First pick
Parham Fairgrounds
Park or garden
3.6 ha
9.5 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: P199 · CC BY-SA 3.08.2%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Central Frontenac · parks, protected land & trails
The The Great Trail (Eastern Ontario) runs by Central Frontenac
A drive of 34 km reaches Thousand Islands National Park, the nearest national park. 8.2% of the land and water within 10 km is protected (the typical Canadian town: 2.3%). Biggest among them: Rideau Canal National Historic Site, 19,972 ha, 2.4 km off.
Protected land
8.2%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
39
within 10 km, 10 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
34 km
Thousand Islands National Park
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Sharbot Lake Provincial Park
Walking routes
1
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
7
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
Where Central Frontenac stands out outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
On a national routeThe The Great Trail (Eastern Ontario) passes within 2 kmProtected land all round8.2% of the land within 10 km, more than 82% of Canadian townsA provincial park at the edgeSharbot Lake Provincial Park reaches the townBeaches7 beaches within 5 km
What Central Frontenac has most to offer outdoors is the The Great Trail (Eastern Ontario), with protected land around it close behind.
Against other towns
Central Frontenac 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. There is no Outdoors grade for Canadian towns; the figures stand beside the country’s towns of 2,500+ without a letter.
Protected within 10 km8.2%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town8.2%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas10Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes1Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches7Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Central Frontenac has the 10th most protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (5,249 to 5,443 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
Central Frontenac8.2%
Towns its size1.8%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Central Frontenac10
Towns its size3
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Central Frontenac1
Towns its size0
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
Central Frontenac beats most towns its size for protected land nearby; 9 of 39 do better.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue QC | 43% | 33% | 45 | 0 | 10 |
| 2 | Inverness County, Subdivision A NS | 29% | 40% | 156 | 2 | 35 |
| 3 | Electoral Area H, Central Kootenay BC | 25% | 28% | 28 | 1 | 4 |
| 4 | Oliver BC | 19% | 0.8% | 24 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | Juan de Fuca (Part 1) BC | 14% | 50% | 64 | 12 | 71 |
| 6 | Billings Bridge - Heron Park ON | 11% | 2.4% | 35 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | Burton NB | 9.5% | 2% | 36 | 0 | 7 |
| 8 | Saint-Denis-de-Brompton QC | 9.4% | 1.6% | 19 | 2 | 3 |
| 9 | Electoral Area L, Cariboo BC | 9.1% | 9.1% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Central Frontenac ON | 8.2% | 8.2% | 39 | 1 | 7 |
| 11 | The Ravines of Rainbow Creek ON | 6.9% | 8.2% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Gourley ON | 6.5% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Uplands SK | 5.4% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Woodlands AB | 3.9% | 9.6% | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 15 | Aldergrove AB | 3.7% | 0% | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Saint-Boniface QC | 3.1% | 0% | 13 | 5 | 4 |
| 17 | West Meadowlark Park AB | 2.5% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | North Gower - Kars ON | 2% | 3% | 22 | 0 | 3 |
| 19 | Metcalfe ON | 1.9% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 3 |
| 20 | Southdale ON | 1.9% | 0% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Waverley Heights MB | 1.7% | 0% | 22 | 0 | 1 |
| 22 | Normand Park MB | 1.5% | 3.1% | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| 23 | South West Industrial SK | 1.4% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 1 |
| 24 | Mount Royal SK | 1.3% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| 25 | Windsor QC | 1% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Headingley MB | 1% | 0% | 10 | 1 | 37 |
| 27 | Westdale MB | 1% | 1% | 10 | 0 | 37 |
| 28 | Saint-Jean-de-Matha QC | 0.7% | 0.1% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | St. Boniface Industrial Park MB | 0.6% | 0.1% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Deer Lake NL | 0.4% | 3.8% | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| 31 | Mandalay West MB | 0.4% | 0% | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Norwood ON | 0.3% | 0% | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 33 | Belmont AB | 0.2% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 34 | Kirkness AB | 0.2% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 35 | Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce QC | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 36 | Chisasibi QC | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 37 | Wingham ON | 0% | 0.2% | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 38 | Stonewall MB | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 39 | Westlock AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Belvedere AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
The green map of Central Frontenac
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
3 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Central Frontenac
Parham Fairgrounds is the largest, at 3.6 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
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
Most of Central Frontenac is more than 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 (0%)Further (100%)
Central Frontenac0%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
The typical Canadian town reaches 83%. Around 5,300 residents are further than 400 m from a park.
Protected areas
Around Central Frontenac, protected areas make up 8.2%
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Central Frontenac8.2%
Within 10 km8.2%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
10 of the 39 are on public land. Biggest of the named areas: Rideau Canal National Historic Site, 19,972 ha. 29 more areas within 10 km are private land, held by landowners or conservation groups: counted here, not named.
