letter here: each figure is set against other Canadian towns instead.
Protected within 10 km1.6%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town3%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas7Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes2Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches9Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Bowmanville has the 17th least protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (85,160 to 157,345 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
Bowmanville1.6%
Towns its size3%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Bowmanville7
Towns its size12
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Bowmanville2
Towns its size1
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
For walking routes, Bowmanville sits near the top of its size group: 15 of 39 have more. On protected land nearby it is behind: 23 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maple Ridge BC | 26% | 21% | 101 | 1 | 41 |
| 2 | Delta BC | 24% | 17% | 181 | 9 | 19 |
| 3 | North Vancouver BC | 15% | 22% | 18 | 11 | 169 |
| 4 | Kamloops BC | 14% | 13% | 16 | 0 | 11 |
| 5 | Chilliwack BC | 11% | 7.7% | 36 | 4 | 26 |
| 6 | Saanich BC | 11% | 9.4% | 43 | 7 | 56 |
| 7 | Strathcona County AB | 9.4% | 1.4% | 38 | 7 | 6 |
| 8 | Trois-Rivières QC | 8.4% | 1.2% | 44 | 1 | 10 |
| 9 | Repentigny QC | 8.3% | 1.6% | 41 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Cape Breton NS | 8.2% | 8.6% | 176 | 1 | 74 |
| 11 | New Westminster BC | 8% | 0% | 83 | 4 | 9 |
| 12 | Victoria BC | 8% | 0.9% | 20 | 4 | 34 |
| 13 | Lindsay ON | 7.6% | 9.2% | 60 | 5 | 9 |
| 14 | Pickering ON | 7.6% | 11% | 46 | 1 | 11 |
| 15 | Saguenay QC | 6% | 6.1% | 29 | 0 | 11 |
| 16 | Brossard QC | 5.6% | 9.1% | 31 | 0 | 6 |
| 17 | Kingston ON | 5% | 6.2% | 54 | 2 | 5 |
| 18 | Ajax ON | 4.9% | 5.8% | 31 | 1 | 8 |
| 19 | Bolton ON | 4.8% | 5.9% | 113 | 11 | 3 |
| 20 | Terrebonne QC | 3.8% | 3.6% | 60 | 0 | 3 |
| 21 | St. John's NL | 2.2% | 1.2% | 6 | 1 | 41 |
| 22 | Moncton NB | 2.2% | 1.7% | 17 | 0 | 2 |
| 23 | Nanaimo BC | 1.9% | 6.7% | 42 | 2 | 33 |
| 24 | Bowmanville ON | 1.6% | 3% | 25 | 2 | 9 |
| 25 | Newmarket ON | 1.3% | 1.8% | 27 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Milton ON | 1.3% | 0% | 38 | 15 | 3 |
| 27 | St. Catharines ON | 1.2% | 1.7% | 15 | 4 | 7 |
| 28 | Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu QC | 1.1% | 1.2% | 18 | 1 | 3 |
| 29 | Niagara Falls ON | 1.1% | 1.7% | 15 | 3 | 4 |
| 30 | Saint-Jérôme QC | 1% | 0.1% | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| 31 | Chatham ON | 1% | 1% | 21 | 0 | 8 |
| 32 | Red Deer AB | 0.7% | 1.2% | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 33 | Peterborough ON | 0.6% | 0% | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| 34 | Waterloo ON | 0.6% | 0% | 17 | 12 | 1 |
| 35 | Lethbridge AB | 0.4% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Brantford ON | 0.3% | 0% | 15 | 3 | 0 |
| 37 | Prince George BC | 0.3% | 0.5% | 5 | 1 | 51 |
| 38 | Drummondville QC | 0.1% | 0.2% | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 39 | Thunder Bay ON | 0.1% | 0.4% | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 40 | Airdrie AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
The green map of Bowmanville
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
Walk in Bowmanville: 30 named parks and woods
The biggest is Bowmanville Creek, 42 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
30 named parks and woods, 394 ha in all
Parks & gardens 271 haWoods 123 ha
Even the biggest has just 18% of the total.
