First pick
Uxbridge Woodlands
Wood or forest
4,288 ha132.7 km of path
29 h 30 minto walk all 132.7 km of path
23 km northfrom the centre
Oak Ridges TrailRed Oak TrailWhite Pine Trail+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Joe Mabel (on Flickr as Joe Mabel from Seattle, US) · CC BY-SA 3.07.6%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Pickering · parks, protected land & trails
Rouge National Urban Park begins at the edge of Pickering
Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park is the closest provincial park, at 5.4 km. Swimmers have 11 beaches within 5 km, Frenchman's Bay East beach the nearest. Within 10 km of the town, 7.6% of the land is protected, against 2.3% around a typical Canadian town.
Protected land
7.6%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
46
within 10 km, 16 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
At the edge
Rouge National Urban Park
Nearest provincial park
5.4 km
Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park
Walking routes
1
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
11
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
The outdoors in Pickering, in short
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Next to a national parkRouge National Urban Park starts at the edge of townProtected land all round7.6% of the land within 10 km, more than 80% of Canadian townsBeaches11 beaches within 5 km
Out of doors, Pickering leads with Rouge National Urban Park on its doorstep, with protected land around it close behind.
Against other towns
Each figure for Pickering, 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. Outdoors isn’t one of Canada’s graded subjects, so there’s no letter here: each figure is set against other Canadian towns instead.
Protected within 10 km7.6%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town11%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas16Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes1Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches11Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Among 40 towns its size, Pickering ranks 13th for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (85,944 to 162,413 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
Pickering7.6%
Towns its size3.9%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Pickering16
Towns its size13
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Pickering1
Towns its size1
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
Among its peers, Pickering’s strong point is protected land nearby, where 12 of 39 top it.
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 | Pickering ON | 7.6% | 11% | 46 | 1 | 11 |
| 14 | Saguenay QC | 6% | 6.1% | 29 | 0 | 11 |
| 15 | Brossard QC | 5.6% | 9.1% | 31 | 0 | 6 |
| 16 | Kingston ON | 5% | 6.2% | 54 | 2 | 5 |
| 17 | Ajax ON | 4.9% | 5.8% | 31 | 1 | 8 |
| 18 | Bolton ON | 4.8% | 5.9% | 113 | 11 | 3 |
| 19 | Lévis QC | 4.1% | 0.6% | 62 | 1 | 8 |
| 20 | Whitby ON | 3.9% | 4.7% | 37 | 1 | 3 |
| 21 | Terrebonne QC | 3.8% | 3.6% | 60 | 0 | 3 |
| 22 | St. John's NL | 2.2% | 1.2% | 6 | 1 | 41 |
| 23 | Moncton NB | 2.2% | 1.7% | 17 | 0 | 2 |
| 24 | Nanaimo BC | 1.9% | 6.7% | 42 | 2 | 33 |
| 25 | Bowmanville ON | 1.6% | 3% | 25 | 2 | 9 |
| 26 | Newmarket ON | 1.3% | 1.8% | 27 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Milton ON | 1.3% | 0% | 38 | 15 | 3 |
| 28 | St. Catharines ON | 1.2% | 1.7% | 15 | 4 | 7 |
| 29 | Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu QC | 1.1% | 1.2% | 18 | 1 | 3 |
| 30 | Niagara Falls ON | 1.1% | 1.7% | 15 | 3 | 4 |
| 31 | Chatham ON | 1% | 1% | 21 | 0 | 8 |
| 32 | Guelph ON | 0.9% | 3.1% | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| 33 | Red Deer AB | 0.7% | 1.2% | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 34 | Peterborough ON | 0.6% | 0% | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| 35 | Waterloo ON | 0.6% | 0% | 17 | 12 | 1 |
| 36 | Lethbridge AB | 0.4% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Brantford ON | 0.3% | 0% | 15 | 3 | 0 |
| 38 | Prince George BC | 0.3% | 0.5% | 5 | 1 | 51 |
| 39 | Thunder Bay ON | 0.1% | 0.4% | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 40 | Airdrie AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Where the green is in Pickering
The town’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
30 named parks and woods to walk in near Pickering
Largest first: Uxbridge Woodlands leads with 4,288 ha. Numbers match the map.
