First pick
Harrison Park
Park or garden
80 ha4 km of path
55 minto walk all 4 km of path
2.3 km southfrom the centre
Freedom TrailWeaver's Creek Falls Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Northern Lights Graffiti from Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada · CC BY 2.01.3%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Owen Sound · parks, protected land & trails
12 beaches lie within 5 km of Owen Sound
For a provincial park, Bayview Escarpment Provincial Park lies 13 km off. 2 mapped walking routes pass within 2 km, among them the Bruce Trail - Sydenham section and Bruce Trail - Sydenham section side trails. 70 km separate the town from Bruce Peninsula National Park, its nearest national park.
Protected land
1.3%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
33
within 10 km, 10 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
70 km
Bruce Peninsula National Park
Nearest provincial park
13 km
Bayview Escarpment Provincial Park
Walking routes
2
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
12
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Against other towns
Owen Sound 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 town0.2%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas10Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes2Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches12Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Owen Sound sits 9th from last of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (22,970 to 25,240 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
Owen Sound1.3%
Towns its size3.2%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Owen Sound10
Towns its size7
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Owen Sound2
Towns its size1
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
For walking routes, Owen Sound sits near the top of its size group: 6 of 39 have more. For protected land nearby, though, 31 of 39 are ahead.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sept-Îles QC | 24% | 33% | 64 | 0 | 15 |
| 2 | White Rock BC | 22% | 0.2% | 101 | 2 | 4 |
| 3 | Westmount NS | 11% | 4.8% | 16 | 6 | 18 |
| 4 | Brownsville BC | 11% | 1.3% | 119 | 7 | 6 |
| 5 | L'Assomption QC | 8.5% | 0.4% | 40 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Saint-Lambert QC | 8.1% | 0.4% | 31 | 0 | 6 |
| 7 | Old Barrhaven East ON | 6.9% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Riley Park BC | 6.2% | 0% | 14 | 2 | 48 |
| 9 | Outremont QC | 5.9% | 0.1% | 24 | 1 | 1 |
| 10 | Candiac QC | 5.8% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Rivière-Blanche QC | 5.8% | 8.1% | 45 | 0 | 2 |
| 12 | Morningside Heights ON | 5.7% | 4.1% | 16 | 0 | 6 |
| 13 | Cartierville QC | 5.6% | 19% | 27 | 0 | 2 |
| 14 | Kingston NS | 4.8% | 3.1% | 30 | 1 | 5 |
| 15 | Mile End QC | 4.5% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| 16 | Milliken ON | 4.4% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 1 |
| 17 | Waterdown ON | 4.4% | 4.9% | 25 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | Springwater ON | 3.8% | 6.9% | 14 | 1 | 17 |
| 19 | Beloeil QC | 3.6% | 0% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Agincourt South-Malvern West ON | 3.5% | 0% | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Port Perry ON | 2.9% | 2% | 32 | 1 | 1 |
| 22 | South Eglinton-Davisville ON | 2.7% | 0% | 13 | 2 | 1 |
| 23 | Birchcliffe-Cliffside ON | 2.5% | 0% | 14 | 2 | 19 |
| 24 | Dorset Park ON | 2.5% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 1 |
| 25 | West London ON | 2.4% | 0% | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| 26 | Renfrew-Collingwood BC | 2.2% | 0.7% | 12 | 4 | 28 |
| 27 | Brockville ON | 1.9% | 3.1% | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| 28 | Huntsville ON | 1.8% | 2.2% | 7 | 2 | 13 |
| 29 | Junction-Wallace Emerson ON | 1.8% | 0% | 11 | 4 | 13 |
| 30 | Newtonbrook West ON | 1.7% | 0% | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Fort St. John BC | 1.4% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Owen Sound ON | 1.3% | 0.2% | 33 | 2 | 12 |
| 33 | Mount Pearl NL | 1.2% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 34 | High Park-Swansea ON | 0.9% | 5% | 9 | 4 | 17 |
| 35 | Embrun ON | 0.8% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 1 |
| 36 | Ouest (Montréal-Nord) QC | 0.8% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Oro-Medonte ON | 0.6% | 0.6% | 32 | 4 | 18 |
| 38 | Islington ON | 0.2% | 0% | 4 | 1 | 9 |
| 39 | Essex ON | 0.1% | 0.5% | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 40 | Etobicoke City Centre ON | 0.1% | 0% | 4 | 1 | 17 |
The map
The green map of Owen Sound
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
Walk in Owen Sound: 26 named parks and woods
Largest first: Harrison Park leads with 80 ha. Numbers match the map.
