First pick
Townshend Woodlot Natural Area
Wood or forest
119 ha2.3 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.3 km of path
5.9 km north-eastfrom the centre
Townshend Woodlot Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Hayden Soloviev · CC BY 4.021%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Souris · parks, protected land & trails
Within 16 km of Souris: Prince Edward Island National Park
Within 10 km of the town, 21% of the land is protected, against 2.3% around a typical Canadian town. 55 protected areas lie within 10 km. 22 beaches are mapped within 5 km, the nearest Fortune Beach.
Protected land
21%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
55
within 10 km, 25 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
16 km
Prince Edward Island National Park
Nearest provincial park
16 km
Brudenell Provincial Park
Walking routes
6
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
22
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What Souris has going for it outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
A national park nearbyPrince Edward Island National Park, 16 km awayProtected land all round21% of the land within 10 km, more than 96% of Canadian townsMany protected areas25 public areas within 10 kmWalking routes6 named routes within 2 km
Souris is strongest on Prince Edward Island National Park within easy reach, with protected land around it close behind.
Against other towns
Each figure for Souris, 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 graded in Canada. The page compares each figure with other towns and leaves it there.
Protected within 10 km21%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town12%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas25Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes7Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches22Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Souris comes 2nd of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (1,981 to 2,587 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
Souris21%
Towns its size1.6%
Towns in Prince Edward Island4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Souris25
Towns its size4
Towns in Prince Edward Island7
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Souris7
Towns its size0
Towns in Prince Edward Island11
Typical Canadian town0
Among its peers, Souris’ strong point is protected land nearby, where 1 of 39 tops it.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anmore BC | 22% | 47% | 16 | 5 | 98 |
| 2 | Souris PE | 21% | 12% | 55 | 7 | 22 |
| 3 | Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska QC | 19% | 0% | 28 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Gracefield QC | 19% | 19% | 34 | 0 | 6 |
| 5 | East Preston NS | 16% | 6.3% | 20 | 1 | 5 |
| 6 | Clearwater BC | 7.7% | 4.1% | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 | Roberval QC | 6.1% | 1.2% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague QC | 5.8% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | North Frontenac ON | 5.7% | 5.2% | 13 | 6 | 4 |
| 10 | Cap-Chat QC | 5.3% | 0.4% | 13 | 0 | 10 |
| 11 | Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards ON | 4.4% | 1.5% | 9 | 0 | 4 |
| 12 | Saint-Polycarpe QC | 4.2% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| 13 | Macassa ON | 4.1% | 0% | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| 14 | Saint-Damien QC | 4% | 3.2% | 22 | 1 | 9 |
| 15 | Unity SK | 3.4% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Sherwood ON | 3.4% | 0% | 19 | 2 | 0 |
| 17 | McNab SK | 2.6% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Mandeville QC | 2.5% | 1.8% | 19 | 4 | 7 |
| 19 | Esterhazy SK | 1.8% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | City Commercial Core ON | 1.8% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Caswell Hill SK | 1.4% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| 22 | Fossambault-sur-le-Lac QC | 1.3% | 7.8% | 15 | 0 | 14 |
| 23 | Pembina MB | 1.1% | 1.8% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Burrows-Keewatin MB | 1% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Elmwood AB | 0.8% | 0% | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 26 | Hatley QC | 0.7% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 5 |
| 27 | Munroe West MB | 0.4% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Brooke-Alvinston ON | 0.3% | 0.2% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Rosedale AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 30 | Minchau AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 31 | Lunenburg NS | 0.1% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 5 |
| 32 | Salisbury NB | 0.1% | 2.1% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Dufferin MB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Ekota AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 35 | Satoo AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 36 | Saint-Éphrem-de-Beauce QC | 0% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 37 | Magrath AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Nanton AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Rimbey AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Sexsmith AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Parks, woods and paths around Souris
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
A named park or wood to walk in near Souris
Largest first: Townshend Woodlot Natural Area leads with 119 ha. Numbers match the map.
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
In Souris, 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.
Within 400 m (0%)Further (100%)
Souris0%
Towns in Prince Edward Island0.2%
Typical Canadian town83%
For about 2,000 people, the nearest park is over 400 m away. The typical Canadian town does better, at 83%.
Protected areas
Within 10 km of Souris, 21% is protected land
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Souris12%
Within 10 km21%
Towns in Prince Edward Island4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public ownership covers 25 of the 55. Scallop Buffer Zone (SFA 24) covers 209,496 ha, the most of any named area. The count includes 20 areas that are private or not recorded as public; they aren’t named.