Harmony Valley Park
Park or garden · 290 m outside town
37 ha5.7 km of path
1 h 15 minto walk all 5.7 km of path
11 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
The Nathan and Marvin Goldman Woodlot
Park or garden
31 ha1.7 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.7 km of path
10 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Samuel Wilmot Nature Area
Park or garden
24 ha2.7 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.7 km of path
7.9 km eastfrom the centre
Samuel Wilmot Nature AreaWaterfront Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Clarington Fields
Park or garden
25 ha1.9 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.9 km of path
3.0 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Bowmanville Creek Conservation Area
Wood or forest
53 ha1.3 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.3 km of path
Centralin the middle of Bowmanville
Directionsto a point inside
Newcastle Community Park
Park or garden
13 ha0.2 km of path
7.7 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Bowmanville CreekPark or garden · 42 ha · 3.7 km of path
DirectionsHarmony Valley ParkPark or garden · 37 ha · 5.7 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsThe Nathan and Marvin Goldman WoodlotPark or garden · 31 ha · 1.7 km of path
DirectionsSamuel Wilmot Nature AreaPark or garden · 24 ha · 2.7 km of path
DirectionsClarington FieldsPark or garden · 25 ha · 1.9 km of path
DirectionsValehaven ForestWood or forest · 70 ha
DirectionsBowmanville Creek Conservation AreaWood or forest · 53 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsNewcastle Community ParkPark or garden · 13 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsPort of Newcastle ParkPark or garden · 7.5 ha · 1.5 km of path
DirectionsGarnet B. Rickard Recreation ComplexPark or garden · 8.4 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsSoper Creek ParkPark or garden · 8.2 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsDarlington Hydro FieldsPark or garden · 8.5 ha
DirectionsWestside Drive ParkPark or garden · 5.9 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsLongworth ParkPark or garden · 4.5 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsElephant ParkPark or garden · 4.2 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsTyrone ParkPark or garden · 4.9 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsHarvey Jackson Memorial ParkPark or garden · 4.9 ha
DirectionsSolina ParkPark or garden · 4.7 ha
DirectionsPenfound ParkPark or garden · 3.6 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsOrono ParkPark or garden · 4.3 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsDarlington Sports CentrePark or garden · 4.0 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsRoswell ParkPark or garden · 3.1 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsLord Elgin ParkPark or garden · 3.0 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsPort Darlington East Beach ParkPark or garden · 2.2 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsMearns ParkPark or garden · 2.2 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsGlenbourne ParkPark or garden · 2.8 ha · 0.4 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsGuildwood ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsNorthglen Neighborhood ParkPark or garden · 2.5 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsGreen ParkPark or garden · 2.4 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsOptimist ParkPark or garden · 3.3 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
A park is within a short walk for 7 in 10 in Bowmanville
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 (68%)Further (32%)
Bowmanville68%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
That leaves about 37,000 people more than a short walk away. That is below the typical Canadian town (83%).
Protected areas
1.6% of the land around Bowmanville 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 Bowmanville3%
Within 10 km1.6%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
7 of the 25 belong to a government or an Indigenous nation. The largest named one is Darlington Provincial Park, at 209 ha. The figures include 18 private conservation areas, left unnamed.
