First pick
Richmond Green
Park or garden
42 ha7.9 km of path
1 h 45 minto walk all 7.9 km of path
3.2 km north-eastfrom the centre
Village Walk
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Canmenwalker · CC BY 4.01.9%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Richmond Hill · parks, protected land & trails
Rouge National Urban Park lies 10 km beyond Richmond Hill’s edge
Count 51 protected areas within 10 km of town. The nearest provincial park, Holland Landing Prairie Provincial Park, is 18 km away. One mapped walking route passes within 2 km: the Oak Ridges Trail.
Protected land
1.9%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
51
within 10 km, 29 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
10 km
Rouge National Urban Park
Nearest provincial park
18 km
Holland Landing Prairie Provincial Park
Walking routes
1
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What Richmond Hill has going for it outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
A national park nearbyRouge National Urban Park, 10 km awayMany protected areas29 public areas within 10 km
Above all, Richmond Hill offers Rouge National Urban Park within easy reach, with the number of public protected areas close by close behind.
Against other towns
Each figure for Richmond Hill, 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 km1.9%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town8.4%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas29Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes1Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Richmond Hill has the 15th least protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (105,925 to 243,107 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
Richmond Hill1.9%
Towns its size3.7%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Richmond Hill29
Towns its size15
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Richmond Hill1
Towns its size2
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
Among its peers, Richmond Hill’s strong point is public protected areas, where 8 of 39 top it. It trails them for protected land nearby, where 25 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 | Coquitlam BC | 25% | 28% | 130 | 5 | 69 |
| 3 | Delta BC | 24% | 17% | 181 | 9 | 19 |
| 4 | Richmond BC | 21% | 3.2% | 73 | 2 | 31 |
| 5 | Kamloops BC | 14% | 13% | 16 | 0 | 11 |
| 6 | Kelowna BC | 13% | 3.8% | 36 | 0 | 42 |
| 7 | Saanich BC | 11% | 9.4% | 43 | 7 | 56 |
| 8 | Strathcona County AB | 9.4% | 1.4% | 38 | 7 | 6 |
| 9 | Trois-Rivières QC | 8.4% | 1.2% | 44 | 1 | 10 |
| 10 | Cape Breton NS | 8.2% | 8.6% | 176 | 1 | 74 |
| 11 | Pickering ON | 7.6% | 11% | 46 | 1 | 11 |
| 12 | Greater Sudbury / Grand Sudbury ON | 6.7% | 3.5% | 43 | 5 | 18 |
| 13 | Saguenay QC | 6% | 6.1% | 29 | 0 | 11 |
| 14 | Kingston ON | 5% | 6.2% | 54 | 2 | 5 |
| 15 | Ajax ON | 4.9% | 5.8% | 31 | 1 | 8 |
| 16 | Lévis QC | 4.1% | 0.6% | 62 | 1 | 8 |
| 17 | Sherbrooke QC | 4.1% | 0.8% | 23 | 2 | 3 |
| 18 | Whitby ON | 3.9% | 4.7% | 37 | 1 | 3 |
| 19 | Abbotsford BC | 3.9% | 0.5% | 37 | 2 | 10 |
| 20 | Terrebonne QC | 3.8% | 3.6% | 60 | 0 | 3 |
| 21 | Langley BC | 3.5% | 2.9% | 144 | 8 | 10 |
| 22 | Barrie ON | 2.6% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 8 |
| 23 | Burlington ON | 2.5% | 1.6% | 27 | 2 | 17 |
| 24 | Oshawa ON | 2.4% | 0.3% | 30 | 1 | 4 |
| 25 | St. John's NL | 2.2% | 1.2% | 6 | 1 | 41 |
| 26 | Richmond Hill ON | 1.9% | 8.4% | 51 | 1 | 0 |
| 27 | Nanaimo BC | 1.9% | 6.7% | 42 | 2 | 33 |
| 28 | Cambridge ON | 1.7% | 0.4% | 33 | 10 | 2 |
| 29 | Bowmanville ON | 1.6% | 3% | 25 | 2 | 9 |
| 30 | Milton ON | 1.3% | 0% | 38 | 15 | 3 |
| 31 | St. Catharines ON | 1.2% | 1.7% | 15 | 4 | 7 |
| 32 | Niagara Falls ON | 1.1% | 1.7% | 15 | 3 | 4 |
| 33 | Chatham ON | 1% | 1% | 21 | 0 | 8 |
| 34 | Guelph ON | 0.9% | 3.1% | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| 35 | Oakville ON | 0.9% | 4.1% | 8 | 1 | 9 |
| 36 | Red Deer AB | 0.7% | 1.2% | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 37 | Waterloo ON | 0.6% | 0% | 17 | 12 | 1 |
| 38 | Lethbridge AB | 0.4% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Brantford ON | 0.3% | 0% | 15 | 3 | 0 |
| 40 | Thunder Bay ON | 0.1% | 0.4% | 3 | 0 | 4 |
The map
Parks, woods and paths around Richmond Hill
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 Richmond Hill
The biggest is Richmond Green, 42 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
30 named parks and woods, 341 ha in all
Parks & gardens 298 haWoods 43 ha
Even the biggest has just 12% of the total.
