First pick
Blacks Woods
Wood or forest
117 ha14.3 km of path
3 h 10 minto walk all 14.3 km of path
8.6 km south-westfrom the centre
Rockcliffe Side Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Canmenwalker · CC BY 4.02.5%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Burlington · parks, protected land & trails
Burlington borders Bronte Creek Provincial Park
Swimmers have 17 beaches within 5 km, Burlington Beach the nearest. 2 mapped walking routes pass within 2 km, among them the Bruce Trail - Iroquoia section and Bruce Trail - Iroquoia section side trails. For a national park, Rouge National Urban Park is 66 km away.
Protected land
2.5%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
27
within 10 km, 4 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
66 km
Rouge National Urban Park
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Bronte Creek Provincial Park
Walking routes
2
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
17
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
The outdoors in Burlington, in short
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
A provincial park at the edgeBronte Creek Provincial Park reaches the townBeaches17 beaches within 5 km
For someone who likes to get outside, Burlington’s draw is a provincial park at its edge, with its beaches close behind.
Against other towns
Burlington against 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. No letter: the outdoors is described for Canadian towns, not graded.
Protected within 10 km2.5%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town1.6%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas4Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes2Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches17Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Burlington has the 18th least protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (105,925 to 243,107 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
Burlington2.5%
Towns its size3.7%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Burlington4
Towns its size15
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Burlington2
Towns its size2
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
Burlington beats most towns its size for walking routes; 13 of 39 do better. On public protected areas it is behind: 32 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 | Coquitlam BC | 25% | 28% | 130 | 5 | 69 |
| 3 | Delta BC | 24% | 17% | 181 | 9 | 19 |
| 4 | Richmond BC | 21% | 3.2% | 73 | 2 | 31 |
| 5 | Kamloops BC | 14% | 13% | 16 | 0 | 11 |
| 6 | Kelowna BC | 13% | 3.8% | 36 | 0 | 42 |
| 7 | Saanich BC | 11% | 9.4% | 43 | 7 | 56 |
| 8 | Strathcona County AB | 9.4% | 1.4% | 38 | 7 | 6 |
| 9 | Trois-Rivières QC | 8.4% | 1.2% | 44 | 1 | 10 |
| 10 | Cape Breton NS | 8.2% | 8.6% | 176 | 1 | 74 |
| 11 | Pickering ON | 7.6% | 11% | 46 | 1 | 11 |
| 12 | Greater Sudbury / Grand Sudbury ON | 6.7% | 3.5% | 43 | 5 | 18 |
| 13 | Saguenay QC | 6% | 6.1% | 29 | 0 | 11 |
| 14 | Kingston ON | 5% | 6.2% | 54 | 2 | 5 |
| 15 | Ajax ON | 4.9% | 5.8% | 31 | 1 | 8 |
| 16 | Lévis QC | 4.1% | 0.6% | 62 | 1 | 8 |
| 17 | Sherbrooke QC | 4.1% | 0.8% | 23 | 2 | 3 |
| 18 | Whitby ON | 3.9% | 4.7% | 37 | 1 | 3 |
| 19 | Abbotsford BC | 3.9% | 0.5% | 37 | 2 | 10 |
| 20 | Terrebonne QC | 3.8% | 3.6% | 60 | 0 | 3 |
| 21 | Langley BC | 3.5% | 2.9% | 144 | 8 | 10 |
| 22 | Barrie ON | 2.6% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 8 |
| 23 | Burlington ON | 2.5% | 1.6% | 27 | 2 | 17 |
| 24 | Oshawa ON | 2.4% | 0.3% | 30 | 1 | 4 |
| 25 | St. John's NL | 2.2% | 1.2% | 6 | 1 | 41 |
| 26 | Richmond Hill ON | 1.9% | 8.4% | 51 | 1 | 0 |
| 27 | Nanaimo BC | 1.9% | 6.7% | 42 | 2 | 33 |
| 28 | Cambridge ON | 1.7% | 0.4% | 33 | 10 | 2 |
| 29 | Bowmanville ON | 1.6% | 3% | 25 | 2 | 9 |
| 30 | Milton ON | 1.3% | 0% | 38 | 15 | 3 |
| 31 | St. Catharines ON | 1.2% | 1.7% | 15 | 4 | 7 |
| 32 | Niagara Falls ON | 1.1% | 1.7% | 15 | 3 | 4 |
| 33 | Chatham ON | 1% | 1% | 21 | 0 | 8 |
| 34 | Guelph ON | 0.9% | 3.1% | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| 35 | Oakville ON | 0.9% | 4.1% | 8 | 1 | 9 |
| 36 | Red Deer AB | 0.7% | 1.2% | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 37 | Waterloo ON | 0.6% | 0% | 17 | 12 | 1 |
