First pick
Riverside Park
Park or garden
69 ha8.4 km of path
1 h 50 minto walk all 8.4 km of path
4.6 km north-westfrom the centre
Charles J. Whiney Nature Interpretation Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Kitchener-Waterloo Record · Public domain1.7%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Cambridge · parks, protected land & trails
Cambridge has 10 walking routes on the map
Within 10 km are 33 protected areas. OpenStreetMap shows 2 unnamed beaches within 5 km. 5.2 km out lies the largest, Huron Natural Area, at 96 ha.
Protected land
1.7%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
33
within 10 km, 27 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
100 km
Rouge National Urban Park
Nearest provincial park
38 km
Bronte Creek Provincial Park
Walking routes
10
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
2
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What Cambridge has going for it outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Cambridge is strongest on its choice of walking routes, with the number of public protected areas close by close behind.
Against other towns
Cambridge 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 km1.7%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town0.4%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas27Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes10Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches2Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Cambridge has the 13th 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
Cambridge1.7%
Towns its size3.7%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Cambridge27
Towns its size15
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Cambridge10
Towns its size2
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
For walking routes, Cambridge sits near the top of its size group: 2 of 39 have more. It trails them for protected land nearby, where 27 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
Cambridge on the map: green space, protected land and paths
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
30 named parks and woods to walk in near Cambridge
Largest first: Riverside Park leads with 69 ha. Numbers match the map.
30 named parks and woods, 271 ha in all
Parks & gardens 243 haWoods 28 ha
The area is spread out: the biggest holds 25% of it.
Churchill Park
Park or garden
38 ha3.7 km of path
50 minto walk all 3.7 km of path
4.5 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Soper Park
Park or garden
17 ha2 km of path
25 minto walk all 2 km of path
2.2 km south-eastfrom the centre
Soper Park TrailMill Creek Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Victoria Park
Park or garden
17 ha1.4 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.4 km of path
2.8 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Northview Heights Lookout Park
Park or garden
6.9 ha1.6 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.6 km of path
Centralin the middle of Cambridge
Northview Heights Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Morrison park
Park or garden · 240 m outside town
6.9 ha1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
9.6 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Lion's Can-Amera Park
Park or garden
6.9 ha1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
1.8 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Winifred Woods
Wood or forest · 350 m outside town
28 ha0.4 km of path
8.6 km north-westfrom the centre
Winfred Woods Path
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Riverside ParkPark or garden · 69 ha · 8.4 km of path
DirectionsChurchill ParkPark or garden · 38 ha · 3.7 km of path
DirectionsSoper ParkPark or garden · 17 ha · 2 km of path
DirectionsVictoria ParkPark or garden · 17 ha · 1.4 km of path
DirectionsNorthview Heights Lookout ParkPark or garden · 6.9 ha · 1.6 km of path
DirectionsMorrison parkPark or garden · 6.9 ha · 1.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsLion's Can-Amera ParkPark or garden · 6.9 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsWinifred WoodsWood or forest · 28 ha · 0.4 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsLinear ParkPark or garden · 6.1 ha · 1.2 km of path
DirectionsCompass Trail ParkPark or garden · 6.6 ha · 1 km of path
DirectionsCambridge Sports ParkPark or garden · 7.2 ha
DirectionsDickson ParkPark or garden · 5.8 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsSilver Heights ParkPark or garden · 4.8 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsGordon Chaplin ParkPark or garden · 5.5 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsJacob Hespeler StadiumPark or garden · 4.7 ha
DirectionsDuncan Ferguson ParkPark or garden · 3.7 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsWillard ParkPark or garden · 3.8 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsBean - Ormston ParkPark or garden · 3.5 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsA. Wayne Taylor ParkPark or garden · 3.1 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsGreenway ParkPark or garden · 2.8 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsWaterworks ParkPark or garden · 3.3 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsDomm ParkPark or garden · 2.8 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsLincoln ParkPark or garden · 3.0 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsMill Race ParkPark or garden · 1.3 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsSturdy ParkPark or garden · 3.2 ha
DirectionsWitmer ParkPark or garden · 2.3 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsHeise ParkPark or garden · 2.7 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsDecaro ParkPark or garden · 2.2 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsForbes ParkPark or garden · 2.2 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsCambridge Sculpture GardenPark or garden · 1.5 ha · 0.6 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
About 8 in 10 of Cambridge’s residents are a short walk from 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 (81%)Further (19%)
Cambridge81%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
Most towns do better: the typical Canadian town is at 83%. That leaves about 32,000 people more than a short walk away.
Protected areas
Protected areas cover 1.7% of the land near Cambridge
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Cambridge0.4%
Within 10 km1.7%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Governments hold 27 of the 33, and private owners the rest. Biggest of the named areas: Huron Natural Area, 96 ha. The figures include 6 private conservation areas, left unnamed.