Phyllis Rawlinson Park
Park or garden
39 ha2.4 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.4 km of path
5.3 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Headwaters Community Park
Park or garden
25 ha3.7 km of path
50 minto walk all 3.7 km of path
2.8 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Mill Pond Park
Park or garden
17 ha2.4 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.4 km of path
1.8 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
New Berry Park
Park or garden
15 ha2.3 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.3 km of path
1.8 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Beaver Greenway
Park or garden
15 ha1.9 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.9 km of path
5.6 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Baker's Woods
Wood or forest
33 ha3.6 km of path
50 minto walk all 3.6 km of path
6.3 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Artisian Park
Park or garden
13 ha2.1 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.1 km of path
3.7 km south-eastfrom the centre
Beaver Greenway Trail
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Richmond GreenPark or garden · 42 ha · 7.9 km of path
DirectionsPhyllis Rawlinson ParkPark or garden · 39 ha · 2.4 km of path
DirectionsHeadwaters Community ParkPark or garden · 25 ha · 3.7 km of path
DirectionsMill Pond ParkPark or garden · 17 ha · 2.4 km of path
DirectionsNew Berry ParkPark or garden · 15 ha · 2.3 km of path
DirectionsBeaver GreenwayPark or garden · 15 ha · 1.9 km of path
DirectionsBaker's WoodsWood or forest · 33 ha · 3.6 km of path
DirectionsArtisian ParkPark or garden · 13 ha · 2.1 km of path
DirectionsLaurentian ParkPark or garden · 13 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsDavid Hamilton ParkPark or garden · 10 ha · 1.9 km of path
DirectionsRussell Tilt ParkPark or garden · 9.2 ha · 1.9 km of path
DirectionsBayview Hill ParkPark or garden · 9.8 ha · 1.4 km of path
DirectionsLake Wilcox ParkPark or garden · 7.8 ha · 2.2 km of path
DirectionsRussell Farm ParkPark or garden · 8.4 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsDr. James Langstaff Comunity ParkPark or garden · 6.6 ha · 1.8 km of path
DirectionsRichvale Athletic ParkPark or garden · 7.3 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsCrosby ParkPark or garden · 6.3 ha · 1.6 km of path
DirectionsTollbar ParkPark or garden · 6.8 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsSaddle Creek ParkPark or garden · 4.4 ha · 1.7 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsHarding ParkPark or garden · 4.8 ha · 1.4 km of path
DirectionsRichvale Greenway NorthPark or garden · 5.3 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsDavid Dunlop Observatory ParkPark or garden · 5.0 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsRichvale Greenway ParkWood or forest · 9.8 ha · 1.8 km of path
DirectionsMonticello ParkPark or garden · 5.0 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsBradstock ParkPark or garden · 3.9 ha · 1 km of path
DirectionsRumble Pond Park SouthPark or garden · 4.6 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsHelmkay ParkPark or garden · 3.5 ha · 1 km of path
DirectionsSpringbrook ParkPark or garden · 4.3 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsSussex ParkPark or garden · 3.7 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsMorgan Boyle ParkPark or garden · 3.9 ha · 0.6 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
About 9 in 10 of Richmond Hill’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 (91%)Further (9.4%)
Richmond Hill91%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
That leaves about 21,000 people more than a short walk away. Against the typical Canadian town’s 83%, that is high.
Protected areas
Around Richmond Hill, protected areas make up 1.9%
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Richmond Hill8.4%
Within 10 km1.9%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Governments hold 29 of the 51, and private owners the rest. Elgin West Channel Lands leads for size with 89 ha. The count includes 11 areas that are private or not recorded as public; they aren’t named.