Scallop Buffer Zone (SFA 24)Nature reserve · 209,496 ha · reaches Souris
Egmont Bay PEI Conservation AgreementNature reserve · 2,958 ha · reaches Souris
Grovepine / Big Brook Wildlife Management AreaWildlife area · 1,474 ha · reaches Souris
Dingwells Mills Wildlife Management AreaWildlife area · 713 ha · reaches Souris
Naufrage River Riparian Zone Natural AreaNature reserve · 509 ha · reaches Souris
Bear River, Eastern Kings Hardwoods Natural AreaNature reserve · 357 ha · reaches Souris
Black Pond Migratory Bird SanctuaryWildlife area · 209 ha · reaches Souris
Black Pond Sand Dunes Natural AreaNature reserve · 117 ha · reaches Souris
Larkins Pond Natural AreaNature reserve · 42 ha · reaches Souris
Little Harbour Estuary Natural AreaNature reserve · 38 ha · reaches Souris
10 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 Souris
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 park
Prince Edward Island National Park
16 km west27 km²since 1937
Provincial park
Brudenell Provincial Park
16 km south-west3.1 km²
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Souris and its edge hold 56 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
56 km
in and around the town (383.5 km²)
Woodland
61%
about 233.9 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
SourisTowns in Prince Edward IslandTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.1
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
SourisTowns in Prince Edward IslandTypical Canadian town
Woodland61%
0%50%100%
Paths are thinner on the ground than in 81% of Canadian towns. Woods cover more of it than in 88% 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
The The Island Walk passes Souris
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
NationalLocal
The Island Walk671.6 km
Confederation Trail (all spurs)341.9 km
Confederation Trail - Tignish to Elmira276.7 km
Points East Coastal Walk312.7 km
New Harmony Woodlot Trail6.9 km
Townshend Woodlot Trail3.6 km
Of the The Island Walk’s 672 km, 65.0 km passes close to town. The longest of the rest is the Points East Coastal Walk, 312.7 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Get out in Souris in June to August
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (ST. Peters/Monticello, 12 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) | 9.0 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 15.0 | 15.8 | 15.4 | 14.2 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.3 | 8.6 |
| High (°C) | -2 | -3 | 1 | 7 | 13 | 19 | 23 | 23 | 19 | 13 | 7 | 2 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 88 | 73 | 86 | 81 | 76 | 83 | 84 | 90 | 103 | 121 | 114 | 116 |
Expect around 248 cm of snow over a winter. Expect 121 mm in October, the wettest month, and 73 mm in February. July is the warmest month, with highs around 23 °C; February the coldest, at -3 °C. The climate in Souris →
Beaches
Souris has 22 beaches close by
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Fortune Beachin town
DirectionsOpenStreetMap maps 161 km of coastline within 5 km. 21 more are mapped without a name. Water quality isn’t shown: there’s no open national record of beach tests. Local health authorities post advisories.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Outdoors around Souris: 7 places to go
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
The most common are playgrounds: 3 on the map.
Every named place, with directions
Picnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 3
Plus 3 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 1
Red Point Provincial Park1.8 km from town
DirectionsSlipways 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 Souris
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page. The nearest places to Souris with figures are 10–44 km away.
SourisMorellThree RiversMurray River, Part 1East River, Part 1Souris
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Souris | 21% | 55 | 7 | 22 |
| Souris 9.6 km | 29% | 25 | 4 | 3 |
| Morell 30 km | 8.9% | 39 | 7 | 14 |
| Three Rivers 31 km | 31% | 64 | 14 | 42 |
| Murray River, Part 1 43 km | 32% | 31 | 5 | 32 |
| East River, Part 1 44 km | 4.3% | 38 | 14 | 20 |
For walking routes, Three Rivers leads the area with 14. No place nearby has double Souris’ share of protected land.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Beaches. Beaches are OpenStreetMap’s, named or not; in the north many are unnamed shoreline imports.
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
- Walking routes. The list is OpenStreetMap’s, so a missing trail may just be unmapped. The Trans Canada Trail appears where OSM maps it.
- 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.
- National and provincial parks. A park at 0 km touches or overlaps the town’s outline; directions point from the town’s centre.
Questions about the outdoors in Souris
Is there a provincial park near Souris?
Brudenell Provincial Park, 16 km from the edge of town.
When should you visit Souris for the outdoors?
June to August: long days, mild highs and little rain.
What is the biggest park or reserve near Souris?
Scallop Buffer Zone (SFA 24), a nature reserve of 209,496 ha.
How far is Souris from a national park?
Prince Edward Island National Park is closest, at 16 km.
Are there protected areas near Souris?
Protected areas cover 21% of the land within 10 km.
Is there a beach near Souris?
Try Fortune Beach, in town, first of several.
Are there hiking trails near Souris?
OpenStreetMap maps the The Island Walk, Confederation Trail (all spurs) and Confederation Trail - Tignish to Elmira close by, with others.
Sources
The sources behind Souris’ 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).