First pick
Filsinger Park
Park or garden · 70 m outside town
14 ha2.5 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.5 km of path
1.8 km north-eastfrom the centre
Henry Sturm Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: JFVoll · CC BY-SA 4.01.6%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Forest Heights · parks, protected land & trails
Forest Heights has 20 public protected areas within 10 km
No national park lies within 100 km. 2.9 km out lies the largest, Huron Natural Area, at 96 ha. A provincial park, Trillium Woods Provincial Park, lies 44 km away.
Protected land
1.6%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
21
within 10 km, 20 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
44 km
Trillium Woods Provincial Park
Character
The outdoors in Forest Heights, in short
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Many protected areas20 public areas within 10 kmParks are a drive awayThe nearest provincial park, Trillium Woods Provincial Park, is 44 km off
Forest Heights’ best card is the number of public protected areas close by. It has less to offer in a big park within easy reach.
Against other towns
Forest Heights 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. This page carries no grade, because Canada’s grading doesn’t cover the outdoors; the comparisons are the point.
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 town0%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas20Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes0Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Forest Heights sits 10th from last of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (14,110 to 14,615 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
Forest Heights1.6%
Towns its size2.6%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Forest Heights20
Towns its size8
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Forest Heights0
Towns its size0
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
For public protected areas, Forest Heights sits near the top of its size group: 4 of 39 have more. On protected land nearby it is behind: 29 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gravenhurst ON | 18% | 24% | 27 | 4 | 7 |
| 2 | Convent Glen - Orleans Woods ON | 13% | 0% | 35 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Chapel Hill South ON | 12% | 0% | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Bayshore ON | 11% | 0% | 23 | 4 | 6 |
| 5 | Matane QC | 11% | 0.1% | 6 | 0 | 9 |
| 6 | La Crète AB | 11% | 7.9% | 9 | 0 | 112 |
| 7 | Mont-Laurier QC | 9.7% | 4.6% | 29 | 0 | 3 |
| 8 | Vieux-Montréal QC | 8% | 0% | 28 | 1 | 6 |
| 9 | Maricourt QC | 6.5% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Peace Village ON | 5.7% | 0.6% | 44 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Manor Park NS | 5.3% | 0% | 22 | 6 | 21 |
| 12 | Maizerets QC | 5.2% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 6 |
| 13 | Vieux-Limoilou QC | 4.9% | 0% | 17 | 1 | 7 |
| 14 | Pointe-de-Sainte-Foy QC | 4.8% | 0% | 15 | 2 | 3 |
| 15 | Val-des-Monts QC | 4.4% | 2.6% | 55 | 0 | 2 |
| 16 | Saint-Amable QC | 4.3% | 0% | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Plateau QC | 4.1% | 0% | 18 | 2 | 4 |
| 18 | Bourg-Royal QC | 4.1% | 0.5% | 19 | 0 | 8 |
| 19 | Tiny ON | 3.9% | 7.9% | 23 | 0 | 61 |
| 20 | Long Sault ON | 2.6% | 2.5% | 14 | 0 | 9 |
| 21 | Louis-Hébert QC | 2.5% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 1 |
| 22 | Southcrest ON | 2.5% | 7.8% | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| 23 | South Glengarry ON | 2.3% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 6 |
| 24 | Ridgehill / Armbro Heights ON | 2.3% | 9.7% | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 25 | Greenwood-Coxwell ON | 2.2% | 0% | 12 | 3 | 38 |
| 26 | Harbour Landing SK | 2.2% | 0% | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 27 | Prévost QC | 2.1% | 3.5% | 18 | 2 | 2 |
| 28 | Rosemère QC | 1.8% | 2.4% | 29 | 1 | 0 |
| 29 | Colchester County, Subdivision C NS | 1.7% | 1.8% | 125 | 5 | 1 |
| 30 | Hickory Woods ON | 1.6% | 0% | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 31 | Forest Heights ON | 1.6% | 0% | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Pont-Viau QC | 1.3% | 0% | 27 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Briar Hill-Belgravia ON | 1% | 0% | 13 | 2 | 0 |
| 34 | Durham ON | 0.3% | 0.2% | 19 | 0 | 2 |
| 35 | Junction Area ON | 0.3% | 0% | 8 | 4 | 10 |
| 36 | Warman SK | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Martindale AB | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Mount Forest ON | 0.1% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Sandwich ON | 0.1% | 2.9% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 40 | Grand Falls-Windsor NL | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 2 |
The map
Forest Heights on the map: green space, protected land and paths
Green space, woods, protected areas and footpaths in and around the neighbourhood; 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
23 named parks and woods to walk in near Forest Heights
Filsinger Park is the largest, at 14 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
23 named parks and woods, 71 ha in all
Parks & gardens 54 haWoods 17 ha
It is shared out: the largest place is only 20% of the whole.
