First pick
Pinafore Park
Park or garden
39 ha4 km of path
55 minto walk all 4 km of path
2.1 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA · CC BY-SA 2.00.2%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in St. Thomas · parks, protected land & trails
3 named trails run within 2 km of St. Thomas
The nearest provincial park, Port Bruce Provincial Park, is 15 km away. CPCAD lists 3 protected areas within 10 km. The protected share within 10 km is 0.2%, where a typical Canadian town has 2.3%.
Protected land
0.2%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
3
within 10 km, 0 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
15 km
Port Bruce Provincial Park
Walking routes
3
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
Where St. Thomas stands out outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Walking routes3 named routes within 2 kmLittle protected land0.2% within 10 km; the typical Canadian town: 2.3%
For someone who likes to get outside, St. Thomas’ draw is its choice of walking routes. It has less to offer in protected land nearby.
Against other towns
St. Thomas 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. There is no Outdoors grade for Canadian towns; the figures stand beside the country’s towns of 2,500+ without a letter.
Protected within 10 km0.2%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 areas0Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes3Named 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
Among 40 towns its size, St. Thomas is 2nd from the bottom for protected land
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (42,989 to 56,897 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
St. Thomas0.2%
Towns its size3.6%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
St. Thomas0
Towns its size9
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
St. Thomas3
Towns its size1
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
St. Thomas beats most towns its size for walking routes; 11 of 39 do better. On public protected areas it is behind: 38 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dollard-Des Ormeaux QC | 27% | 3.7% | 40 | 0 | 6 |
| 2 | Shawinigan QC | 24% | 61% | 40 | 16 | 10 |
| 3 | Vaudreuil-Dorion QC | 20% | 0.7% | 73 | 0 | 10 |
| 4 | Châteauguay QC | 19% | 0.8% | 34 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | Mission BC | 19% | 3.5% | 28 | 3 | 33 |
| 6 | Newton BC | 15% | 7.3% | 174 | 6 | 1 |
| 7 | Sault-Saint-Louis QC | 11% | 10% | 24 | 0 | 4 |
| 8 | Rouyn-Noranda QC | 11% | 14% | 90 | 15 | 8 |
| 9 | Saint-Eustache QC | 9.9% | 0% | 42 | 0 | 7 |
| 10 | Pointe-aux-Trembles QC | 9.5% | 7.3% | 38 | 0 | 2 |
| 11 | Rimouski QC | 8.8% | 3.6% | 43 | 10 | 48 |
| 12 | Salaberry-de-Valleyfield QC | 8.8% | 1.9% | 27 | 0 | 2 |
| 13 | West Vancouver BC | 8.6% | 21% | 56 | 10 | 132 |
| 14 | Vernon BC | 8.4% | 1.9% | 17 | 0 | 27 |
| 15 | Whalley BC | 8.2% | 1% | 125 | 5 | 7 |
| 16 | Anjou QC | 6.5% | 2.4% | 28 | 0 | 1 |
| 17 | Hagerman's Corners ON | 6.4% | 0% | 26 | 1 | 1 |
| 18 | Fabreville QC | 5.8% | 3% | 39 | 0 | 4 |
| 19 | Mascouche QC | 4% | 0% | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Port-Maurice QC | 4% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Spruce Grove AB | 3.1% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Timmins ON | 2.7% | 1.8% | 7 | 0 | 6 |
| 23 | Alliston ON | 2.1% | 0.4% | 36 | 2 | 3 |
| 24 | Charlottetown PE | 2% | 2% | 15 | 25 | 13 |
| 25 | Quinte West ON | 1.4% | 0.6% | 22 | 3 | 1 |
| 26 | Bradford ON | 1.1% | 1.3% | 28 | 5 | 1 |
| 27 | East Gwillimbury ON | 0.8% | 0.6% | 14 | 2 | 1 |
| 28 | Keswick ON | 0.7% | 0.9% | 13 | 1 | 14 |
| 29 | Roseborough ON | 0.7% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Hurontario ON | 0.7% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Rocky View County AB | 0.5% | 0.6% | 20 | 9 | 19 |
| 32 | Paris ON | 0.4% | 0.2% | 26 | 7 | 3 |
| 33 | Woodstock ON | 0.4% | 0% | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 34 | Lakeshore ON | 0.4% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 35 | Churchill Meadows ON | 0.4% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Innisfil ON | 0.3% | 0.1% | 6 | 1 | 17 |
| 37 | Victoriaville QC | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 38 | Caledonia ON | 0.2% | 0.4% | 17 | 4 | 7 |
| 39 | St. Thomas ON | 0.2% | 0% | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 40 | Cornwall ON | 0.1% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
The map
Where the green is in St. Thomas
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
15 named parks and woods to walk in near St. Thomas
Pinafore Park is the largest, at 39 ha; the rest follow by size, numbered as on the map.