Mellon Lake Conservation ReserveNature reserve · 8,589 ha · reaches Central Frontenac
Hungry Lake Conservation ReserveNature reserve · 3,525 ha · reaches Central Frontenac
Sharbot Lake Provincial ParkProvincial park · 80 ha · reaches Central Frontenac
Puzzle Lake Provincial ParkProvincial park · 3,777 ha · reaches Central Frontenac
Silver Lake Provincial ParkProvincial park · 43 ha · 0.9 km from the edge of town
Rideau Canal National Historic SiteProtected area · 19,972 ha · 2.4 km from the edge of town
Crotch Lake Conservation ReserveNature reserve · 376 ha · 4.1 km from the edge of town
Frontenac Provincial ParkProvincial park · 5,350 ha · 6.2 km from the edge of town
Kaladar Jackpine Barrens Conservation ReserveNature reserve · 1,086 ha · 9.6 km from the edge of town
Elzevir Peatlands Conservation ReserveNature reserve · 2,246 ha · 10 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
Thousand Islands National Park is 34 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
Puzzle Lake Provincial Park
At the edge · south-west38 km²since 2001
Provincial park
Sharbot Lake Provincial Park
At the edge0.8 km²since 1958
Provincial park
Silver Lake Provincial Park
0.9 km north-east0.4 km²since 1958
Provincial park
Frontenac Provincial Park
6.2 km south-east54 km²since 1974
National park
Thousand Islands National Park
34 km east24 km²since 1904
Within 10 km are 4 provincial parks.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
125 km of paths in and around Central Frontenac
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
125 km
in and around the town (1,310.6 km²)
Woodland
81%
about 1,060 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Central FrontenacTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.1
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Central FrontenacTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland81%
0%50%100%
For woods, it beats 96% of Canadian towns. 86% 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
Where to walk from Central Frontenac
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
National
The Great Trail (Eastern Ontario)239.5 km
68.9 km of the The Great Trail (Eastern Ontario) runs within 2 km of town; mapped end to end, it is 240 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 Central Frontenac: May to August
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Centreville (41 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 | 14.8 | 15.6 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°C) | -3 | -1 | 4 | 12 | 20 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 22 | 14 | 7 | 0 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 86 | 61 | 65 | 88 | 84 | 90 | 68 | 75 | 100 | 96 | 88 | 83 |
Expect around 158 cm of snow over a winter. September is the wettest month (100 mm) and February the driest (61 mm). July is the warmest month, with highs around 27 °C; January the coldest, at -3 °C. The climate in Central Frontenac →
Beaches
Beaches near Central Frontenac: 7 within 5 km
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
FVLCC Private Beachsand · in town
DirectionsMcMullen Beachsand · 4.6 km from town
DirectionsAdd 5 unnamed beaches to the count. OpenStreetMap marks 2 as sandy. No national or provincial register of beach water quality is published as open data, so check the local health unit before swimming.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Near Central Frontenac: 3 viewpoints, 2 waterfalls
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Campsites lead the count with 26.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 3
Plus 3 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 4
Depot Lakes Conservation Areain town
DirectionsMeisel Woods Conservation Areain town
DirectionsSharbot Lake Provincial Parkin town
DirectionsSilver Lake Provincial Park1.3 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 2
Arden Picnic Areain town
DirectionsSilver Lake Picnic Areain town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 5
Plus 5 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 26
Camp Ocontoin town
DirectionsInterVarsity Circle Square Ranchin town
DirectionsRKY Campin town
DirectionsSharbot Lake - Beach Front Campgroundin town
DirectionsSharbot Lake - Maple Grove Campgroundin town
DirectionsSharbot Lake - Ridgeview Campgroundin town
DirectionsSharbot Lake - The Point Campgroundin town
DirectionsThe Oaks Cottagesin town
DirectionsPlus 18 campsites without a name on the map.
Slipways 6
Boat Launchin town
DirectionsCrow Lake Beach & Public Boat Launchin town
DirectionsBig Gull Lake Boat Launch1.5 km from town
DirectionsPlus 3 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Central Frontenac
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page. No closer places have figures: these lie 27–38 km from Central Frontenac.
North FrontenacTay ValleyAddington HighlandsSouth FrontenacStone MillsCentral Frontenac
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Frontenac | 8.2% | 39 | 1 | 7 |
| North Frontenac 27 km | 5.7% | 13 | 6 | 4 |
| Tay Valley 31 km | 5.8% | 37 | 5 | 8 |
| Addington Highlands 34 km | 8.9% | 37 | 1 | 6 |
| South Frontenac 37 km | 9.4% | 89 | 18 | 5 |
| Stone Mills 38 km | 10% | 58 | 1 | 0 |
Central Frontenac holds its own on protected land: no neighbour has twice its share. South Frontenac has the most mapped walking routes nearby: 18.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Walking routes. The list is OpenStreetMap’s, so a missing trail may just be unmapped. The Trans Canada Trail appears where OSM maps it.
- 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.
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- Beaches. Beaches are OpenStreetMap’s, named or not; in the north many are unnamed shoreline imports.
Questions about the outdoors in Central Frontenac
What is the nearest provincial park to Central Frontenac?
Sharbot Lake Provincial Park touches the town.
What is the largest protected area near Central Frontenac?
Rideau Canal National Historic Site: 19,972 ha, a protected area.
What is the nearest beach to Central Frontenac?
Try FVLCC Private Beach, in town, first of several.
Are there hiking trails near Central Frontenac?
OpenStreetMap maps the The Great Trail (Eastern Ontario) close by.
Is there protected land near Central Frontenac?
Within 10 km, 8.2% of the land lies in protected areas.
How far is Central Frontenac from a national park?
The nearest is Thousand Islands National Park, 34 km away.
When should you visit Central Frontenac for the outdoors?
May to August: long days, mild highs and little rain.
Sources
Where Central Frontenac’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).