First pick
Greenway
Park or garden · 240 m outside town
4.1 ha1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
0.7 km westfrom the centre
Dom Cardillo Trail
Directionsto a point inside
2.8%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Idlewood · parks, protected land & trails
Within 10 km of Idlewood: 20 public protected areas
One mapped walking route passes within 2 km: the Grand Valley Trail. Within 100 km there is no national park. Inside the neighbourhood itself, 12% of the land is protected.
Protected land
2.8%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
22
within 10 km, 20 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
51 km
Bronte Creek Provincial Park
Walking routes
1
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
Where Idlewood stands out outdoors
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, Bronte Creek Provincial Park, is 51 km off
For someone who likes to get outside, Idlewood’s draw is the number of public protected areas close by. Less going for it: a big park within easy reach.
Against other towns
Each figure for Idlewood, set against 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 km2.8%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town12%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 routes1Named 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
Idlewood comes 19th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (4,923 to 5,087 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
Idlewood2.8%
Towns its size2.5%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Idlewood20
Towns its size4
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Idlewood1
Towns its size0
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
Among its peers, Idlewood’s strong point is public protected areas, where 4 of 39 top it.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint-Donat QC | 41% | 6.7% | 21 | 1 | 6 |
| 2 | Electoral Area F, Cariboo BC | 29% | 27% | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 | Northern Bruce Peninsula ON | 11% | 30% | 97 | 2 | 13 |
| 4 | Bells Corners East ON | 9.2% | 4.6% | 21 | 3 | 5 |
| 5 | Cardston County AB | 8.8% | 7.6% | 73 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Lemoyne QC | 7.6% | 0% | 26 | 0 | 5 |
| 7 | Westdale South ON | 7.1% | 28% | 23 | 2 | 3 |
| 8 | Falkirk East ON | 7% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Cobble Hill BC | 6.6% | 4.5% | 51 | 0 | 6 |
| 10 | Electoral Area C, North Okanagan BC | 6.1% | 19% | 7 | 0 | 3 |
| 11 | York Road ON | 6.1% | 41% | 27 | 3 | 3 |
| 12 | Webber Greens AB | 6.1% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Electoral Area F, North Okanagan BC | 5.9% | 4.7% | 26 | 0 | 7 |
| 14 | Nipawin SK | 4.1% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Palliser AB | 4% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| 16 | Annapolis County, Subdivision B NS | 3.9% | 0.9% | 44 | 0 | 4 |
| 17 | Tyendinaga ON | 3% | 2.8% | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Huntington ON | 2.9% | 0% | 19 | 3 | 0 |
| 19 | Idlewood ON | 2.8% | 12% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | Cumberland BC | 2.6% | 8.1% | 44 | 1 | 1 |
| 21 | Hastings Highlands ON | 2.4% | 0.5% | 8 | 0 | 3 |
| 22 | Morin-Heights QC | 2.2% | 0.9% | 23 | 0 | 3 |
| 23 | Hearst ON | 2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 24 | Meinzinger Park-Lakeside ON | 1.7% | 4.4% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Bridgwater Forest MB | 1.7% | 4.1% | 20 | 0 | 1 |
| 26 | Central Business District SK | 1.5% | 5.4% | 17 | 0 | 3 |
| 27 | Lakewood Urban Centre SK | 1.5% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Edenwold No. 158 SK | 1.4% | 2% | 12 | 13 | 0 |
| 29 | Edgemont AB | 1.4% | 0% | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| 30 | Westmount ON | 1.3% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| 31 | Westmount AB | 0.9% | 0% | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 32 | North Park SK | 0.7% | 0% | 14 | 1 | 3 |
| 33 | Sussex NB | 0.5% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 34 | Kildonan Drive MB | 0.3% | 1.3% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Anthony Henday South East AB | 0.2% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 36 | Saint-Germain-de-Grantham QC | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Carbonear NL | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 38 | Warwick QC | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Altona MB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Capilano AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 1 | 1 |
The map
The green map of Idlewood
The neighbourhood’s parks, woods, protected land and paths, with its named places numbered.
Green: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, playing fields and woods. Hatched: CPCAD protected areas.© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); CPCAD (OGL-Canada)
Places to walk
10 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Idlewood
The biggest is Greenway, 4.1 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
10 named parks and woods, 20 ha in all
Parks & gardens 20 ha
46% of the area is in just two places: Rosenberg Park and Greenway.
