First pick
SCVFA Firemens Park
Park or garden
91 ha8.7 km of path
1 h 55 minto walk all 8.7 km of path
5.7 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Don-vip · CC BY-SA 3.01.1%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Niagara Falls · parks, protected land & trails
Walk from Niagara Falls: 3 mapped routes
Short Hills Provincial Park is the closest provincial park, at 7.3 km. Within 5 km lie 4 beaches, unnamed on the map. For a national park, Rouge National Urban Park is 74 km away.
Protected land
1.1%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
15
within 10 km, 7 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
74 km
Rouge National Urban Park
Nearest provincial park
7.3 km
Short Hills Provincial Park
Walking routes
3
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
4
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Against other towns
Niagara Falls 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 km1.1%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town1.7%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas7Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes3Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches4Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Niagara Falls sits 12th from last of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (85,160 to 157,345 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
Niagara Falls1.1%
Towns its size3%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Niagara Falls7
Towns its size12
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Niagara Falls3
Towns its size1
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
For walking routes, Niagara Falls sits near the top of its size group: 12 of 39 have more. On protected land nearby it is behind: 27 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maple Ridge BC | 26% | 21% | 101 | 1 | 41 |
| 2 | Delta BC | 24% | 17% | 181 | 9 | 19 |
| 3 | North Vancouver BC | 15% | 22% | 18 | 11 | 169 |
| 4 | Kamloops BC | 14% | 13% | 16 | 0 | 11 |
| 5 | Chilliwack BC | 11% | 7.7% | 36 | 4 | 26 |
| 6 | Saanich BC | 11% | 9.4% | 43 | 7 | 56 |
| 7 | Strathcona County AB | 9.4% | 1.4% | 38 | 7 | 6 |
| 8 | Trois-Rivières QC | 8.4% | 1.2% | 44 | 1 | 10 |
| 9 | Repentigny QC | 8.3% | 1.6% | 41 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Cape Breton NS | 8.2% | 8.6% | 176 | 1 | 74 |
| 11 | New Westminster BC | 8% | 0% | 83 | 4 | 9 |
| 12 | Victoria BC | 8% | 0.9% | 20 | 4 | 34 |
| 13 | Lindsay ON | 7.6% | 9.2% | 60 | 5 | 9 |
| 14 | Pickering ON | 7.6% | 11% | 46 | 1 | 11 |
| 15 | Saguenay QC | 6% | 6.1% | 29 | 0 | 11 |
| 16 | Brossard QC | 5.6% | 9.1% | 31 | 0 | 6 |
| 17 | Kingston ON | 5% | 6.2% | 54 | 2 | 5 |
| 18 | Ajax ON | 4.9% | 5.8% | 31 | 1 | 8 |
| 19 | Bolton ON | 4.8% | 5.9% | 113 | 11 | 3 |
| 20 | Terrebonne QC | 3.8% | 3.6% | 60 | 0 | 3 |
| 21 | St. John's NL | 2.2% | 1.2% | 6 | 1 | 41 |
| 22 | Moncton NB | 2.2% | 1.7% | 17 | 0 | 2 |
| 23 | Nanaimo BC | 1.9% | 6.7% | 42 | 2 | 33 |
| 24 | Bowmanville ON | 1.6% | 3% | 25 | 2 | 9 |
| 25 | Newmarket ON | 1.3% | 1.8% | 27 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Milton ON | 1.3% | 0% | 38 | 15 | 3 |
| 27 | St. Catharines ON | 1.2% | 1.7% | 15 | 4 | 7 |
| 28 | Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu QC | 1.1% | 1.2% | 18 | 1 | 3 |
| 29 | Niagara Falls ON | 1.1% | 1.7% | 15 | 3 | 4 |
| 30 | Saint-Jérôme QC | 1% | 0.1% | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| 31 | Chatham ON | 1% | 1% | 21 | 0 | 8 |
| 32 | Red Deer AB | 0.7% | 1.2% | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 33 | Peterborough ON | 0.6% | 0% | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| 34 | Waterloo ON | 0.6% | 0% | 17 | 12 | 1 |
| 35 | Lethbridge AB | 0.4% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Brantford ON | 0.3% | 0% | 15 | 3 | 0 |
| 37 | Prince George BC | 0.3% | 0.5% | 5 | 1 | 51 |
| 38 | Drummondville QC | 0.1% | 0.2% | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 39 | Thunder Bay ON | 0.1% | 0.4% | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 40 | Airdrie AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
The green map of Niagara Falls
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
30 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Niagara Falls
SCVFA Firemens Park is the largest, at 91 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
30 named parks and woods, 374 ha in all
Parks & gardens 374 ha
The bulk, 44%, is SCVFA Firemens Park and Queen Victoria Park.