Grand River Natural Area - Sims EstateNature reserve · 12 ha · reaches Cambridge
Pinnacle Hill Natural AreaNature reserve · 25 ha · 0.1 km from the edge of town
Springmount Park - Idlewood CreekNature reserve · 27 ha · 0.2 km from the edge of town
Lackner WoodsNature reserve · 31 ha · 0.9 km from the edge of town
Briarfield ParkNature reserve · 3.3 ha · 0.9 km from the edge of town
Grand River Natural Area - Pioneer TowerNature reserve · 17 ha · 1.0 km from the edge of town
Topper WoodsNature reserve · 23 ha · 1.0 km from the edge of town
Homer Watson ParkNature reserve · 60 ha · 1.2 km from the edge of town
Idlewood ParkNature reserve · 48 ha · 1.5 km from the edge of town
Doon South CreekNature reserve · 54 ha · 1.5 km from the edge of town
17 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
Rouge National Urban Park is 100 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
38 km east6.8 km²since 1975
National urban park
Rouge National Urban Park
100 km north-east46 km²since 2015
Nearer still is Bronte Creek Provincial Park, a provincial park 38 km away.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Cambridge and its edge hold 308 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
308 km
in and around the town (182.6 km²)
Woodland
17%
about 31.5 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
CambridgeTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths1.7
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
CambridgeTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland17%
0%50%100%
More of it is wooded than in 64% of Canadian towns. For path density, it beats 51% 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
Walks near Cambridge
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
RegionalLocalOther waymarked
Grand Valley Trail218.5 km
Speed River Trail13.3 km
Homer Watson Loop Trail6.1 km
Toyota Way Trail3.3 km
Witmer Trail2.6 km
Deer Run Trail2.5 km
Blackbridge1.8 km
Woodlands Trail1.7 km
Brewster Trail0.9 km
Conifer Trail0.9 km
Among local routes, the Grand Valley Trail is longest at 218.5 km. 6 are short walks 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 Cambridge: May, June, August and September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Kitchener/Waterloo, 10 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) | 9.3 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°C) | -2 | -1 | 4 | 12 | 19 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 22 | 14 | 7 | 1 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 66 | 46 | 57 | 81 | 80 | 81 | 96 | 67 | 75 | 71 | 75 | 55 |
The wettest month is the warmest, July (96 mm); February has 46 mm. Summer highs reach 27 °C in July; in January they stay near -2 °C. The climate in Cambridge →
Beaches
2 unnamed beaches near Cambridge
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
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
Cambridge has 7 viewpoints and 1 waterfalls nearby
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
7Viewpoints4Hills and peaks1Waterfalls23Nature reserves3Picnic sites219Playgrounds1Dog parks9Slipways
Highest of the named peaks: Pine Hill, 351 m. Top of the list: playgrounds, 219 of them.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 7
Grand River Lookout1.4 km from town
DirectionsPlus 6 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 4
Pine Hill351 m · 0.3 km from town
DirectionsPinnacle Hill330 m · 0.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 2 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 1
Devil's Creek Fallsin town
DirectionsNature reserves 23
Blair Creek Corridorin town
DirectionsChilligo Conservation Areain town
DirectionsDumfries Conservation Areain town
DirectionsShade’s Mills Conservation Areain town
DirectionsBarrie's Lake Protected Area0.1 km from town
DirectionsChicopee-Vale Trail0.2 km from town
DirectionsGrand River Floodplain0.3 km from town
DirectionsWoolner Woods0.5 km from town
DirectionsPlus 15 nature reserves without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 3
Plus 3 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 219
Hespeler View Parkin town
DirectionsPlayground and Sprinkler Padin town
DirectionsWillard Park Playgroundin town
DirectionsPlus 216 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Maple Grove Rd Leash Free Dog Parkin town
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Cambridge
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Pioneer Tower WestDoon SouthPioneer ParkCentreville ChicopeeGrand River SouthIdlewoodCambridge
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | 1.7% | 33 | 10 | 2 |
| Pioneer Tower West 7.7 km | 2.3% | 23 | 2 | 0 |
| Doon South 9.6 km | 2.3% | 22 | 2 | 0 |
| Pioneer Park 10 km | 2.5% | 23 | 2 | 0 |
| Centreville Chicopee 11 km | 2.5% | 23 | 1 | 0 |
| Grand River South 11 km | 2.5% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| Idlewood 12 km | 2.8% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
Around Cambridge, nobody nearby has double its protected land.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- 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.
- 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. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- 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 Cambridge
When is the best time for walking in Cambridge?
May, June, August and September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
Is there a provincial park near Cambridge?
It is Bronte Creek Provincial Park, 38 km away.
Which is the biggest protected area near Cambridge?
Huron Natural Area: 96 ha, a nature reserve.
What walking routes are near Cambridge?
Try the Grand Valley Trail, Speed River Trail and Toyota Way Trail; more are on the map.
What is the nearest beach to Cambridge?
There are beaches within 5 km, none of them named.
Are there protected areas near Cambridge?
Yes: 1.7% of the land within 10 km is protected.
How far is Cambridge from a national park?
It is Rouge National Urban Park, 100 km off.
Sources
Sources for this page on Cambridge
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).