| 38 | Lethbridge AB | 0.4% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Brantford ON | 0.3% | 0% | 15 | 3 | 0 |
| 40 | Thunder Bay ON | 0.1% | 0.4% | 3 | 0 | 4 |
The map
Where the green is in Burlington
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 Burlington: 30 named parks and woods
Blacks Woods is the largest, at 117 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
30 named parks and woods, 548 ha in all
Parks & gardens 430 haWoods 117 ha
Spread across many places, the largest holding 21%.
City View Park
Park or garden
48 ha5.6 km of path
1 h 15 minto walk all 5.6 km of path
4.3 km westfrom the centre
City View Park Side Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Kerncliff Park
Park or garden
40 ha6.6 km of path
1 h 30 minto walk all 6.6 km of path
4.1 km westfrom the centre
Woodland TrailRed Oak TrailTyandaga Neighbourhood Trail+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Lowville Park
Park or garden
30 ha2.8 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.8 km of path
11 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Sherwood Forest Park
Park or garden
28 ha2.7 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.7 km of path
5.1 km north-eastfrom the centre
Centennial Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Nelson Park
Park or garden
26 ha3.1 km of path
40 minto walk all 3.1 km of path
3.4 km eastfrom the centre
Centennial Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Ireland Park
Park or garden
25 ha3 km of path
40 minto walk all 3 km of path
2.2 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Hidden Valley Park
Park or garden
27 ha1.7 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.7 km of path
7.9 km south-westfrom the centre
Hidden Valley Trail
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Blacks WoodsWood or forest · 117 ha · 14.3 km of path
DirectionsCity View ParkPark or garden · 48 ha · 5.6 km of path
DirectionsKerncliff ParkPark or garden · 40 ha · 6.6 km of path
DirectionsLowville ParkPark or garden · 30 ha · 2.8 km of path
DirectionsSherwood Forest ParkPark or garden · 28 ha · 2.7 km of path
DirectionsNelson ParkPark or garden · 26 ha · 3.1 km of path
DirectionsIreland ParkPark or garden · 25 ha · 3 km of path
DirectionsHidden Valley ParkPark or garden · 27 ha · 1.7 km of path
DirectionsCentral ParkPark or garden · 22 ha · 3.3 km of path
DirectionsLaSalle ParkPark or garden · 18 ha · 3.3 km of path
DirectionsMillcroft ParkPark or garden · 14 ha · 1.9 km of path
DirectionsBrant Hills ParkPark or garden · 14 ha · 1.5 km of path
DirectionsCentennial TrailPark or garden · 11 ha · 2.9 km of path
DirectionsSpencer Smith ParkPark or garden · 9.0 ha · 3.4 km of path
DirectionsBayview ParkPark or garden · 16 ha
DirectionsCreekpath Woods ParkPark or garden · 12 ha · 1.8 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsMountainside ParkPark or garden · 11 ha · 1.8 km of path
DirectionsNorton ParkPark or garden · 7.5 ha · 2.3 km of path
DirectionsOrchard Community ParkPark or garden · 8.4 ha · 1.5 km of path
DirectionsMaple ParkPark or garden · 9.2 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsPaletta Lakefront ParkPark or garden · 7.0 ha · 1.6 km of path
DirectionsSouth Shell Waterfront ParkPark or garden · 5.8 ha · 1.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsCavendish ParkPark or garden · 6.2 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsTansley Woods ParkPark or garden · 4.7 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsKerns ParkPark or garden · 5.6 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsRoly Bird ParkPark or garden · 5.2 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsThe Rock Garden - RBGPark or garden · 4.0 ha · 1.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsDay Use Leash Free areaPark or garden · 6.4 ha · just outside town
DirectionsLeighland ParkPark or garden · 5.8 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsPathfinder ParkPark or garden · 4.1 ha · 0.8 km of path
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 8 in 10 in Burlington
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 (84%)Further (16%)
Burlington84%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
Around 32,000 residents are further than 400 m from a park. Few do better: the typical Canadian town is at 83%.
