First pick
Tar Island
Wood or forest · 280 m outside town
20 ha
17 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Kenn Chaplin from Toronto, Canada · CC BY-SA 2.05.8%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Tay Valley · parks, protected land & trails
A national park 16 km from Tay Valley: Thousand Islands National Park
For walks, 5 named routes run within 2 km, such as the Rideau Trail - Central Section and Rideau Trail - Kingston Section. 8 beaches are mapped within 5 km, the nearest Murphy's Point Day Use Beach. Protected areas cover 5.8% of the land within 10 km; for the typical Canadian town it is 2.3%.
Protected land
5.8%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
37
within 10 km, 4 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
16 km
Thousand Islands National Park
Nearest provincial park
At the edge
Silver Lake Provincial Park
Walking routes
5
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
8
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What sets Tay Valley apart outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
A national park nearbyThousand Islands National Park, 16 km awayWalking routes5 named routes within 2 kmA provincial park at the edgeSilver Lake Provincial Park reaches the townBeaches8 beaches within 5 km
Above all, Tay Valley offers Thousand Islands National Park within easy reach, with its choice of walking routes close behind.
Against other towns
Tay Valley 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. 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 km5.8%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town3.9%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas4Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes5Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches8Beaches 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, Tay Valley ranks 11th for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (6,088 to 6,247 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
Tay Valley5.8%
Towns its size1.7%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Tay Valley4
Towns its size4
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Tay Valley5
Towns its size0
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
For protected land nearby, Tay Valley sits near the top of its size group: 10 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sainte-Anne-des-Monts QC | 15% | 0.2% | 17 | 0 | 15 |
| 2 | Playfair Park - Guildwood Estates ON | 13% | 0% | 37 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Civic Hospital ON | 11% | 0% | 34 | 3 | 4 |
| 4 | Dutch Settlement NS | 8.7% | 15% | 69 | 10 | 8 |
| 5 | Nouveau Greenfield Park QC | 6.9% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 | Central Business Dis ON | 6.9% | 11% | 21 | 3 | 2 |
| 7 | Beaver County AB | 6.8% | 7.7% | 143 | 2 | 0 |
| 8 | Cumberland ON | 6.7% | 2.9% | 50 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Fatima QC | 6.6% | 4.5% | 26 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Rolston ON | 6.5% | 0% | 17 | 1 | 1 |
| 11 | Tay Valley ON | 5.8% | 3.9% | 37 | 5 | 8 |
| 12 | McMasterville QC | 5.5% | 0% | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Electoral Area A, Cariboo BC | 5.4% | 6% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Crown Point West ON | 4.1% | 0% | 24 | 1 | 7 |
| 15 | Southwood AB | 4% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 8 |
| 16 | Delta East ON | 3.7% | 0% | 22 | 1 | 6 |
| 17 | Barrhead County No. 11 AB | 3.4% | 1.2% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Rosemount ON | 1.8% | 0% | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | Sioux Lookout ON | 1.7% | 4.5% | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 20 | Haultain SK | 1.7% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 3 |
| 21 | Richmond West MB | 1.6% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 1 |
| 22 | Pleasant Hill SK | 1.6% | 6.9% | 17 | 0 | 2 |
| 23 | Glenora AB | 1.6% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 24 | Willow Creek No. 26 AB | 1.5% | 0.2% | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Sargent Park MB | 1.4% | 0% | 23 | 1 | 0 |
| 26 | Grosvenor Park SK | 1.4% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 3 |
| 27 | Worthington MB | 1.3% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | St. Paul AB | 0.5% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Inkster Gardens MB | 0.5% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Saint-Césaire QC | 0.4% | 0% | 25 | 0 | 1 |
| 31 | Capitol Hill AB | 0.4% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 32 | Castleridge AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Forest Heights AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 34 | Duggan AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | MacEwan AB | 0.3% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 36 | Vegreville AB | 0.2% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | South Walkerville ON | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Beauceville QC | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 39 | Mildmay ON | 0% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Alberta Avenue AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 3 | 1 |
The map
Tay Valley on the map: green space, protected land and paths
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 Tay Valley: 5 named parks and woods
The biggest is Tar Island, 20 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
5 named parks and woods, 30 ha in all
Parks & gardens 0.7 haWoods 29 ha
89% of the area is in just two places: Tar Island and Big Island.
Big Island
Wood or forest
6.8 ha0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
7.9 km south-westfrom 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
Most of Tay Valley is more than 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 (0%)Further (100%)
Tay Valley0%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
Around 6,200 residents are further than 400 m from a park. The typical Canadian town does better, at 83%.
