First pick
Penetanguishene Rotary Park
Park or garden
16 ha3.1 km of path
40 minto walk all 3.1 km of path
1.0 km south-westfrom the centre
Penetanguishene Waterfront Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Andre Carrotflower · CC BY-SA 4.06.6%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Penetanguishene · parks, protected land & trails
A national park 2.1 km from Penetanguishene: Georgian Bay Islands National Park
A provincial park, Awenda Provincial Park, lies 1.5 km away. Protected areas cover 6.6% of the land within 10 km; for the typical Canadian town it is 2.3%. For a swim, Christian Beach is the nearest of 7 beaches within 5 km.
Protected land
6.6%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
7
within 10 km, 3 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
2.1 km
Georgian Bay Islands National Park
Nearest provincial park
1.5 km
Awenda Provincial Park
Walking routes
1
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
7
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What sets Penetanguishene apart outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
A national park nearbyGeorgian Bay Islands National Park, 2.1 km awayProtected land all round6.6% of the land within 10 km, more than 77% of Canadian townsBeaches7 beaches within 5 km
What Penetanguishene has most to offer outdoors is Georgian Bay Islands National Park within easy reach, with protected land around it close behind.
Against other towns
Penetanguishene against other 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. Outdoors isn’t graded in Canada. The page compares each figure with other towns and leaves it there.
Protected within 10 km6.6%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 areas3Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes1Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches7Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Penetanguishene comes 16th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (10,966 to 11,365 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
Penetanguishene6.6%
Towns its size3.3%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Penetanguishene3
Towns its size11
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Penetanguishene1
Towns its size0
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
Penetanguishene beats most towns its size for protected land nearby; 15 of 39 do better. For public protected areas, though, 29 of 39 are ahead.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montmagny QC | 26% | 0.1% | 51 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | Liverpool NS | 24% | 21% | 230 | 5 | 56 |
| 3 | Timberlea NS | 19% | 30% | 22 | 12 | 7 |
| 4 | Whitehaven - Woodpark - Glabar Park ON | 14% | 5.8% | 31 | 3 | 8 |
| 5 | Carson Grove - Carson Meadows ON | 14% | 0% | 41 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | Laurentian ON | 13% | 0% | 31 | 3 | 8 |
| 7 | Hintonburg-Mechanicsville ON | 11% | 1.4% | 32 | 3 | 5 |
| 8 | Rothwell Heights - Beacon Hill North ON | 11% | 7.8% | 42 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Laval-Ouest QC | 11% | 0% | 35 | 0 | 5 |
| 10 | Yellowhead County AB | 11% | 3.4% | 33 | 2 | 11 |
| 11 | Borden Farm - Fisher Glen ON | 10% | 0.6% | 31 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Vieux Greenfield Park QC | 7.8% | 0% | 28 | 0 | 5 |
| 13 | Smiths Falls ON | 7.5% | 6.3% | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 14 | New Kleinburg ON | 7.5% | 12% | 27 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | La Tuque QC | 7.4% | 7.5% | 372 | 0 | 140 |
| 16 | Penetanguishene ON | 6.6% | 0% | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| 17 | Hochelaga QC | 5.3% | 0% | 22 | 0 | 4 |
| 18 | Pont-Rouge QC | 5.1% | 0% | 41 | 0 | 1 |
| 19 | Snelgrove ON | 3.7% | 18% | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | Lake Bonavista AB | 3.5% | 3.1% | 2 | 0 | 12 |
| 21 | Little Saigon BC | 3.1% | 0% | 13 | 3 | 37 |
| 22 | Cathedraltown ON | 3% | 0% | 38 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Forest Hill South ON | 2.4% | 0% | 14 | 2 | 1 |
| 24 | Broadview North ON | 2.3% | 5.7% | 11 | 4 | 12 |
| 25 | Thornbury ON | 2.2% | 5.5% | 63 | 5 | 8 |
| 26 | Cabbagetown-South St.James Town ON | 2.2% | 0% | 11 | 8 | 33 |
| 27 | Dufferin Grove ON | 1.9% | 0% | 11 | 4 | 15 |
| 28 | East London ON | 1.8% | 1.4% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Sheridan ON | 1.7% | 8.4% | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 30 | Linden Woods MB | 1.5% | 0% | 24 | 0 | 1 |
| 31 | Bridgwater Trails MB | 1.4% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 1 |
| 32 | Norquay Village BC | 1.4% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 15 |
| 33 | Peguis MB | 0.5% | 0% | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Lacombe County AB | 0.4% | 0.4% | 45 | 0 | 11 |
| 35 | Whitehorn AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Farnham QC | 0.2% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| 37 | Princess-Rosethorn ON | 0.2% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 38 | Creditview ON | 0.2% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Lethbridge County AB | 0.1% | 0.2% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Beddington Heights AB | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Where the green is in Penetanguishene
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 Penetanguishene: 4 named parks and woods
The biggest is Penetanguishene Rotary Park, 16 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
4 named parks and woods, 19 ha in all
Parks & gardens 19 ha
The bulk, 91%, is Penetanguishene Rotary Park and Martin Valley Park.
