First pick
Columbia Forest
Wood or forest
53 ha8.4 km of path
1 h 50 minto walk all 8.4 km of path
8.9 km north-eastfrom the centre
Avon TrailDevistationRoot Rider+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: TheGiantVermin · CC BY-SA 3.00.4%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in New Hamburg · parks, protected land & trails
Walk from New Hamburg: 3 mapped routes
18 areas within 10 km are protected for nature. The protected share within 10 km is 0.4%, where a typical Canadian town has 2.3%. National parks are all over 100 km off.
Protected land
0.4%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
18
within 10 km, 13 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
28 km
Trillium Woods Provincial Park
Walking routes
3
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
1
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What New Hamburg has going for it outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Walking routes3 named routes within 2 kmLittle protected land0.4% within 10 km; the typical Canadian town: 2.3%
For someone who likes to get outside, New Hamburg’s draw is its choice of walking routes. Where it falls short is protected land nearby.
Against other towns
New Hamburg 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. No letter: the outdoors is described for Canadian towns, not graded.
Protected within 10 km0.4%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 areas13Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes3Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches1Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
New Hamburg has the 6th least protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (22,162 to 23,655 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
New Hamburg0.4%
Towns its size2.3%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
New Hamburg13
Towns its size5
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
New Hamburg3
Towns its size1
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
For walking routes, New Hamburg sits near the top of its size group: 10 of 39 have more. It trails them for protected land nearby, where 34 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colwood BC | 19% | 2.3% | 36 | 4 | 21 |
| 2 | Saint-Lazare QC | 13% | 0% | 42 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | Westmount NS | 11% | 4.8% | 16 | 6 | 18 |
| 4 | Brownsville BC | 11% | 1.3% | 119 | 7 | 6 |
| 5 | Snowdon QC | 10% | 0% | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Saint-Lambert QC | 8.1% | 0.4% | 31 | 0 | 6 |
| 7 | Mont-Royal QC | 7.5% | 0% | 29 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Old Barrhaven East ON | 6.9% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Du College/Hodge QC | 6% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Rivière-Blanche QC | 5.8% | 8.1% | 45 | 0 | 2 |
| 11 | Uxbridge ON | 4.8% | 5.1% | 25 | 2 | 1 |
| 12 | Cité-Universitaire QC | 4.1% | 0% | 20 | 1 | 5 |
| 13 | Brentwood BC | 4% | 0% | 12 | 2 | 29 |
| 14 | Riverview NB | 2.7% | 2.3% | 10 | 1 | 1 |
| 15 | South Eglinton-Davisville ON | 2.7% | 0% | 13 | 2 | 1 |
| 16 | Eglinton East ON | 2.6% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 5 |
| 17 | Birchcliffe-Cliffside ON | 2.5% | 0% | 14 | 2 | 19 |
| 18 | Cranbrook BC | 2.4% | 0% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Flemingdon Park ON | 2.4% | 17% | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| 20 | Church-Wellesley ON | 2.3% | 0% | 11 | 9 | 20 |
| 21 | Moss Park ON | 2.2% | 0% | 10 | 9 | 43 |
| 22 | Renfrew-Collingwood BC | 2.2% | 0.7% | 12 | 4 | 28 |
| 23 | Sainte-Lucie QC | 2% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Steeles ON | 1.9% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Junction-Wallace Emerson ON | 1.8% | 0% | 11 | 4 | 13 |
| 26 | Bayview Village ON | 1.7% | 16% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Bedford Park-Nortown ON | 1.4% | 0% | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| 28 | Joliette QC | 1.2% | 0.8% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | High Park-Swansea ON | 0.9% | 5% | 9 | 4 | 17 |
| 30 | Binbrook ON | 0.9% | 0.2% | 22 | 2 | 1 |
| 31 | Embrun ON | 0.8% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 1 |
| 32 | Ouest (Montréal-Nord) QC | 0.8% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Willowridge-Martingrove-Richview ON | 0.7% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 34 | High Park North ON | 0.6% | 0% | 10 | 4 | 15 |
| 35 | New Hamburg ON | 0.4% | 0% | 18 | 3 | 1 |
| 36 | Humber Bay Shores ON | 0.3% | 0% | 6 | 3 | 18 |
| 37 | Rockcliffe-Smythe ON | 0.3% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 8 |
| 38 | Erindale ON | 0.2% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 39 | Cobourg ON | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 40 | Yellowknife NT | 0% | 0% | 0 | 7 | 4 |
The map
The green map of New Hamburg
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
19 named parks and woods to walk in near New Hamburg
Columbia Forest is the largest, at 53 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
19 named parks and woods, 255 ha in all
Parks & gardens 82 haWoods 173 ha
Between them, Columbia Forest and Musselman Woods cover 41%.
