First pick
Bluffer's Park
Park or garden · 60 m outside town
83 ha9.6 km of path
2 h 10 minto walk all 9.6 km of path
3.0 km north-eastfrom the centre
Scarborough Bluffs TrailWaterfront Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Loozrboy from Toronto, Canada · CC BY-SA 2.02.5%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Birchcliffe-Cliffside · parks, protected land & trails
A national park 11 km from Birchcliffe-Cliffside: Rouge National Urban Park
Within 5 km are 19 beaches; Secret Beach is the nearest. 2 mapped walking routes pass within 2 km, among them the Eastern Ravines & Beaches Discovery Walk - ravine section and Eastern Ravines & Beaches Discovery Walk - Beach section. 3.7 km out lies the largest, E.T. Seton Park, at 130 ha.
Protected land
2.5%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
14
within 10 km, 3 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
11 km
Rouge National Urban Park
Nearest provincial park
39 km
Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park
Walking routes
2
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
19
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
The outdoors in Birchcliffe-Cliffside, in short
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
What Birchcliffe-Cliffside has most to offer outdoors is Rouge National Urban Park within easy reach, with its beaches close behind.
Against other towns
Each figure for Birchcliffe-Cliffside, 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. Canada’s grades don’t include the outdoors, so this page compares the figures rather than grading them.
Protected within 10 km2.5%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 routes2Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches19Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Birchcliffe-Cliffside has the 17th most protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (22,408 to 23,858 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
Birchcliffe-Cliffside2.5%
Towns its size2.3%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Birchcliffe-Cliffside3
Towns its size4
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Birchcliffe-Cliffside2
Towns its size1
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
Among its peers, Birchcliffe-Cliffside’s strong point is walking routes, where 11 of 39 top it. On public protected areas it is behind: 23 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colwood BC | 19% | 2.3% | 36 | 4 | 21 |
| 2 | Saint-Lazare QC | 13% | 0% | 42 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | Westmount NS | 11% | 4.8% | 16 | 6 | 18 |
| 4 | Brownsville BC | 11% | 1.3% | 119 | 7 | 6 |
| 5 | Snowdon QC | 10% | 0% | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Saint-Lambert QC | 8.1% | 0.4% | 31 | 0 | 6 |
| 7 | Mont-Royal QC | 7.5% | 0% | 29 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Old Barrhaven East ON | 6.9% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Riley Park BC | 6.2% | 0% | 14 | 2 | 48 |
| 10 | Rivière-Blanche QC | 5.8% | 8.1% | 45 | 0 | 2 |
| 11 | Uxbridge ON | 4.8% | 5.1% | 25 | 2 | 1 |
| 12 | Waterdown ON | 4.4% | 4.9% | 25 | 1 | 0 |
| 13 | Cité-Universitaire QC | 4.1% | 0% | 20 | 1 | 5 |
| 14 | Riverview NB | 2.7% | 2.3% | 10 | 1 | 1 |
| 15 | South Eglinton-Davisville ON | 2.7% | 0% | 13 | 2 | 1 |
| 16 | Eglinton East ON | 2.6% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 5 |
| 17 | Birchcliffe-Cliffside ON | 2.5% | 0% | 14 | 2 | 19 |
| 18 | Cranbrook BC | 2.4% | 0% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Flemingdon Park ON | 2.4% | 17% | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| 20 | Church-Wellesley ON | 2.3% | 0% | 11 | 9 | 20 |
| 21 | Moss Park ON | 2.2% | 0% | 10 | 9 | 43 |
| 22 | Renfrew-Collingwood BC | 2.2% | 0.7% | 12 | 4 | 28 |
| 23 | Sainte-Lucie QC | 2% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Brockville ON | 1.9% | 3.1% | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| 25 | Steeles ON | 1.9% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Junction-Wallace Emerson ON | 1.8% | 0% | 11 | 4 | 13 |
| 27 | Bayview Village ON | 1.7% | 16% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Joliette QC | 1.2% | 0.8% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | High Park-Swansea ON | 0.9% | 5% | 9 | 4 | 17 |
| 30 | Binbrook ON | 0.9% | 0.2% | 22 | 2 | 1 |
| 31 | Embrun ON | 0.8% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 1 |
| 32 | Ouest (Montréal-Nord) QC | 0.8% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Willowridge-Martingrove-Richview ON | 0.7% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 34 | New Hamburg ON | 0.4% | 0% | 18 | 3 | 1 |
| 35 | Humber Bay Shores ON | 0.3% | 0% | 6 | 3 | 18 |
| 36 | Islington ON | 0.2% | 0% | 4 | 1 | 9 |
| 37 | Erindale ON | 0.2% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 38 | Cobourg ON | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 39 | Etobicoke City Centre ON | 0.1% | 0% | 4 | 1 | 17 |
| 40 | Yellowknife NT | 0% | 0% | 0 | 7 | 4 |
The map
Where the green is in Birchcliffe-Cliffside
The neighbourhood’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
22 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Birchcliffe-Cliffside
Largest first: Bluffer's Park leads with 83 ha. Numbers match the map.
