Photo: Dennis G. Jarvis · CC BY-SA 2.0North Shore borders Prince Edward Island National Park
For walks, 11 named routes run within 2 km, such as the The Island Walk and Confederation Trail - Tignish to Elmira. 18 beaches are mapped within 5 km, the nearest Dalvay Beach. 19 areas within 10 km are protected for nature.
The outdoors in North Shore, in short
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
What North Shore has most to offer outdoors is Prince Edward Island National Park on its doorstep, with its choice of walking routes close behind.
North Shore 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. No letter: the outdoors is described for Canadian towns, not graded.
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
North Shore has the 15th most protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (2,951 to 3,037 residents), by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected. Hover for each one’s figures; click for its page.
North Shore beats most towns its size for public protected areas; 12 of 39 do better.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cocagne NB | 39% | 4.3% | 6 | 0 | 8 |
| 2 | Electoral Area C, Strathcona BC | 12% | 8.1% | 61 | 0 | 170 |
| 3 | Elkford BC | 12% | 16% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Vanscoy No. 345 SK | 11% | 4.2% | 25 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | Saint-Marc-des-Carrières QC | 10% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | McDougall ON | 10% | 4.1% | 16 | 0 | 9 |
| 7 | Lac-des-Écorces QC | 8.8% | 4.5% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Saint-Roch-de-Richelieu QC | 8.6% | 0.1% | 29 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Riverside Park South - Revelstoke ON | 8.3% | 6.2% | 33 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Gilkson ON | 7.1% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Kirkendall South ON | 6.9% | 0.9% | 23 | 2 | 3 |
| 12 | Buchanan ON | 6.3% | 0% | 22 | 1 | 3 |
| 13 | Saint-Anaclet-de-Lessard QC | 4.9% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | Bainbridge BC | 4% | 0% | 23 | 3 | 26 |
| 15 | North Shore PE | 3.6% | 7.3% | 19 | 11 | 18 |
| 16 | Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil QC | 3.6% | 0.1% | 26 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Dewdney Place SK | 3.1% | 90% | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 18 | Huntingdon QC | 3% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Granville AB | 2.5% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Lesser Slave River No. 124 AB | 2.4% | 2.2% | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Holliston SK | 1.8% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 2 |
| 22 | Poplar Park ON | 1.6% | 0% | 15 | 1 | 7 |
| 23 | Albany AB | 1.6% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | South Portage MB | 1.5% | 0% | 20 | 4 | 0 |
| 25 | Trillium ON | 1.4% | 0% | 18 | 1 | 5 |
| 26 | East Garafraxa ON | 1.1% | 0.6% | 16 | 4 | 0 |
| 27 | Varsity View MB | 1.1% | 0% | 19 | 1 | 37 |
| 28 | Hillcrest Management Area SK | 0.9% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Wallace-Woodworth MB | 0.8% | 0.1% | 32 | 0 | 1 |
| 30 | Lorne MB | 0.7% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Sunnyside AB | 0.4% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 32 | Stanstead QC | 0.3% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 33 | Kernohan AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 34 | Lauderdale AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 35 | Skyrattler AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 36 | Markstay-Warren ON | 0.2% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Allendale AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 38 | Avonmore AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 39 | Division No. 1, Subdivision E NL | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 40 | Lago Lindo AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The green map of North Shore
Green space, woods, protected areas and footpaths in and around the town.
In North Shore, parks are rarely a short walk away
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.
About 3,000 residents live further than 400 m from one. A median Canadian town manages 83%.
Protected areas cover 3.6% of the land near North Shore
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Of the 19, 8 are public land; the others are privately held. Prince Edward Island National Park is the biggest, 2,717 ha. 11 more areas within 10 km are private land, held by landowners or conservation groups: counted here, 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.
The parks within reach of North Shore
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.
Prince Edward Island National Park
Brudenell Provincial Park
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Paths to walk: 46 km in and around North Shore
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 · km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
For path density, 70% of Canadian towns do better. Woods cover more of it than in 76% 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.
The The Island Walk runs past North Shore
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Of the The Island Walk’s 672 km, 17.5 km passes close to town. Among local routes, the Points East Coastal Walk is longest at 312.7 km. For a short stroll, 3 are under 3 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
Get out in North Shore in June to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Charlottetown (Airport) (9.4 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) | 9.0 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 15.0 | 15.8 | 15.4 | 14.2 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.3 | 8.6 |
| High (°C) | -3 | -3 | 1 | 7 | 14 | 20 | 24 | 23 | 19 | 13 | 7 | 1 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 101 | 85 | 84 | 75 | 78 | 91 | 82 | 96 | 95 | 122 | 110 | 115 |
For dry weather, April is best (75 mm); October gets 122 mm. In July the typical high is 24 °C; in January, -3 °C. A typical year sees 285 cm of snow. The climate in North Shore →
North Shore has 18 beaches close by
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
2 are mapped as sand. 13 further beaches go unnamed. OpenStreetMap maps 102 km of coastline within 5 km. For water quality, look to the local health unit: no open beach-testing data covers Canada.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
North Shore has 3 viewpoints within 2 km
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 5.
Every named place, with directions
Playgrounds 5
Plus 5 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next to North Shore
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Shore | 3.6% | 19 | 11 | 18 |
| North Shore 4.6 km | 4% | 26 | 12 | 3 |
| Charlottetown 13 km | 2% | 15 | 25 | 13 |
| Miltonvale Park 13 km | 2.2% | 13 | 5 | 1 |
| East River, Part 1 14 km | 4.3% | 38 | 14 | 20 |
| Crossroads 15 km | 3.7% | 29 | 7 | 11 |
| Stratford 16 km | 2.7% | 19 | 12 | 13 |
North Shore is not outdone two to one on protected land by any neighbour. Charlottetown has the most mapped walking routes nearby: 25.
What this data can and can’t tell you
- National and provincial parks. A park at 0 km touches or overlaps the town’s outline; directions point from the town’s centre.
- 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.
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
- Walking routes. A route counts when 300 m or more of it lies within 2 km of the town. Coverage of trails on OpenStreetMap varies by region.
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
Questions about the outdoors in North Shore
What is the biggest park or reserve near North Shore?
Prince Edward Island National Park: 2,717 ha, a national park.
How far is the nearest provincial park from North Shore?
The closest is Brudenell Provincial Park, at 36 km.
When should you visit North Shore for the outdoors?
June to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
Is North Shore near a national park?
Yes: Prince Edward Island National Park reaches the edge of North Shore.
What walking routes are near North Shore?
Try the The Island Walk, Confederation Trail - Tignish to Elmira and Confederation Trail (all spurs); more are on the map.
What is the nearest beach to North Shore?
Try Dalvay Beach, in town, first of several.
Is there protected land near North Shore?
Yes: 3.6% of the land within 10 km is protected.
The sources behind North Shore’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.
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).