Rosenberg Park
Park or garden
5.2 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
1.1 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Idlewood Greenway
Park or garden
2.2 ha0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
Centralin the middle of Idlewood
Directionsto a point inside
Eby Park
Park or garden
2.5 ha0.4 km of path
0.8 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Tecumseh Park
Park or garden · 290 m outside town
2.0 ha0.3 km of path
1.3 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Tremaine Park
Park or garden · 370 m outside town
1.4 ha0.3 km of path
1.6 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Daimler Drive Walkway
Park or garden
0.6 ha0.5 km of path
Centralin the middle of Idlewood
Directionsto a point inside
Denlow Trail
Park or garden · 280 m outside town
1.1 ha0.2 km of path
1.4 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 10 named parks and green spaces
GreenwayPark or garden · 4.1 ha · 1.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsRosenberg ParkPark or garden · 5.2 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsIdlewood GreenwayPark or garden · 2.2 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsEby ParkPark or garden · 2.5 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsTecumseh ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsTremaine ParkPark or garden · 1.4 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsDaimler Drive WalkwayPark or garden · 0.6 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsDenlow TrailPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsCasey ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha
DirectionsBeaumont parkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.1 km of path · 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
All of Idlewood is within a short walk of 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 (100%)Further (0%)
Idlewood100%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
A typical Canadian town reaches only 83%.
Protected areas
2.8% of the country within 10 km of Idlewood 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 Idlewood12%
Within 10 km2.8%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
On public land: 20 of the 22. The others are private conservation land. At 96 ha, Huron Natural Area is the largest. 2 areas belong to private owners or land trusts and aren’t named here.
Idlewood ParkNature reserve · 48 ha · reaches Idlewood
Springmount Park - Idlewood CreekNature reserve · 27 ha · reaches Idlewood
Briarfield ParkNature reserve · 3.3 ha · reaches Idlewood
Lackner WoodsNature reserve · 31 ha · reaches Idlewood
Natchez WoodsNature reserve · 23 ha · 0.1 km from the edge of town
Grand River Natural Area - Sims EstateNature reserve · 12 ha · 0.5 km from the edge of town
Kolb ParkNature reserve · 8.7 ha · 1.9 km from the edge of town
Homer Watson ParkNature reserve · 60 ha · 3.5 km from the edge of town
Grand River Natural Area - Pioneer TowerNature reserve · 17 ha · 4.2 km from the edge of town
Steckle WoodsNature reserve · 30 ha · 4.3 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
The nearest big park: Bronte Creek Provincial Park, 51 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
51 km east6.8 km²since 1975
Canada’s national parks are all more than 100 km from Idlewood, so the parks here are provincial.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
50 km of paths in and around Idlewood
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
50 km
in and around the town (11.5 km²)
Woodland
16%
about 1.9 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
IdlewoodTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths4.3
02.55 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
IdlewoodTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland16%
0%50%100%
It has more footpath per km² than 86% of Canadian towns. For woods, it beats 62% 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
Idlewood has 1 named walking route
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Regional
Grand Valley Trail218.5 km
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Get out in Idlewood in May, June, August and September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Kitchener/Waterloo (4.2 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 | 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 wettest month is the warmest, July (96 mm); February has 46 mm. Highs peak near 27 °C in July and fall to -2 °C in January. The climate in Idlewood →
Things to do
Idlewood 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.
Look up to Natchez Hill: 356 m. Count 66 playgrounds, the biggest group.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Grand River Lookout1.5 km from town
DirectionsHills and peaks 3
Natchez Hill356 m · 0.2 km from town
DirectionsPlus 2 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 12
Briarfield Parkin town
DirectionsIdlewood Creekin town
DirectionsSpringmount Parkin town
DirectionsIdlewood Park Natural Area0.3 km from town
DirectionsLackner Woods0.5 km from town
DirectionsNatchez Woods0.5 km from town
DirectionsWoolner Woods0.9 km from town
DirectionsBlue Spring Woods1.0 km from town
DirectionsPlus 4 nature reserves more.
Playgrounds 66
Plus 66 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Idlewood
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Grand River SouthCentreville ChicopeeStanley ParkHeritage ParkGrand River NorthRosemountIdlewood
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idlewood | 2.8% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| Grand River South 1.6 km | 2.5% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| Centreville Chicopee 1.7 km | 2.5% | 23 | 1 | 0 |
| Stanley Park 1.8 km | 2.5% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| Heritage Park 1.8 km | 1.9% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| Grand River North 2.0 km | 1.8% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| Rosemount 2.8 km | 1.8% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
Idlewood is not outdone two to one on protected land by any neighbour.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- National and provincial parks. A park at 0 km touches or overlaps the town’s outline; directions point from the town’s centre.
- 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. Protected here means in CPCAD, Canada’s official list: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and other conserved land, measured within 10 km of the town’s edge.
- Private land. Private conservation land is in the totals, not the lists. Many such areas are easements on working farms or woodlots.
Questions about the outdoors in Idlewood
What is the best season to get outdoors in Idlewood?
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.
Is Idlewood near a national park?
No national park lies within 100 km of Idlewood.
Are there protected areas near Idlewood?
Protected areas cover 2.8% of the land within 10 km.
Where can you walk near Idlewood?
Try the Grand Valley Trail.
How far is the nearest provincial park from Idlewood?
Bronte Creek Provincial Park, 51 km from the edge of town.
Which is the biggest protected area near Idlewood?
It is Huron Natural Area, a nature reserve covering 96 ha.
Sources
The sources behind Idlewood’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.
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).