Martin Valley Park
Park or garden
1.5 ha0.5 km of path
1.7 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Gendron Park
Park or garden
0.8 ha0.3 km of path
1.7 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Penatanguishene Memorial Park
Park or garden
0.8 ha0.1 km of path
1.0 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Source: 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
About 6 in 10 of Penetanguishene’s residents are a short walk from 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 (57%)Further (43%)
Penetanguishene57%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
That leaves about 4,800 people more than a short walk away. In the typical Canadian town the share is 83%, higher than here.
Protected areas
Around Penetanguishene, protected areas make up 6.6%
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Penetanguishene0%
Within 10 km6.6%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
3 of the 7 belong to a government or an Indigenous nation. At 3,025 ha, Awenda Provincial Park is the largest. 4 more areas within 10 km are private land, held by landowners or conservation groups: counted here, not named.
Awenda Provincial ParkProvincial park · 3,025 ha · 1.5 km from the edge of town
Georgian Bay Islands National ParkNational park · 1,400 ha · 2.1 km from the edge of town
Wye Marsh National Wildlife AreaWildlife area · 44 ha · 6.5 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 parks within reach of Penetanguishene
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
Awenda Provincial Park
1.5 km north-west30 km²since 1975
National park
Georgian Bay Islands National Park
2.1 km north-east14 km²since 1930
A provincial park is closer: Awenda Provincial Park, at 1.5 km.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Penetanguishene has 34 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
34 km
in and around the town (58.7 km²)
Woodland
48%
about 28.4 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
PenetanguisheneTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.6
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
PenetanguisheneTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland48%
0%50%100%
More of it is wooded than in 83% of Canadian towns. It has fewer paths per km² than 64% 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
Penetanguishene 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.
Local
Rotary Waterfront Trail (hiking)7.0 km
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 Penetanguishene: May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Muskoka (54 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 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°C) | -1 | -1 | 4 | 10 | 17 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 14 | 8 | 2 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 92 | 56 | 72 | 79 | 93 | 86 | 100 | 82 | 102 | 111 | 103 | 87 |
Daytime highs run from -1 °C in January up to 25 °C in July. Most rain and snow falls in October, 111 mm; February sees 56 mm. The climate in Penetanguishene →
Beaches
Penetanguishene has 7 beaches close by
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Christian Beach3.9 km from town
DirectionsMagnus Beach4.5 km from town
DirectionsOpenStreetMap shows 5 more, nameless. This page can’t show water quality: no open, Canada-wide record of beach testing exists. Check local advisories first.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Outdoors around Penetanguishene: 20 places to go
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
15 playgrounds top the list.
Every named place, with directions
Playgrounds 15
Plus 15 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Penetanguishene
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
MidlandTinyTayPenetanguishene
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
For walking routes, Tay leads the area with 3. No neighbouring place reaches twice Penetanguishene’s protected share.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- 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. Measured on CPCAD’s outlines: the part of a 10 km band around the town that lies in a protected or conserved area, water included.
- 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.
- Private land. Private conservation land is in the totals, not the lists. Many such areas are easements on working farms or woodlots.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
Questions about the outdoors in Penetanguishene
Is there a provincial park near Penetanguishene?
The closest is Awenda Provincial Park, at 1.5 km.
How much land around Penetanguishene is protected?
Within 10 km, 6.6% of the land lies in protected areas.
What walking routes are near Penetanguishene?
Try the Rotary Waterfront Trail (hiking).
What is the nearest beach to Penetanguishene?
The nearest is Christian Beach, 3.9 km from town.
When should you visit Penetanguishene for the outdoors?
On the normals, May to September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
What is the largest protected area near Penetanguishene?
It is Awenda Provincial Park, a provincial park covering 3,025 ha.
How far is Penetanguishene from a national park?
The nearest is Georgian Bay Islands National Park, 2.1 km away.
Sources
The sources behind Penetanguishene’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).