First pick
Filsinger Park
Park or garden
14 ha2.5 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.5 km of path
1.8 km eastfrom the centre
Henry Sturm Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Ryan Hodnett · CC BY-SA 4.01.3%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Highland West · parks, protected land & trails
From Highland West, Trillium Woods Provincial Park is the nearest provincial park (44 km)
19 protected areas lie within 10 km. National parks are all over 100 km off. 4.6 km out lies the largest, Huron Natural Area, at 96 ha.
Protected land
1.3%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
19
within 10 km, 19 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
44 km
Trillium Woods Provincial Park
Against other towns
Highland West 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. Canada’s grades don’t include the outdoors, so this page compares the figures rather than grading them.
Protected within 10 km1.3%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 areas19Areas 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
Highland West has the 17th least protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (12,218 to 12,707 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
Highland West1.3%
Towns its size1.7%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Highland West19
Towns its size4
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Highland West0
Towns its size0
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
For public protected areas, Highland West sits near the top of its size group: 4 of 39 have more. It trails them for protected land nearby, where 23 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cantley QC | 21% | 1.2% | 32 | 0 | 3 |
| 2 | Elliot Lake ON | 18% | 7.2% | 10 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | Orleans Village - Chateauneuf ON | 14% | 0% | 35 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Summerland BC | 11% | 7.5% | 25 | 0 | 45 |
| 5 | Bridlewood AB | 7.7% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 | Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine QC | 7.3% | 6.1% | 46 | 0 | 94 |
| 7 | Saltspring Island BC | 6.7% | 17% | 109 | 3 | 44 |
| 8 | Rothesay NB | 5.5% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 37 |
| 9 | Saint-Hippolyte QC | 4.2% | 6.9% | 21 | 2 | 5 |
| 10 | Highland Creek ON | 3.5% | 0.6% | 14 | 0 | 5 |
| 11 | Moncton NB | 3.4% | 1.4% | 27 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Chaparral AB | 3.2% | 9.8% | 1 | 0 | 13 |
| 13 | Carignan QC | 2.7% | 2.1% | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Yonge-Eglinton ON | 2.6% | 0% | 14 | 2 | 1 |
| 15 | Grenet QC | 2.5% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Spring Valley ON | 2.4% | 8.4% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Woodbine Corridor ON | 2.3% | 0% | 13 | 3 | 34 |
| 18 | Bromont QC | 2.2% | 2% | 25 | 0 | 2 |
| 19 | Dovercourt Village ON | 2.1% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 13 |
| 20 | Kings County, Subdivision B NS | 1.7% | 5.9% | 19 | 2 | 9 |
| 21 | Bayview Woods-Steeles ON | 1.7% | 17% | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Forest Hill North ON | 1.5% | 0% | 14 | 2 | 1 |
| 23 | Royal Oak AB | 1.4% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 24 | Highland West ON | 1.3% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Winchester ON | 1.2% | 0.6% | 28 | 0 | 1 |
| 26 | Meaford ON | 1.1% | 2.1% | 70 | 4 | 21 |
| 27 | River Park South MB | 1.1% | 2.1% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Tyndall Park MB | 1.1% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Wellesley ON | 1% | 0% | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 30 | Windsor Park MB | 0.8% | 0.2% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Gander NL | 0.7% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| 32 | Blackfalds AB | 0.6% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Chalmers MB | 0.6% | 0% | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| 34 | Lac Ste. Anne County AB | 0.5% | 0.4% | 33 | 0 | 2 |
| 35 | Alderwood ON | 0.3% | 0% | 5 | 1 | 12 |
| 36 | Uptown ON | 0.3% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Varsity AB | 0.3% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 38 | Norwich ON | 0.2% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| 39 | Etobicoke West Mall ON | 0.2% | 0% | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 40 | DT Hospital ON | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 4 |
The map
Highland West 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
26 named parks and woods to walk in near Highland West
Filsinger Park is the largest, at 14 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
26 named parks and woods, 86 ha in all
Parks & gardens 52 haWoods 34 ha
No one place dominates; the largest has 17%.
Lynnvalley Park
Park or garden
7.5 ha1.6 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.6 km of path
Centralin the middle of Highland West
Directionsto a point inside
Monarch Woods Park
Wood or forest
15 ha2.2 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.2 km of path
1.0 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Eastforest Park
Park or garden
4.7 ha0.6 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
0.7 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Fischer Park
Park or garden · 390 m outside town
3.5 ha0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
1.9 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Greengable Park
Park or garden
2.9 ha0.4 km of path
Centralin the middle of Highland West
Directionsto a point inside
Red River Park
Park or garden · 390 m outside town
2.4 ha0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
1.2 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Belgreen Park
Park or garden · 120 m outside town
1.6 ha0.8 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.8 km of path
1.3 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 26 named parks and green spaces
Filsinger ParkPark or garden · 14 ha · 2.5 km of path
DirectionsLynnvalley ParkPark or garden · 7.5 ha · 1.6 km of path
DirectionsMonarch Woods ParkWood or forest · 15 ha · 2.2 km of path
DirectionsEastforest ParkPark or garden · 4.7 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsFischer ParkPark or garden · 3.5 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsGreengable ParkPark or garden · 2.9 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsRed River ParkPark or garden · 2.4 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsBelgreen ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha · 0.8 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsBolingbrooke ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha · 0.7 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsDetweiler Park Natural AreaWood or forest · 7.4 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsRolling Meadows ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha · 0.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsForest HeightsPark or garden · 2.0 ha · 0.4 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsWaldau Woods ParkWood or forest · 6.0 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsStonehaven ParkPark or garden · 1.3 ha · 0.7 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsCountrystone ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsSummerside Woods ParkWood or forest · 3.6 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsShadyridge WoodsWood or forest · 2.7 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsTrailview ParkPark or garden · 1.4 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsDetweiler ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsWestmeadow ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsWarrington ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsNorthforest ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsFenwick GreenPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSWPPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsBankside ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsHighgate Road SWPPark or garden · 0.3 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
In Highland West, 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%)
Highland West100%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
For comparison, the median Canadian town has 83%.