30 named parks and woods, 4,444 ha in all
Parks & gardens 156 haWoods 4,288 ha
Between them, Uxbridge Woodlands and Rotary Park cover 97%.
Rotary Park
Park or garden
23 ha2.9 km of path
40 minto walk all 2.9 km of path
3.2 km southfrom the centre
Waterfront Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Alex Robertson Park
Park or garden
21 ha2.2 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.2 km of path
3.9 km south-eastfrom the centre
Waterfront Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Kinsmen Park
Park or garden
14 ha0.3 km of path
3.8 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Diana Princess of Wales Park
Park or garden
8.6 ha1.6 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.6 km of path
2.3 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Douglas Park
Park or garden
9.2 ha0.3 km of path
2.2 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Amberlea Park
Park or garden
7.4 ha0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
2.3 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Uxbridge WoodlandsWood or forest · 4,288 ha · 132.7 km of path
DirectionsRotary ParkPark or garden · 23 ha · 2.9 km of path
DirectionsAlex Robertson ParkPark or garden · 21 ha · 2.2 km of path
DirectionsKinsmen ParkPark or garden · 14 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsDiana Princess of Wales ParkPark or garden · 8.6 ha · 1.6 km of path
DirectionsDouglas ParkPark or garden · 9.2 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsAmberlea ParkPark or garden · 7.4 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsDixie ParkPark or garden · 8.2 ha
DirectionsBrock Ridge Community ParkPark or garden · 6.2 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsDavid Farr ParkPark or garden · 6.2 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsBeachfront ParkPark or garden · 4.9 ha · 1.2 km of path
DirectionsMajor Oaks ParkPark or garden · 3.8 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsAlderwood ParkPark or garden · 4.6 ha
DirectionsForestbrook ParkPark or garden · 3.3 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsGlengrove ParkPark or garden · 3.7 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsPickering Museum VillagePark or garden · 3.9 ha
DirectionsShadybrook ParkPark or garden · 3.1 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsWoodsmere parkPark or garden · 2.6 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsDavid Farr Memorial Park SouthPark or garden · 2.7 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsCentennial ParkPark or garden · 2.8 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsDon Beer Memorial ParkPark or garden · 2.5 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsMcPherson ParkPark or garden · 2.9 ha
DirectionsGreenwood ParkPark or garden · 3.0 ha
DirectionsRick Johnson Memorial ParkPark or garden · 2.0 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsMitchell ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsVillage East ParkPark or garden · 2.2 ha
DirectionsProgress Frenchman's Bay East ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsCommerce Street ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsDenmar ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsBalsdon ParkPark or garden · 1.0 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 8 in 10 in Pickering
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 (75%)Further (25%)
Pickering75%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
The typical Canadian town reaches 83%. That leaves about 29,000 people more than a short walk away.
Protected areas
Around Pickering, protected areas make up 7.6%
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Pickering11%
Within 10 km7.6%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
16 of the 46 belong to a government or an Indigenous nation. Rouge National Urban Park leads for size with 4,551 ha. 28 areas belong to private owners or land trusts and aren’t named here.