Darlington Provincial ParkProvincial park · 209 ha · reaches Bowmanville
Longwood Open SpaceNature reserve · 11 ha · 8.8 km from the edge of town
Corbett Creek Open SpaceNature reserve · 3.9 ha · 8.8 km from the edge of town
Wynfield Open SpaceNature reserve · 6.1 ha · 9.7 km from the edge of town
Pringle Creek Open SpaceNature reserve · 17 ha · 9.8 km from the edge of town
Garden Street Open SpaceNature reserve · 8.1 ha · 10.0 km from the edge of town
Burns Street Open SpaceNature reserve · 6.3 ha · 10.0 km from the edge of town
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 parks within reach of Bowmanville
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
Darlington Provincial Park
At the edge2.1 km²since 1959
National urban park
Rouge National Urban Park
24 km west46 km²since 2015
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Bowmanville and its edge hold 361 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
361 km
in and around the town (751.2 km²)
Woodland
28%
about 213.7 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
BowmanvilleTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.5
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
BowmanvilleTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland28%
0%50%100%
Woods cover more of it than in 73% of Canadian towns. It has fewer paths per km² than 66% 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
Bowmanville has 2 named walking routes
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Regional
Oak Ridges Trail272.4 km
Ganaraska Trail243.6 km
The longest of the rest is the Oak Ridges Trail, 272.4 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Bowmanville is best on foot in May and August
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Oshawa (15 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) | 9.2 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.5 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 8.9 |
| High (°C) | -1 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 18 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 21 | 14 | 8 | 2 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 75 | 54 | 54 | 87 | 85 | 94 | 86 | 74 | 86 | 72 | 73 | 68 |
Precipitation runs from 54 mm in February to 94 mm in June. January brings highs of -1 °C, July highs of 26 °C. About 102 cm of snow falls in a year. The climate in Bowmanville →
Beaches
9 beaches within 5 km of Bowmanville
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
East Beachin town
DirectionsWest Beach0.1 km from town
DirectionsLakeview Park Beachsand · 2.3 km from town
DirectionsAnother 6 have no name on the map. 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
Bowmanville has 16 viewpoints within 2 km
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
16Viewpoints2Hills and peaks9Nature reserves14Picnic sites172Playgrounds4Dog parks12Campsites1Slipways
Top of the list: playgrounds, 172 of them.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 2
Poplar Hill1.3 km from town
DirectionsParson's Hill2.0 km from town
DirectionsNature reserves 9
Bowmanville Valley Conservation Areain town
DirectionsBowmanville Westside Marshesin town
DirectionsDarlington Provincial Parkin town
DirectionsEnniskillen Conservation Areain town
DirectionsGanaraska Forest 2in town
DirectionsHampton Conservation Areain town
DirectionsStephen's Gulch Conservation Areain town
DirectionsHarmony Valley Conservation Area0.6 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 nature reserve without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 14
Plus 14 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Dog parks 4
Courtice Dog Parkin town
DirectionsDave Boyd Memorial Dog Parkin town
DirectionsNewcastle Dog Parkin town
DirectionsPlus 1 dog park without a name on the map.
Campsites 12
Cedar Park Campgroundin town
DirectionsCedar Valley Resortin town
DirectionsDarlington Park - Cliffside Campgroundin town
DirectionsDarlington Park - Hilltop Campgroundin town
DirectionsDarlington Park - Lakeside Campgroundin town
DirectionsFamily Campingin town
DirectionsPlus 6 campsites without a name on the map.
Slipways 1
Plus 1 slipway without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Bowmanville
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 13–29 km: that is how far the nearest places with figures are from Bowmanville.
OshawaWhitbyAjaxPort PerryBowmanville
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowmanville | 1.6% | 25 | 2 | 9 |
| Oshawa 13 km | 2.4% | 30 | 1 | 4 |
| Whitby 20 km | 3.9% | 37 | 1 | 3 |
| Ajax 27 km | 4.9% | 31 | 1 | 8 |
| Port Perry 29 km | 2.9% | 32 | 1 | 1 |
For protected land, Whitby and Ajax have twice as much or more.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- 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.
- National and provincial parks. The nearest national park and the nearest provincial park are always shown when they are within 100 km.
- Private land. Private conservation land is in the totals, not the lists. Many such areas are easements on working farms or woodlots.
- Walking routes. The list is OpenStreetMap’s, so a missing trail may just be unmapped. The Trans Canada Trail appears where OSM maps it.
- Beaches. Beaches are OpenStreetMap’s, named or not; in the north many are unnamed shoreline imports.
Questions about the outdoors in Bowmanville
How far is Bowmanville from a national park?
It is Rouge National Urban Park, 24 km off.
Are there protected areas near Bowmanville?
Protected areas cover 1.6% of the land within 10 km.
What is the nearest beach to Bowmanville?
East Beach, in town, is the nearest mapped beach.
Where can you walk near Bowmanville?
Try the Oak Ridges Trail and Ganaraska Trail; more are on the map.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Bowmanville?
May and August: long days, mild highs and little rain.
How far is the nearest provincial park from Bowmanville?
Darlington Provincial Park touches the town.
What is the biggest park or reserve near Bowmanville?
It is Darlington Provincial Park, a provincial park covering 209 ha.
Sources
Where Bowmanville’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).