22 named parks and woods, 135 ha in all
Parks & gardens 135 ha
70% of the area is in just two places: Bluffer's Park and Birchmount Park.
Balmy Beach Park
Park or garden
9.6 ha2.8 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.8 km of path
3.2 km south-westfrom the centre
The BoardwalkWaterfront Recreational TrailLake Front
Directionsto a point inside
Birchmount Park
Park or garden
12 ha0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
Centralin the middle of Birchcliffe-Cliffside
Directionsto a point inside
Rosetta McClain Gardens
Park or garden
4.9 ha2.3 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.3 km of path
0.9 km eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Highview Park
Park or garden
5.2 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
1.1 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Scarborough Heights Park
Park or garden
5.8 ha
1.3 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Blantyre Park
Park or garden
2.8 ha0.2 km of path
1.6 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 22 named parks and green spaces
Bluffer's ParkPark or garden · 83 ha · 9.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsBalmy Beach ParkPark or garden · 9.6 ha · 2.8 km of path
DirectionsBirchmount ParkPark or garden · 12 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsRosetta McClain GardensPark or garden · 4.9 ha · 2.3 km of path
DirectionsHighview ParkPark or garden · 5.2 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsScarborough Heights ParkPark or garden · 5.8 ha
DirectionsNatal ParkPark or garden · 2.3 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsBlantyre ParkPark or garden · 2.8 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsOakridge ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsHarrison PropertiesPark or garden · 2.0 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsHollis-Kalmar ParkPark or garden · 1.3 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsSandown ParkPark or garden · 1.6 ha
DirectionsKenworthy ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsMadelaine ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsLynndale ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsBirchmount/Parkette Traffic IslandPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsScotia ParkettePark or garden · 0.2 ha
DirectionsCresentwood ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsDogs Off- Leash AreaPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsElward-Mansion ParkettePark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsHarding ParkettePark or garden · 0.2 ha
DirectionsJ.A. Leslie Tot LotPark or garden · 0.2 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
All of Birchcliffe-Cliffside is within a short walk of 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 (100%)Further (0.5%)
Birchcliffe-Cliffside100%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
The typical Canadian town manages 83%, so this is better.
Protected areas
2.5% of the country within 10 km of Birchcliffe-Cliffside 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 Birchcliffe-Cliffside0%
Within 10 km2.5%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Governments hold 3 of the 14, and private owners the rest. The largest named one is E.T. The count includes 11 areas that are private or not recorded as public; they aren’t named.