Protected areas
Around Burlington, protected areas make up 2.5%
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Burlington1.6%
Within 10 km2.5%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
On public land: 4 of the 27. The others are private conservation land. The largest named one is Bronte Creek Provincial Park, at 682 ha. 23 more areas within 10 km are private land, held by landowners or conservation groups: counted here, not named.
Bronte Creek Provincial ParkProvincial park · 682 ha · reaches Burlington
Burlington EasementNature reserve · 27 ha · reaches Burlington
BontaProtected area · 8.3 ha · reaches Burlington
Windermere Basin ParkNature reserve · 39 ha · 3.6 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
Rouge National Urban Park is 66 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
Bronte Creek Provincial Park
At the edge6.8 km²since 1975
National urban park
Rouge National Urban Park
66 km north-east46 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
Paths to walk: 385 km in and around Burlington
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
385 km
in and around the town (271.1 km²)
Woodland
17%
about 47 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
BurlingtonTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths1.4
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
BurlingtonTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland17%
0%50%100%
More of it is wooded than in 64% of Canadian towns. 53% of Canadian towns have more footpath per km².
Source: OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Mapping varies by place: a dense figure can mean keen local mappers as much as many paths.
Walking routes
2 walking routes near Burlington
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
RegionalOther waymarked
Bruce Trail - Iroquoia section124.0 km
Bruce Trail - Iroquoia section side trails10.7 km
Among local routes, the Bruce Trail - Iroquoia section is longest at 124.0 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
The best months for walking in Burlington: May, June, August and September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Hamilton (24 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) | 9.3 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°C) | 0 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 17 | 22 | 26 | 25 | 21 | 15 | 8 | 3 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 73 | 53 | 69 | 81 | 81 | 78 | 98 | 67 | 74 | 84 | 78 | 67 |
The yearly snowfall is near 115 cm. From 0 °C in January to 26 °C in July: that is the range of daytime highs. The wettest month is the warmest, July (98 mm); February has 53 mm. The climate in Burlington →
Beaches
17 beaches within 5 km of Burlington
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Burlington Beachin town
DirectionsBeachway Parksand · 0.1 km from town
DirectionsSouth Shell Park Beach0.6 km from town
DirectionsBronte Beach Park2.5 km from town
DirectionsHamilton Beachsand · 2.6 km from town
Directions12 further beaches go unnamed. OpenStreetMap marks 2 as sandy. For water quality, look to the local health unit: no open beach-testing data covers Canada.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Near Burlington: 34 viewpoints, 1 waterfalls
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
34Viewpoints3Hills and peaks1Waterfalls5Nature reserves9Picnic sites269Playgrounds4Dog parks8Campsites4Slipways
Burlington Heights tops the hills nearby, 100 m. Playgrounds lead the count with 269.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 34
Avalon Parkette Lookoutin town
DirectionsWindows XP's Autumn wallpaperin town
DirectionsPinnacle Lookout0.4 km from town
DirectionsCultural history of Carroll's Bay0.5 km from town
DirectionsNassagaweya Canyon Lookout1.0 km from town
DirectionsPrincess Point1.7 km from town
DirectionsBuffalo Crag Lookout1.9 km from town
DirectionsPlus 27 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 3
Scenic Lookout/ Toboggan hill0.5 km from town
DirectionsBurlington Heights100 m · 1.3 km from town
DirectionsCalcium Pits1.8 km from town
DirectionsWaterfalls 1
Plus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 5
Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area0.8 km from town
DirectionsNicholson Resource Management Area1.0 km from town
DirectionsCartwright Nature Sanctuary1.5 km from town
DirectionsRoyal Botanical Gardens Berry Tract1.7 km from town
DirectionsRBG Berry Tract Grasslands1.9 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 9
Breckon Picnic Shelter1.2 km from town
DirectionsPlus 8 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 269
Plus 266 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 4
Norton Leash Free Dog Parkin town
DirectionsPathfinder Parkin town
DirectionsDay Use Leash Free area0.3 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 dog park without a name on the map.