Queen Victoria Park
Park or garden
74 ha13.1 km of path
2 h 55 minto walk all 13.1 km of path
2.3 km south-eastfrom the centre
Niagara Recreation TrailThe Tunnel at Niagara Parks Power StationJourney Behind the Falls
Directionsto a point inside
Chippawa Battlefield Park
Park or garden
54 ha0.2 km of path
7.7 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens
Park or garden
37 ha3.3 km of path
45 minto walk all 3.3 km of path
6.4 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Patrick Cummings Memorial Sports Complex
Park or garden
21 ha2.2 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.2 km of path
6.3 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Dufferin Islands
Park or garden
13 ha1.1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.1 km of path
3.6 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Kingsbridge Park
Park or garden
13 ha0.8 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.8 km of path
5.3 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Niagara Parks Floral Showcase
Park or garden
9.0 ha1.5 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.5 km of path
2.9 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
SCVFA Firemens ParkPark or garden · 91 ha · 8.7 km of path
DirectionsQueen Victoria ParkPark or garden · 74 ha · 13.1 km of path
DirectionsChippawa Battlefield ParkPark or garden · 54 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsNiagara Parks Botanical GardensPark or garden · 37 ha · 3.3 km of path
DirectionsPatrick Cummings Memorial Sports ComplexPark or garden · 21 ha · 2.2 km of path
DirectionsDufferin IslandsPark or garden · 13 ha · 1.1 km of path
DirectionsKingsbridge ParkPark or garden · 13 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsNiagara Parks Floral ShowcasePark or garden · 9.0 ha · 1.5 km of path
DirectionsM F Ker ParkPark or garden · 9.5 ha
DirectionsKalar Sports ParkPark or garden · 8.0 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsChippawa Lion's ParkPark or garden · 5.7 ha · 1 km of path
DirectionsOakes ParkPark or garden · 7.0 ha
DirectionsOakes Garden TheatrePark or garden · 1.8 ha · 1.7 km of path
DirectionsRiverview Neighbourhood ParkPark or garden · 3.1 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsCrowland ParkPark or garden · 3.5 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsFJ Miller ParkPark or garden · 3.0 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsA.G. Bridge ParkPark or garden · 2.9 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsPrince Charles ParkPark or garden · 2.7 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsF.H. LesliePark or garden · 2.0 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsC.B Wright ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsChippawa West ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsA J Mckinley ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsGlengate Neighbourhood ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsCrimson ParkPark or garden · 1.3 ha
DirectionsBattlefield ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsRobert F. Keighan ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsRose GardenPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsWestfield ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsCoronation ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha
DirectionsLind Sommerville ParkPark or garden · 0.8 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 8 in 10 in Niagara Falls
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 (78%)Further (22%)
Niagara Falls78%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
That is below the typical Canadian town (83%). About 25,000 residents live further than 400 m from one.
Protected areas
Within 10 km of Niagara Falls, 1.1% is protected land
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Niagara Falls1.7%
Within 10 km1.1%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Of those 15, 7 are public and the remainder private. Short Hills Provincial Park leads for size with 720 ha. The figures include 8 private conservation areas, left unnamed.