Schneider's Bush
Wood or forest
49 ha7.8 km of path
1 h 45 minto walk all 7.8 km of path
8.2 km north-eastfrom the centre
Avon Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Mike Schout Wetlands Preserve
Park or garden
24 ha2.4 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.4 km of path
5.3 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Musselman Woods
Wood or forest
52 ha5.6 km of path
1 h 15 minto walk all 5.6 km of path
7.8 km northfrom the centre
Avon Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Schmidt Woods
Park or garden
21 ha2.7 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.7 km of path
1.8 km south-westfrom the centre
Schmidt Woods Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Norm Hill Park
Park or garden
11 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
4.3 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Sir Adam Beck Park
Park or garden
5.8 ha0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
Centralin the middle of New Hamburg
Directionsto a point inside
FH Montgomery Wildlife Sanctuary
Wood or forest
14 ha1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
7.9 km southfrom the centre
F.H. Montgomery
Directionsto a point inside
All 19 named parks and green spaces
Columbia ForestWood or forest · 53 ha · 8.4 km of path
DirectionsSchneider's BushWood or forest · 49 ha · 7.8 km of path
DirectionsMike Schout Wetlands PreservePark or garden · 24 ha · 2.4 km of path
DirectionsMusselman WoodsWood or forest · 52 ha · 5.6 km of path
DirectionsSchmidt WoodsPark or garden · 21 ha · 2.7 km of path
DirectionsNorm Hill ParkPark or garden · 11 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsSir Adam Beck ParkPark or garden · 5.8 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsFH Montgomery Wildlife SanctuaryWood or forest · 14 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsForest West ParkPark or garden · 4.1 ha · 0.8 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsPetersburg Community ParkPark or garden · 2.8 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsNew Dundee Community ParkPark or garden · 2.9 ha
DirectionsSt. Agatha Community CentrePark or garden · 2.8 ha
DirectionsWaldau Woods ParkWood or forest · 5.9 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsYellow Birch ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsThe Township of Wilmot ArboretumPark or garden · 2.4 ha
DirectionsBeechdrops ParkPark or garden · 1.3 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsAutumn Willow ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSundew ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · just outside town
DirectionsFoundry Street ParkettePark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.1 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
A park is within a short walk for 3 in 10 in New Hamburg
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 (34%)Further (66%)
New Hamburg34%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
The typical Canadian town reaches 83%. Around 15,000 residents are further than 400 m from a park.
Protected areas
18 protected areas lie within 10 km of New Hamburg
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside New Hamburg0%
Within 10 km0.4%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
13 of the 18 are on public land. Biggest of the named areas: Huron Natural Area, 96 ha. The figures include 5 private conservation areas, left unnamed.