Elgin West Channel LandsNature reserve · 89 ha · reaches Richmond Hill
David Dunlap Observatory ParkNature reserve · 45 ha · reaches Richmond Hill
Jefferson ForestNature reserve · 37 ha · reaches Richmond Hill
Rouge River Headwaters Valley & TrailsNature reserve · 37 ha · reaches Richmond Hill
Beaver GreenwayNature reserve · 29 ha · reaches Richmond Hill
Oak Ridges EastNature reserve · 27 ha · reaches Richmond Hill
German Mills ChannelNature reserve · 20 ha · reaches Richmond Hill
Riotrin ValleylandsNature reserve · 20 ha · reaches Richmond Hill
Saigeon TrailNature reserve · 20 ha · reaches Richmond Hill
Beaver WoodlandNature reserve · 18 ha · reaches Richmond Hill
19 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 Richmond Hill
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
10 km north-east46 km²since 2015
Provincial park
Holland Landing Prairie Provincial Park
18 km north0.3 km²since 1994
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Richmond Hill and its edge hold 357 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
357 km
in and around the town (155.3 km²)
Woodland
12%
about 19 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Richmond HillTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths2.3
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Richmond HillTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland12%
0%50%100%
It has more footpath per km² than 60% of Canadian towns. Woods cover more of it than in 57% 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
One mapped route to walk from Richmond Hill
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Regional
Oak Ridges Trail272.4 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 Richmond Hill: May and July to September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Toronto Buttonville (Airport), 5.9 km away). Good months: long days, highs of 15–30 °C, light rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.2 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 8.9 |
| High (°C) | -2 | -1 | 5 | 12 | 19 | 25 | 27 | 26 | 22 | 14 | 7 | 2 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 64 | 51 | 52 | 79 | 80 | 87 | 85 | 72 | 83 | 71 | 77 | 63 |
Snow totals about 146 cm a year. Highs peak near 27 °C in July and fall to -2 °C in January. June is the wettest month (87 mm) and February the driest (51 mm). The climate in Richmond Hill →
Things to do
3 viewpoints near Richmond Hill
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Count 384 playgrounds, the biggest group.
Every named place, with directions
Hills and peaks 2
The Pinnacles0.5 km from town
DirectionsHeise Hill0.9 km from town
DirectionsNature reserves 5
Oak Ridges Corridor Conservation Reservein town
DirectionsPioneer Parkin town
DirectionsMacMillan Nature Preserve1.3 km from town
DirectionsCase Woodlot1.8 km from town
DirectionsMaple Nature Reserve1.9 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 2
Plus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 384
Children's Play Zonein town
DirectionsJump Cityin town
DirectionsKarindon Parkin town
DirectionsKindergarden Play Penin town
DirectionsOneida Playgroundin town
DirectionsSplash Padin town
DirectionsPlay Area0.9 km from town
DirectionsSummerdale Playground1.9 km from town
DirectionsPlus 376 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 4
Tower Hill Dog Parkin town
DirectionsConcord Dog Park1.0 km from town
DirectionsHuntington Park Off-Leash Dog Park1.0 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 dog park without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Richmond Hill
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Upper Thornhill EstatesThe Valleys of ThornhillCathedraltownThornhill WoodsHopeCarrville CornersRichmond Hill
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond Hill | 1.9% | 51 | 1 | 0 |
| Upper Thornhill Estates 3.5 km | 3.5% | 39 | 0 | 0 |
| The Valleys of Thornhill 4.4 km | 3.8% | 34 | 0 | 0 |
| Cathedraltown 5.1 km | 3% | 38 | 0 | 0 |
| Thornhill Woods 5.8 km | 3.5% | 29 | 0 | 0 |
| Hope 5.9 km | 4.8% | 58 | 0 | 0 |
| Carrville Corners 6.1 km | 4.1% | 33 | 0 | 0 |
Around The Valleys of Thornhill, Hope and Carrville Corners the protected share is at least double.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- 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. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- 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.
- Walking routes. Only named route relations count; a park’s own path network may not show unless it is mapped as a route.
Questions about the outdoors in Richmond Hill
Where can you walk near Richmond Hill?
The Oak Ridges Trail, mapped within 2 km.
Is there a provincial park near Richmond Hill?
Holland Landing Prairie Provincial Park, 18 km from the edge of town.
Is there protected land near Richmond Hill?
Protected areas cover 1.9% of the land within 10 km.
How far is Richmond Hill from a national park?
Rouge National Urban Park is closest, at 10 km.
Which is the biggest protected area near Richmond Hill?
It is Elgin West Channel Lands, a nature reserve covering 89 ha.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Richmond Hill?
May and July to September, on the 1991–2020 normals and the daylight: long days, highs of 15 °C or more, light rain for the place.
Sources
Where Richmond Hill’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).