26 named parks and woods, 172 ha in all
Parks & gardens 172 ha
Most of it sits in Harrison Park and Kiwanis Soccer Complex: 56% together.
Victoria Park
Park or garden
14 ha0.5 km of path
Centralin the middle of Owen Sound
Directionsto a point inside
Kiwanis Soccer Complex
Park or garden
15 ha
3.5 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Kelso Beach
Park or garden
9.6 ha2.1 km of path
25 minto walk all 2.1 km of path
1.2 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Stoney Orchard Park
Park or garden
12 ha1 km of path
15 minto walk all 1 km of path
2.3 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
McArthur Park
Park or garden
12 ha0.4 km of path
1.7 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Bayshore Park
Park or garden
3.5 ha1.3 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.3 km of path
1.2 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 26 named parks and green spaces
Harrison ParkPark or garden · 80 ha · 4 km of path
DirectionsVictoria ParkPark or garden · 14 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsKiwanis Soccer ComplexPark or garden · 15 ha
DirectionsKelso BeachPark or garden · 9.6 ha · 2.1 km of path
DirectionsStoney Orchard ParkPark or garden · 12 ha · 1 km of path
DirectionsMcArthur ParkPark or garden · 12 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsBayshore ParkPark or garden · 3.5 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsDuncan McLellan ParkPark or garden · 5.5 ha
DirectionsGarafraxa ParkPark or garden · 2.6 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsTom Williams ParkPark or garden · 2.1 ha
DirectionsSoundview ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha
DirectionsKinsmen ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha
DirectionsSt. Julien's ParkPark or garden · 1.8 ha
DirectionsHarrison FieldPark or garden · 1.4 ha
DirectionsTaylor ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsSt George's ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsBlack's ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha
DirectionsParkview ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha
DirectionsQueen's ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsRyerson ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsMaitland ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha
DirectionsOwen Heights ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha
DirectionsComm-R-Ette ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha
DirectionsCpl Robert T. James Mitchell ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsAlexandra ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsMary Miller ParkPark or garden · 0.4 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
A park is within a short walk for 9 in 10 in Owen Sound
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 (92%)Further (8.3%)
Owen Sound92%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
For about 2,000 people, the nearest park is over 400 m away. A typical Canadian town reaches only 83%.
Protected areas
1.3% of the country within 10 km of Owen Sound 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 Owen Sound0.2%
Within 10 km1.3%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public ownership covers 10 of the 33. At 22 ha, Carnahan is the largest. The figures include 23 private conservation areas, left unnamed.
StobbeProtected area · 1.9 ha · reaches Owen Sound
BoydProtected area · 18 ha · 0.9 km from the edge of town
RockspringsProtected area · 20 ha · 1.3 km from the edge of town
Keeling, A.Protected area · 1.9 ha · 1.9 km from the edge of town
Keeling, R.Protected area · 0.5 ha · 2.1 km from the edge of town
Keeling, C.Protected area · 6.6 ha · 2.5 km from the edge of town
HuntProtected area · 21 ha · 3.7 km from the edge of town
SutherlandProtected area · 3.4 ha · 6.1 km from the edge of town
CarnahanProtected area · 22 ha · 6.3 km from the edge of town
StonehouseProtected area · 4.4 ha · 7.8 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
The nearest big park: Bruce Peninsula National Park, 70 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
Bayview Escarpment Provincial Park
13 km north-east6.1 km²since 1985
National park
Bruce Peninsula National Park
70 km north-west125 km²since 1987
A provincial park is closer: Bayview Escarpment Provincial Park, at 13 km.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Owen Sound and its edge hold 75 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
75 km
in and around the town (54.8 km²)
Woodland
20%
about 10.8 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Owen SoundTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths1.4
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Owen SoundTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland20%
0%50%100%