Driftwood Park
Park or garden
4.5 ha0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
0.7 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Eastforest Park
Park or garden · 270 m outside town
4.7 ha0.6 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
1.4 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Forest West Park
Park or garden
4.1 ha0.8 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.8 km of path
1.2 km south-westfrom the centre
Forest Heights Community Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Fischer Park
Park or garden
3.5 ha0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
1.1 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Meadowlane Park
Park or garden
3.4 ha0.2 km of path
0.7 km south-eastfrom the centre
Sandrock Creek Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Foxglove Park
Park or garden · 100 m outside town
1.9 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
1.2 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Detweiler Park Natural Area
Wood or forest · 110 m outside town
7.4 ha0.4 km of path
0.9 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 23 named parks and green spaces
Filsinger ParkPark or garden · 14 ha · 2.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsDriftwood ParkPark or garden · 4.5 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsEastforest ParkPark or garden · 4.7 ha · 0.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsForest West ParkPark or garden · 4.1 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsFischer ParkPark or garden · 3.5 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsMeadowlane ParkPark or garden · 3.4 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsFoxglove ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsDetweiler Park Natural AreaWood or forest · 7.4 ha · 0.4 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsRolling Meadows ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsWestheights ParkPark or garden · 2.2 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsCloverdale ParkPark or garden · 2.2 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsForest HeightsPark or garden · 2.0 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsWaldau Woods ParkWood or forest · 6.0 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsYellow Birch ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsSummerside Woods ParkWood or forest · 3.6 ha · 0.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsWindale ParkPark or garden · 1.5 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsTrailview ParkPark or garden · 1.4 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsDetweiler ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsWestmeadow ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsCedar Crest ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsTimberlane ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsSouthridge ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha · just outside town
DirectionsBankside ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · just outside town
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
In Forest Heights, a park is close to every home
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 (100%)Further (0%)
Forest Heights100%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
The typical Canadian town manages 83%, so this is better.
Protected areas
1.6% of the country within 10 km of Forest Heights 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 Forest Heights0%
Within 10 km1.6%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Of those 21, 20 are public and the remainder private. Huron Natural Area leads for size with 96 ha. The figures include one private conservation area, left unnamed.
Laurentian WetlandNature reserve · 17 ha · 0.6 km from the edge of town
Borden WetlandsNature reserve · 16 ha · 1.1 km from the edge of town
Lakeside ParkNature reserve · 9.2 ha · 1.8 km from the edge of town
Huron Natural AreaNature reserve · 96 ha · 2.9 km from the edge of town
Steckle WoodsNature reserve · 30 ha · 4.0 km from the edge of town
Brigadoon Woods-Strasburg CreekNature reserve · 34 ha · 5.0 km from the edge of town
Homer Watson ParkNature reserve · 60 ha · 5.6 km from the edge of town
Tilt's BushNature reserve · 39 ha · 5.7 km from the edge of town
Idlewood ParkNature reserve · 48 ha · 6.4 km from the edge of town
Doon South CreekNature reserve · 54 ha · 7.0 km from the edge of town
10 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
Trillium Woods Provincial Park, 44 km off
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
Trillium Woods Provincial Park
44 km south-west0.1 km²since 1969
For a national park, people in Forest Heights travel more than 100 km.
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: 65 km in and around Forest Heights
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
65 km
in and around the town (17.9 km²)
Woodland
6.8%
about 1.2 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Forest HeightsTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths3.6
02.55 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Forest HeightsTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland6.8%
0%50%100%
For path density, it beats 79% of Canadian towns. 55% of Canadian towns are more wooded.
Source: OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Mapping varies by place: a dense figure can mean keen local mappers as much as many paths.
Walking routes
No mapped walking route near Forest Heights
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
No walking route is mapped within 2 km of the neighbourhood. Mapping of trails as routes varies a great deal across Canada.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Forest Heights is best on foot in May, June, August and September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Kitchener/Waterloo, 13 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 | 14.0 | 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 warmest month, July, is also the wettest (96 mm), while February is driest at 46 mm. January brings highs of -2 °C, July highs of 27 °C. The climate in Forest Heights →
Things to do
Forest Heights has a viewpoint within 2 km
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Top of the list: playgrounds, 111 of them. Highest of the named peaks: Mount Trashmore, 370 m.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 1
Mount Trashmore370 m · 1.9 km from town
DirectionsNature reserves 12
Lorilee Parkin town
DirectionsTrailview Park Natural Areain town
DirectionsWestheights Park Natural Areain town
DirectionsDetweiler Park Natural Area0.2 km from town
DirectionsWestmeadow Park Natural Area0.4 km from town
DirectionsEastforest Park Natural Area0.6 km from town
DirectionsLaurentian Wetlands0.8 km from town
DirectionsEby Woods0.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 4 nature reserves more.
Playgrounds 111
Filsinger Park Playground0.7 km from town
DirectionsCountryStone Park Playground1.6 km from town
DirectionsCountryStone Park Toddler1.7 km from town
DirectionsPlus 108 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
A garden to visit near Forest Heights: Waterloo Park, 4.1 km away
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
Waterloo ParkGarden or park · 4.1 km from town
DirectionsSources: 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 Forest Heights
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Highland WestForest HillVictoria HillsLaurentian WestMeinzinger Park-LakesideLaurentian HillsForest Heights
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Heights | 1.6% | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| Highland West 1.8 km | 1.3% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Forest Hill 1.9 km | 1.7% | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| Victoria Hills 2.5 km | 1.6% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Laurentian West 2.5 km | 1.5% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| Meinzinger Park-Lakeside 2.8 km | 1.7% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| Laurentian Hills 3.0 km | 1.8% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
Around Forest Heights, nobody nearby has double its protected land.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- National and provincial parks. The nearest national park and the nearest provincial park are always shown when they are within 100 km.
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
- 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.
Questions about the outdoors in Forest Heights
How far is Forest Heights from a national park?
None within 100 km of Forest Heights.
When should you visit Forest Heights for the outdoors?
On the normals, May, June, August and September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
Which is the biggest protected area near Forest Heights?
Huron Natural Area, a nature reserve of 96 ha.
What is the nearest provincial park to Forest Heights?
It is Trillium Woods Provincial Park, 44 km away.
How much land around Forest Heights is protected?
Within 10 km, 1.6% of the land lies in protected areas.
Sources
Where Forest Heights’ 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.
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).