Protected areas
1.3% of the land around Highland West 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 Highland West0%
Within 10 km1.3%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
None of the 19 is private. Huron Natural Area is the biggest, 96 ha.
Lakeside ParkNature reserve · 9.2 ha · 2.0 km from the edge of town
Laurentian WetlandNature reserve · 17 ha · 2.3 km from the edge of town
Borden WetlandsNature reserve · 16 ha · 2.8 km from the edge of town
Huron Natural AreaNature reserve · 96 ha · 4.6 km from the edge of town
Steckle WoodsNature reserve · 30 ha · 5.5 km from the edge of town
Brigadoon Woods-Strasburg CreekNature reserve · 34 ha · 6.6 km from the edge of town
Idlewood ParkNature reserve · 48 ha · 6.9 km from the edge of town
Carisbrook Drive Natural AreaNature reserve · 12 ha · 7.0 km from the edge of town
Homer Watson ParkNature reserve · 60 ha · 7.0 km from the edge of town
Tilt's BushNature reserve · 39 ha · 7.3 km from the edge of town
9 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
44 km to Trillium Woods Provincial Park
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
There is no national park within 100 km; for big parks, Highland West has its province’s.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Highland West has 74 km of footpaths in and around it
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
74 km
in and around the town (18.7 km²)
Woodland
8.7%
about 1.6 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Highland WestTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths3.9
02.55 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Highland WestTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland8.7%
0%50%100%
For path density, it beats 83% of Canadian towns. 51% 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
OpenStreetMap shows no walking route near Highland West
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
Walking season in Highland West: May, June, August and September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Kitchener/Waterloo, 14 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 |
Highs peak near 27 °C in July and fall to -2 °C in January. Rain peaks with the heat: 96 mm in July, against 46 mm in February. The climate in Highland West →
Things to do
Near Highland West: one viewpoint on the map
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, 103 of them.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 1
Plus 1 peak without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 11
Detweiler Park Natural Areain town
DirectionsEastforest Park Natural Areain town
DirectionsHuck Park Natural Areain town
DirectionsWestmeadow Park Natural Areain town
DirectionsWaterloo Landfill Regional Forest0.2 km from town
DirectionsTrailview Park Natural Area0.5 km from town
DirectionsWestheights Park Natural Area0.6 km from town
DirectionsWestwood Park Natural Area0.7 km from town
DirectionsPlus 3 nature reserves more.
Playgrounds 103
CountryStone Park Playgroundin town
DirectionsCountryStone Park Toddlerin town
DirectionsFilsinger Park Playground0.6 km from town
DirectionsPlus 100 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 Highland West: Waterloo Park, 2.8 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 · 2.8 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 Highland West
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Forest HeightsVictoria HillsWestmountForest HillMeinzinger Park-LakesideCherry HillHighland West
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highland West | 1.3% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Forest Heights 1.8 km | 1.6% | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| Victoria Hills 1.9 km | 1.6% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Westmount 2.2 km | 1.3% | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| Forest Hill 2.7 km | 1.7% | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| Meinzinger Park-Lakeside 3.3 km | 1.7% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| Cherry Hill 3.3 km | 1.6% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
None of the places nearby has twice as much protected land around it as Highland West.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Private land. Private conservation land is in the totals, not the lists. Many such areas are easements on working farms or woodlots.
- Walking routes. Only named route relations count; a park’s own path network may not show unless it is mapped as a route.
- Protected land. The 10 km band starts at the town’s outline, not its centre, so a large municipality reaches further than a small town.
- National and provincial parks. National parks are Parks Canada’s; provincial parks are the province’s or territory’s, Québec’s parcs nationaux among them.
Questions about the outdoors in Highland West
Is there a provincial park near Highland West?
It is Trillium Woods Provincial Park, 44 km away.
When should you visit Highland West for the outdoors?
May, June, August and September, on the 1991–2020 normals and the daylight: long days, highs of 15 °C or more, light rain for the place.
Which is the biggest protected area near Highland West?
Huron Natural Area: 96 ha, a nature reserve.
What is the nearest national park to Highland West?
None within 100 km of Highland West.
Is there protected land near Highland West?
Protected areas cover 1.3% of the land within 10 km.
Sources
The sources behind Highland West’s outdoors figures
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).