15 named parks and woods, 66 ha in all
Parks & gardens 66 ha
70% of the area is in just two places: Pinafore Park and Athletic Park.
Athletic Park
Park or garden
6.9 ha0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
2.4 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Cowan Park
Park or garden · 250 m outside town
5.6 ha
2.8 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Optimist Park
Park or garden
2.9 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
1.0 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Burwell Park
Park or garden
2.8 ha0.1 km of path
3.7 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Applewood Park
Park or garden
1.5 ha0.4 km of path
2.1 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
St. Thomas Elevated Park
Park or garden
0.6 ha0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
3.3 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Rosethorn Park
Park or garden
1.3 ha0.2 km of path
1.7 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 15 named parks and green spaces
Pinafore ParkPark or garden · 39 ha · 4 km of path
DirectionsAthletic ParkPark or garden · 6.9 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsCowan ParkPark or garden · 5.6 ha · just outside town
DirectionsOptimist ParkPark or garden · 2.9 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsBurwell ParkPark or garden · 2.8 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsApplewood ParkPark or garden · 1.5 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsSt. Thomas Elevated ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsRosethorn ParkPark or garden · 1.3 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsGreenway ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsOldewood ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsJim Waite ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsEastwood ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha · just outside town
DirectionsJonas ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha
DirectionsVolcano ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha
DirectionsHomedale ParkPark or garden · 0.3 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 6 in 10 in St. Thomas
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 (59%)Further (41%)
St. Thomas59%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
About 20,000 residents live further than 400 m from one. In the typical Canadian town the share is 83%, higher than here.
Protected areas
3 protected areas lie within 10 km of St. Thomas
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside St. Thomas0%
Within 10 km0.2%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
All of them are private land, held by landowners or conservation groups, so they are counted here but not named.
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
15 km to Port Bruce Provincial Park
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
Port Bruce Provincial Park
15 km south-east0.1 km²since 1974
For a national park, people in St. Thomas travel more than 100 km.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
87 km of paths in and around St. Thomas
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
87 km
in and around the town (76.9 km²)
Woodland
15%
about 11.9 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
St. ThomasTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths1.1
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
St. ThomasTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland15%
0%50%100%
For path density, 56% of Canadian towns do better. It is more wooded than 61% 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
Where to walk from St. Thomas
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Local
Elgin Trail45.9 km
Kettle Creek Conservation Area11.3 km
Dorothy Palmer Memorial Trail3.4 km
For a longer outing, the Elgin Trail runs 45.9 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 St. Thomas: May to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from London (28 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) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.0 |
| High (°C) | -2 | -1 | 5 | 12 | 19 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 22 | 15 | 8 | 1 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 79 | 63 | 67 | 89 | 89 | 86 | 81 | 67 | 93 | 83 | 88 | 79 |
Most rain and snow falls in September, 93 mm; February sees 63 mm. Daytime highs run from -2 °C in January up to 27 °C in July. Snowfall averages 152 cm a year. The climate in St. Thomas →
Things to do
Near St. Thomas: 5 viewpoints on the map
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Playgrounds lead the count with 24.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 5
Plus 5 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 2
Deer Ridge Conservation Area0.6 km from town
DirectionsDan Patterson Conservation Area1.8 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 2
Plus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 24
Lions Parkin town
DirectionsOrchard Parkin town
DirectionsPlus 22 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Plus 1 dog park without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Plus 1 campsite without a name on the map.
Slipways 1
Lake Margaret Non-Motorized Boat Launchin town
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to St. Thomas
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Central ElginSouthwoldAylmerMalahideLambethWhite OaksSt. Thomas
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Thomas | 0.2% | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Central Elgin 2.0 km | 0.2% | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| Southwold 13 km | 0.1% | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Aylmer 15 km | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Malahide 17 km | 0.5% | 8 | 3 | 5 |
| Lambeth 18 km | 1.8% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| White Oaks 19 km | 1.4% | 14 | 1 | 0 |
For walking routes, Central Elgin leads the area with 7. Lambeth and White Oaks have at least twice the protected share around them.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Protected land. Protected here means in CPCAD, Canada’s official list: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and other conserved land, measured within 10 km of the town’s edge.
- Private land. Areas held by land trusts or private owners stay unnamed here, though they count in the shares.
- Walking routes. Only named route relations count; a park’s own path network may not show unless it is mapped as a route.
- 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.
Questions about the outdoors in St. Thomas
How much land around St. Thomas is protected?
Within 10 km, 0.2% of the land lies in protected areas.
What is the nearest provincial park to St. Thomas?
The closest is Port Bruce Provincial Park, at 15 km.
What walking routes are near St. Thomas?
OpenStreetMap maps the Elgin Trail, Kettle Creek Conservation Area and Dorothy Palmer Memorial Trail close by, with others.
When should you visit St. Thomas for the outdoors?
May to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
How far is St. Thomas from a national park?
None within 100 km of St. Thomas.
Sources
Where St. Thomas’ 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).