Rouge National Urban ParkNational urban park · 4,551 ha · reaches Pickering
Bob Hunter ParkNature reserve · 18 ha · 1.4 km from the edge of town
Lower Highland Creek-Lower Highland Creek RavineNature reserve · 60 ha · 3.0 km from the edge of town
Uxbridge Urban Provincial ParkProvincial park · 532 ha · 5.4 km from the edge of town
D'Hillier Park & Open SpaceNature reserve · 27 ha · 5.6 km from the edge of town
Atkinson Open SpaceNature reserve · 5.0 ha · 5.9 km from the edge of town
Jeffery ParkNature reserve · 8.0 ha · 6.7 km from the edge of town
Pringle Creek Open SpaceNature reserve · 17 ha · 6.8 km from the edge of town
Wynfield Open SpaceNature reserve · 6.1 ha · 7.4 km from the edge of town
Garden Street Open SpaceNature reserve · 8.1 ha · 7.8 km from the edge of town
2 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 parks within reach of Pickering
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
National urban park
Rouge National Urban Park
At the edge46 km²since 2015
Provincial park
Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park
5.4 km north5.3 km²since 2024
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: 277 km in and around Pickering
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
277 km
in and around the town (323.3 km²)
Woodland
19%
about 60 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
PickeringTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.9
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
PickeringTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland19%
0%50%100%
Woods cover more of it than in 66% of Canadian towns. It has fewer paths per km² than 60% 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
1 walking route near Pickering
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Other waymarked
Seaton Hiking Trail12.5 km
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
The best months for walking in Pickering: May and August
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Oshawa (20 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 | 8.9 |
| High (°C) | -1 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 18 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 21 | 14 | 8 | 2 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 75 | 54 | 54 | 87 | 85 | 94 | 86 | 74 | 86 | 72 | 73 | 68 |
Daytime highs run from -1 °C in January up to 26 °C in July. June is the wettest month (94 mm) and February the driest (54 mm). Snowfall averages 102 cm a year. The climate in Pickering →
Beaches
Beaches near Pickering: 11 within 5 km
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Frenchman's Bay East beachin town
DirectionsFrenchman's Bay West beachin town
DirectionsPickering Beach0.1 km from town
DirectionsParadise Beach3.8 km from town
DirectionsOpenStreetMap shows 7 more, nameless. 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 Pickering: 14 viewpoints, 2 waterfalls
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
The most common are playgrounds: 161 on the map.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 14
Vista Trail Viewing Platform1.1 km from town
DirectionsPlus 13 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Waterfalls 2
Plus 2 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 6
Claremont Forest and Wildlife Areain town
DirectionsPetticoat Creek Conservation Areain town
DirectionsBeare Hill Park0.5 km from town
DirectionsGreenwood Conservation Area0.8 km from town
DirectionsOrchard Trail0.9 km from town
DirectionsHeber Down Conservation Area1.9 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 5
Plus 5 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 161
Denmar Park Kid's Playgroundin town
DirectionsDino-Slide Playgroundin town
DirectionsSandboxin town
DirectionsTreehouse Club Housein town
DirectionsFanfare Playground1.1 km from town
DirectionsAdam's Park Playground1.3 km from town
DirectionsPlus 155 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 4
Glen Rouge Campground0.2 km from town
DirectionsPlus 3 campsites without a name on the map.
Slipways 1
Kayak launch spotin town
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
Near Pickering: one garden to visit
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
Xeriscape GardenGarden or park · at the edge of town
DirectionsSources: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL, and Wikidata (CC0), as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic places from Parks Canada’s Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, the Canadian Register of Historic Places and Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel.
Next door
Next to Pickering
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
West RougeAjaxCentennial ScarboroughHighland CreekMorningside HeightsMalvern EastPickering
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pickering | 7.6% | 46 | 1 | 11 |
| West Rouge 5.9 km | 3.4% | 14 | 0 | 10 |
| Ajax 6.6 km | 4.9% | 31 | 1 | 8 |
| Centennial Scarborough 7.3 km | 3.5% | 14 | 0 | 7 |
| Highland Creek 7.9 km | 3.5% | 14 | 0 | 5 |
| Morningside Heights 8.5 km | 5.7% | 16 | 0 | 6 |
| Malvern East 9.7 km | 3.4% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
Around Pickering, nobody nearby has double its protected land.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Private land. Land owned by individuals, companies or conservation groups counts toward the figures but is never named: a person’s land isn’t a place to visit.
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
- 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. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
Questions about the outdoors in Pickering
How far is Pickering from a national park?
It is on the doorstep: Rouge National Urban Park touches Pickering.
Is there a beach near Pickering?
Try Frenchman's Bay East beach, in town, first of several.
Are there hiking trails near Pickering?
Try the Seaton Hiking Trail.
How much land around Pickering is protected?
Yes: 7.6% of the land within 10 km is protected.
What is the largest protected area near Pickering?
Rouge National Urban Park: 4,551 ha, a national urban park.
How far is the nearest provincial park from Pickering?
Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park, 5.4 km from the edge of town.
When is the best time for walking in Pickering?
May and August: long days, mild highs and little rain.
Sources
The sources behind Pickering’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.
Gardens: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden) and Wikidata gardens within 15 km, as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic gardens and parks from Canada’s heritage registers (Parks Canada DFHD, the Canadian Register of Historic Places, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel).
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).