Laurentian WetlandNature reserve · 17 ha · 1.8 km from the edge of town
Borden WetlandsNature reserve · 16 ha · 2.4 km from the edge of town
Huron Natural AreaNature reserve · 96 ha · 2.9 km from the edge of town
Brigadoon Woods-Strasburg CreekNature reserve · 34 ha · 4.0 km from the edge of town
Lakeside ParkNature reserve · 9.2 ha · 4.7 km from the edge of town
Steckle WoodsNature reserve · 30 ha · 5.0 km from the edge of town
Tilt's BushNature reserve · 39 ha · 5.2 km from the edge of town
Doon South CreekNature reserve · 54 ha · 5.4 km from the edge of town
Homer Watson ParkNature reserve · 60 ha · 6.4 km from the edge of town
Topper WoodsNature reserve · 23 ha · 6.7 km from the edge of town
3 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 is 28 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
Trillium Woods Provincial Park
28 km south0.1 km²since 1969
Canada’s national parks are all more than 100 km from New Hamburg, 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
New Hamburg and its edge hold 187 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
187 km
in and around the town (355.1 km²)
Woodland
16%
about 55.2 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
New HamburgTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.5
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
New HamburgTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland16%
0%50%100%
65% of Canadian towns have more footpath per km². Woods cover more of it than in 61% 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
Trails around New Hamburg
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
RegionalLocal
Avon Trail168.9 km
Walker Woods2.4 km
F.H. Montgomery Sanctuary1.1 km
At 168.9 km, the Avon Trail is the longest local route. 2 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 New Hamburg: May, June, August and September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Kitchener/Waterloo (24 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 | 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 |
Summer highs reach 27 °C in July; in January they stay near -2 °C. Expect 96 mm in July, warm and wet, and 46 mm in February. The climate in New Hamburg →
Beaches
A beach within 5 km of New Hamburg
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
New Hamburg has 10 viewpoints within 2 km
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Highest of the named peaks: Baden Hills, 423 m. Top of the list: playgrounds, 107 of them.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 10
Plus 10 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 18
Baden Hills423 m · in town
DirectionsPlus 17 hills and peaks without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 12
Gibney Regional Forest (Baden Hills)in town
DirectionsPetersburg Regional Forestin town
DirectionsSchneider's Bushin town
DirectionsTownline Regional Forestin town
DirectionsWaterloo Landfill Regional Forest0.1 km from town
DirectionsColumbia Forest0.6 km from town
DirectionsEby Woods1.0 km from town
DirectionsWestmeadow Park Natural Area1.3 km from town
DirectionsPlus 4 nature reserves more.
Playgrounds 107
Wellesley Watering Hole Splash Park0.5 km from town
DirectionsDietrich Plumbing & Pump Ltd. Playground1.2 km from town
DirectionsCountryStone Park Toddler1.7 km from town
DirectionsCountryStone Park Playground1.7 km from town
DirectionsPlus 103 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Copper Street Dog Park0.6 km from town
DirectionsCampsites 7
Alpine Country Trailer Parkin town
DirectionsHoliday Beachin town
DirectionsCamp Heidelberg1.7 km from town
DirectionsPlus 4 campsites without a name on the map.
Slipways 2
Plus 2 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to New Hamburg
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Highland WestForest HeightsLaurentian WestVictoria HillsWestmountForest HillNew Hamburg
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hamburg | 0.4% | 18 | 3 | 1 |
| Highland West 10 km | 1.3% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Forest Heights 10 km | 1.6% | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| Laurentian West 12 km | 1.5% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| Victoria Hills 12 km | 1.6% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Westmount 12 km | 1.3% | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| Forest Hill 12 km | 1.7% | 21 | 0 | 0 |
For protected land, Highland West, Forest Heights and Laurentian West have twice as much or more.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- 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.
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- 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.
- Private land. Areas held by land trusts or private owners stay unnamed here, though they count in the shares.
Questions about the outdoors in New Hamburg
When is the best time for walking in New Hamburg?
May, June, August and September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
What is the biggest park or reserve near New Hamburg?
Huron Natural Area: 96 ha, a nature reserve.
What is the nearest provincial park to New Hamburg?
It is Trillium Woods Provincial Park, 28 km away.
Is there protected land near New Hamburg?
Within 10 km, 0.4% of the land lies in protected areas.
Are there hiking trails near New Hamburg?
OpenStreetMap maps the Avon Trail, Walker Woods and F.H. Montgomery Sanctuary close by, with others.
Where can you swim near New Hamburg?
There is an unnamed beach within 5 km.
Is New Hamburg near a national park?
The nearest national park is more than 100 km from New Hamburg.
Sources
The sources behind New Hamburg’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).