Warden Woods ParkNature reserve · 38 ha · 0.8 km from the edge of town
E.T. Seton ParkNature reserve · 130 ha · 3.7 km from the edge of town
Lower Highland Creek-Lower Highland Creek RavineNature reserve · 60 ha · 9.7 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 Birchcliffe-Cliffside
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
11 km north-east46 km²since 2015
Provincial park
Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park
39 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: 47 km in and around Birchcliffe-Cliffside
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
47 km
in and around the town (23.2 km²)
Woodland
3.9%
about 0.9 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Birchcliffe-CliffsideTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths2
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Birchcliffe-CliffsideTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland3.9%
0%50%100%
65% of Canadian towns are more wooded. It has more footpath per km² than 56% 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
2 mapped routes to walk from Birchcliffe-Cliffside
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Local
Eastern Ravines & Beaches Discovery Walk - Beach section5.7 km
Eastern Ravines & Beaches Discovery Walk - ravine section4.1 km
The Eastern Ravines & Beaches Discovery Walk - Beach section is the big one locally: 5.7 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Birchcliffe-Cliffside is best on foot in May and July to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Toronto (City) (11 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) | 0 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 19 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 22 | 15 | 8 | 3 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 65 | 54 | 53 | 78 | 76 | 82 | 77 | 72 | 69 | 69 | 71 | 58 |
January brings highs of 0 °C, July highs of 27 °C. Precipitation runs from 53 mm in March to 82 mm in June. About 146 cm of snow falls in a year. The climate in Birchcliffe-Cliffside →
Beaches
19 beaches within 5 km of Birchcliffe-Cliffside
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Secret Beachin town
DirectionsSilver Birch Beach0.2 km from town
DirectionsBalmy Beachsand · 0.6 km from town
DirectionsKew Beachsand · 1.7 km from town
DirectionsBluffer's Beachsand · 2.0 km from town
DirectionsWoodbine Beachsand · 2.5 km from town
DirectionsAnother 13 have no name on the map. 4 are mapped as sand. For water quality, look to the local health unit: no open beach-testing data covers Canada.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Near Birchcliffe-Cliffside: 4 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.
Count 112 playgrounds, the biggest group.
Every named place, with directions
Playgrounds 112
Woodrow Park0.1 km from town
DirectionsSplash pad0.8 km from town
DirectionsEd McCleverty equal access playground1.0 km from town
DirectionsPlus 109 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 5
Dogs Off- Leash Areain town
DirectionsKew Gardens Dog Park1.6 km from town
DirectionsPlus 3 dog parks without a name on the map.
Slipways 2
Plus 2 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Birchcliffe-Cliffside
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
OakridgeClairlea-BirchmountTaylor-MasseyEast End-DanforthO'Connor-ParkviewKennedy ParkBirchcliffe-Cliffside
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birchcliffe-Cliffside | 2.5% | 14 | 2 | 19 |
| Oakridge 1.2 km | 2.5% | 12 | 1 | 13 |
| Clairlea-Birchmount 2.1 km | 2.7% | 15 | 0 | 12 |
| Taylor-Massey 2.4 km | 2.3% | 12 | 1 | 15 |
| East End-Danforth 3.0 km | 2.2% | 13 | 3 | 24 |
| O'Connor-Parkview 3.1 km | 2.3% | 13 | 1 | 14 |
| Kennedy Park 3.5 km | 2.4% | 17 | 0 | 8 |
Next door, protected shares stay within twice Birchcliffe-Cliffside’s.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Walking routes. The list is OpenStreetMap’s, so a missing trail may just be unmapped. The Trans Canada Trail appears where OSM maps it.
- National and provincial parks. The nearest national park and the nearest provincial park are always shown when they are within 100 km.
- Protected land. CPCAD maps each protected area; the page counts how much of the 10 km around the town they cover, lakes and sea included.
- Beaches. Beaches are OpenStreetMap’s, named or not; in the north many are unnamed shoreline imports.
- Private land. Areas held by land trusts or private owners stay unnamed here, though they count in the shares.
Questions about the outdoors in Birchcliffe-Cliffside
What is the nearest beach to Birchcliffe-Cliffside?
Secret Beach, in town, is the nearest mapped beach.
What walking routes are near Birchcliffe-Cliffside?
Try the Eastern Ravines & Beaches Discovery Walk - ravine section and Eastern Ravines & Beaches Discovery Walk - Beach section; more are on the map.
Is there a provincial park near Birchcliffe-Cliffside?
Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park, 39 km from the edge of town.
Which is the biggest protected area near Birchcliffe-Cliffside?
It is E.T. Seton Park, a nature reserve covering 130 ha.
Are there protected areas near Birchcliffe-Cliffside?
Protected areas cover 2.5% of the land within 10 km.
Is Birchcliffe-Cliffside near a national park?
Rouge National Urban Park is closest, at 11 km.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Birchcliffe-Cliffside?
On the normals, May and July to September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
Sources
Where Birchcliffe-Cliffside’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).