Campsites 8
Lost Forest Park & Camping Resortin town
DirectionsMount Nemo Scout Campin town
DirectionsSidrabenein town
DirectionsBronte Creek Provincial Park - Ravine Campground0.3 km from town
DirectionsBronte Creek Provincial Park - Woodland Campground0.5 km from town
DirectionsBronte Creek Provincial Park - Savannah Campground0.8 km from town
DirectionsBronte Creek Provincial Park - Prairie Campground1.1 km from town
DirectionsBronte Creek Campground access point1.5 km from town
DirectionsSlipways 4
Plus 4 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
3 gardens within reach of Burlington
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
Royal Botanical GardensNational Historic Site · from 1929 · In Burlington
Its pageSpencer Smith ParkGarden or park · at the edge of town
DirectionsConfederation Beach ParkGarden or park · 4.7 km from town
DirectionsOne is in the town itself. A National Historic Site is among them. The earliest of the lot is Royal Botanical Gardens (1929).
Sources: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL, and Wikidata (CC0), as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic places from Parks Canada’s Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, the Canadian Register of Historic Places and Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel.
Next door
Next to Burlington
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
WaterdownNorth End EastIndustrial Sector A and KeithBeasleyCentralParkview WestBurlington
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington | 2.5% | 27 | 2 | 17 |
| Waterdown 7.9 km | 4.4% | 25 | 1 | 0 |
| North End East 11 km | 4.8% | 23 | 0 | 3 |
| Industrial Sector A and Keith 11 km | 3.5% | 30 | 0 | 15 |
| Beasley 12 km | 5.1% | 23 | 1 | 3 |
| Central 12 km | 5.6% | 24 | 1 | 3 |
| Parkview West 12 km | 2.1% | 26 | 0 | 14 |
For protected land, Beasley and Central have 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.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- 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.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- Walking routes. Routes are what OpenStreetMap’s volunteers have mapped as named walking or hiking routes; many good trails aren’t mapped that way.
Questions about the outdoors in Burlington
Is Burlington near a national park?
The nearest is Rouge National Urban Park, 66 km away.
When is the best time for walking in Burlington?
On the normals, May, June, August and September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
How far is the nearest provincial park from Burlington?
Bronte Creek Provincial Park touches the town.
Which is the biggest protected area near Burlington?
Bronte Creek Provincial Park: 682 ha, a provincial park.
Where can you walk near Burlington?
OpenStreetMap maps the Bruce Trail - Iroquoia section and Bruce Trail - Iroquoia section side trails close by, with others.
Is there a beach near Burlington?
Try Burlington Beach, in town, first of several.
Are there protected areas near Burlington?
Within 10 km, 2.5% of the land lies in protected areas.
Sources
Sources for this page on Burlington
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.
Gardens: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden) and Wikidata gardens within 15 km, as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic gardens and parks from Canada’s heritage registers (Parks Canada DFHD, the Canadian Register of Historic Places, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel).
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).