Protected areas
5.8% of the country within 10 km of Tay Valley 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 Tay Valley3.9%
Within 10 km5.8%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
On public land: 4 of the 37. The others are private conservation land. At 19,972 ha, Rideau Canal National Historic Site is the largest. The figures include 33 private conservation areas, left unnamed.
Rideau Canal National Historic SiteProtected area · 19,972 ha · reaches Tay Valley
Murphys Point Provincial ParkProvincial park · 1,115 ha · reaches Tay Valley
Silver Lake Provincial ParkProvincial park · 43 ha · reaches Tay Valley
Mississippi Lake National Wildlife AreaWildlife area · 338 ha · 8.1 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
Parks around Tay Valley
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
Murphys Point Provincial Park
At the edge11 km²since 1967
Provincial park
Silver Lake Provincial Park
At the edge0.4 km²since 1958
National park
Thousand Islands National Park
16 km south-east24 km²since 1904
Within 10 km are 2 provincial parks.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Tay Valley has 102 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
102 km
in and around the town (734.1 km²)
Woodland
63%
about 463.2 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Tay ValleyTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.1
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Tay ValleyTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland63%
0%50%100%
82% of Canadian towns have more footpath per km². Woods cover more of it than in 89% 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
Tay Valley has 5 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.
RegionalLocal
Rideau Trail - Kingston Section159.9 km
Rideau Trail - Central Section61.4 km
RT Mackler-Ferrier11.9 km
RT Big Rideau Plateau Trail1.3 km
RT Ghost Town Trail0.4 km
Among local routes, the Rideau Trail - Kingston Section is longest at 159.9 km. 2 of them are under 3 km, good for a short outing.
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 Tay Valley in May and August
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Drummond Centre, 21 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) | 9.1 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 14.0 | 12.5 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°C) | -5 | -2 | 4 | 12 | 20 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 21 | 13 | 6 | -1 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 74 | 57 | 62 | 78 | 74 | 89 | 89 | 88 | 91 | 87 | 75 | 74 |
Daytime highs run from -5 °C in January up to 27 °C in July. Expect 91 mm in September, the wettest month, and 57 mm in February. Snowfall averages 187 cm a year. The climate in Tay Valley →
Beaches
Beaches near Tay Valley: 8 within 5 km
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Murphy's Point Day Use Beachsand · in town
DirectionsMurphy's Point Main Beachsand · in town
DirectionsOpenStreetMap marks 2 as sandy. Another 6 have no name on the map. 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
2 viewpoints near Tay Valley
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Most numerous: campsites (32).
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 2
Plus 2 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 2
Mica Mines Conservation Reservein town
DirectionsSilver Lake Provincial Parkin town
DirectionsPicnic sites 4
Silver Lake Picnic Area0.7 km from town
DirectionsPlus 3 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 7
Central Perth Playground1.1 km from town
DirectionsPlus 6 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 32
Black Packin town
DirectionsBrownseain town
DirectionsCamp Opemikonin town
DirectionsCasawinati Campgroundin town
DirectionsChristie Lake Campin town
DirectionsClements Fieldin town
DirectionsCommunity of Christ McGowan Lake Campgroundin town
DirectionsCub Fieldin town
DirectionsPlus 24 campsites without a name on the map.
Slipways 1
Big Rideau lake boat launch1.3 km from town
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Tay Valley
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
PerthDrummond/North ElmsleyTay Valley
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tay Valley | 5.8% | 37 | 5 | 8 |
| Perth 10 km | 5.4% | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Drummond/North Elmsley 17 km | 4.9% | 22 | 4 | 5 |
Tay Valley is not outdone two to one on protected land by any neighbour.
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.
- Walking routes. Only named route relations count; a park’s own path network may not show unless it is mapped as a route.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- National and provincial parks. A park at 0 km touches or overlaps the town’s outline; directions point from the town’s centre.
- 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.
Questions about the outdoors in Tay Valley
Is there a provincial park near Tay Valley?
Silver Lake Provincial Park touches the town.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Tay Valley?
May and August, on the 1991–2020 normals and the daylight: long days, highs of 15 °C or more, light rain for the place.
What is the biggest park or reserve near Tay Valley?
It is Rideau Canal National Historic Site, a protected area covering 19,972 ha.
What is the nearest beach to Tay Valley?
The nearest is Murphy's Point Day Use Beach, in town.
Where can you walk near Tay Valley?
Try the Rideau Trail - Central Section, Rideau Trail - Kingston Section and RT Mackler-Ferrier; more are on the map.
Are there protected areas near Tay Valley?
Yes: 5.8% of the land within 10 km is protected.
How far is Tay Valley from a national park?
It is Thousand Islands National Park, 16 km off.
Sources
Where Tay Valley’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).