Navy Island National Historic SiteProtected area · 129 ha · reaches Niagara Falls
River RealtyProtected area · 14 ha · 0.1 km from the edge of town
LoweryProtected area · 4.5 ha · 0.4 km from the edge of town
Settlement of St. DavidsProtected area · 0.4 ha · 0.5 km from the edge of town
PennachettiProtected area · 2.5 ha · 4.4 km from the edge of town
Short Hills Provincial ParkProvincial park · 720 ha · 7.3 km from the edge of town
Wainfleet Bog Conservation ReserveNature reserve · 322 ha · 8.9 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
Rouge National Urban Park, 74 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
Short Hills Provincial Park
7.3 km west7.2 km²since 1985
National urban park
Rouge National Urban Park
74 km north46 km²since 2015
A provincial park is closer: Short Hills Provincial Park, at 7.3 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: 206 km in and around Niagara Falls
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
206 km
in and around the town (304.1 km²)
Woodland
16%
about 47.6 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Niagara FallsTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.7
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Niagara FallsTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland16%
0%50%100%
For path density, 63% of Canadian towns do better. Woods cover more of it than in 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
Trails around Niagara Falls
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
RegionalLocal
Bruce Trail - Niagara section81.8 km
Laura Secord Legacy Trail33.1 km
Olympic Torch Run Legacy Trail1.5 km
The Bruce Trail - Niagara section is the big one locally: 81.8 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Niagara Falls is best on foot in May to August
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Welland-Pelham (17 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 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 15.1 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°C) | 0 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 20 | 25 | 27 | 26 | 22 | 15 | 9 | 3 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 82 | 53 | 70 | 83 | 81 | 86 | 84 | 79 | 96 | 89 | 84 | 82 |
Some 141 cm of snow falls each winter. Summer highs reach 27 °C in July; in January they stay near 0 °C. Precipitation runs from 53 mm in February to 96 mm in September. The climate in Niagara Falls →
Beaches
4 beaches within 5 km of Niagara Falls, none named
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
No open data on beach water quality covers every province, so check with public health before a swim.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Near Niagara Falls: 31 viewpoints, 3 waterfalls
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, 104 of them.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 31
Balancing Rockin town
DirectionsBirthday Bouldersin town
DirectionsImmaculate Boulderin town
DirectionsIncline Railwayin town
DirectionsKnee Bar Boulderin town
DirectionsLocomotive Bouldersin town
Directionslookout of fallsin town
DirectionsSkylon Towerin town
DirectionsPlus 23 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 3
Shriner's Creek Conservation Areain town
DirectionsWilloughby Marsh Conservation Areain town
DirectionsWoodend Conservation Area0.2 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 9
Locust Grove Picnic Area1.1 km from town
DirectionsPlus 8 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 104
John N Allan Park Playgroundin town
DirectionsPlus 103 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Plus 1 dog park without a name on the map.
Campsites 3
Campark Resorts Campingin town
DirectionsRiverside Park Motel and Campgroundin town
DirectionsScotts Tent & Trailer Parkin town
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Niagara Falls
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
ThoroldSt. CatharinesNiagara-on-the-LakeWellandPelhamNiagara Falls
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niagara Falls | 1.1% | 15 | 3 | 4 |
| Thorold 9.5 km | 1.6% | 16 | 7 | 1 |
| St. Catharines 14 km | 1.2% | 15 | 4 | 7 |
| Niagara-on-the-Lake 14 km | 0.6% | 8 | 3 | 4 |
| Welland 17 km | 3.2% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Pelham 17 km | 2.7% | 18 | 7 | 1 |
More routes are mapped around Thorold (7). Around Welland and Pelham the protected share is at least double.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- 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. The nearest national park and the nearest provincial park are always shown when they are within 100 km.
- Beaches. Beaches are OpenStreetMap’s, named or not; in the north many are unnamed shoreline imports.
- 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.
- 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 Niagara Falls
Is there a provincial park near Niagara Falls?
It is Short Hills Provincial Park, 7.3 km away.
What is the largest protected area near Niagara Falls?
Short Hills Provincial Park, a provincial park of 720 ha.
When is the best time for walking in Niagara Falls?
May to August: long days, mild highs and little rain.
What is the nearest national park to Niagara Falls?
It is Rouge National Urban Park, 74 km off.
Where can you walk near Niagara Falls?
The Bruce Trail - Niagara section, Laura Secord Legacy Trail and Olympic Torch Run Legacy Trail, among the routes mapped within 2 km.
What is the nearest beach to Niagara Falls?
There are beaches within 5 km, none of them named.
Are there protected areas near Niagara Falls?
Protected areas cover 1.1% of the land within 10 km.
Sources
The sources behind Niagara Falls’ 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).