More of it is wooded than in 67% of Canadian towns. Paths are thinner on the ground than in 53% 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
Owen Sound has 2 named walking routes
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
RegionalOther waymarked
Bruce Trail - Sydenham section166.6 km
Bruce Trail - Sydenham section side trails5.4 km
The longest of the rest is the Bruce Trail - Sydenham section, 166.6 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 Owen Sound in May to August
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Wiarton (23 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) | 9.2 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.5 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°C) | -2 | -2 | 3 | 10 | 17 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 20 | 13 | 7 | 1 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 111 | 77 | 66 | 84 | 82 | 79 | 70 | 83 | 99 | 110 | 110 | 104 |
Snow totals about 385 cm a year. For dry weather, March is best (66 mm); January gets 111 mm. Highs peak near 24 °C in July and fall to -2 °C in January. The climate in Owen Sound →
Beaches
The shore near Owen Sound
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Harbourfront Beachmixed · in town
DirectionsBayshore Beachin town
DirectionsPottawatomi Beachsand · in town
Directions9 more are mapped without a name. Whether the water is fit for a swim isn’t in any open national dataset; public health posts the local advisories.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
3 waterfalls near Owen Sound
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, 29 of them.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 1
West Rocksin town
DirectionsWaterfalls 3
Weaver Creek Falls0.0 km from town
DirectionsInglis Falls1.7 km from town
DirectionsJones Falls2.0 km from town
DirectionsNature reserves 7
Bird Sanctuaryin town
DirectionsWest Rocks Management Areain town
DirectionsSpringmount Forest0.7 km from town
DirectionsInglis Falls Conservation Area0.9 km from town
DirectionsTelfer Creek Nature Reserve1.2 km from town
DirectionsPottawatomi Conservation Area1.5 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 nature reserve without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 4
Plus 4 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 29
28th street playgroundin town
DirectionsComm-R-Ette Playgroundin town
DirectionsGood Cheer Splash Padin town
DirectionsPlus 26 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 2
Harrision Park Family Campgroundin town
DirectionsKelso Campgroundin town
DirectionsSlipways 3
East Side Boat Launchin town
DirectionsWest Side Boat Launchin town
DirectionsPlus 1 slipway without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Owen Sound
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page. The nearest places to Owen Sound with figures are 7–27 km away.
Georgian BluffsChatsworthMeafordWiartonChesleyOwen Sound
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owen Sound | 1.3% | 33 | 2 | 12 |
| Georgian Bluffs 6.9 km | 1.1% | 67 | 4 | 17 |
| Chatsworth 21 km | 0.6% | 45 | 1 | 1 |
| Meaford 21 km | 1.1% | 70 | 4 | 21 |
| Wiarton 23 km | 1.4% | 64 | 3 | 55 |
| Chesley 27 km | 0.3% | 19 | 0 | 5 |
None of the places nearby has twice as much protected land around it as Owen Sound. For walking routes, Georgian Bluffs leads the area with 4.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- 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.
- Walking routes. Only named route relations count; a park’s own path network may not show unless it is mapped as a route.
- Private land. Private conservation land is in the totals, not the lists. Many such areas are easements on working farms or woodlots.
- National and provincial parks. A park at 0 km touches or overlaps the town’s outline; directions point from the town’s centre.
- Beaches. Beaches are OpenStreetMap’s, named or not; in the north many are unnamed shoreline imports.
Questions about the outdoors in Owen Sound
What is the biggest park or reserve near Owen Sound?
Carnahan: 22 ha, a protected area.
Is there a provincial park near Owen Sound?
It is Bayview Escarpment Provincial Park, 13 km away.
When is the best time for walking in Owen Sound?
May to August: long days, mild highs and little rain.
Is there a beach near Owen Sound?
The nearest is Harbourfront Beach, in town.
Where can you walk near Owen Sound?
OpenStreetMap maps the Bruce Trail - Sydenham section and Bruce Trail - Sydenham section side trails close by, with others.
How much land around Owen Sound is protected?
Yes: 1.3% of the land within 10 km is protected.
How far is Owen Sound from a national park?
It is Bruce Peninsula National Park, 70 km off.
Sources
Where Owen Sound’s 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.
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).