First pick
Robert Cotton Park
Park or garden
6.6 ha0.8 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.8 km of path
1.7 km northfrom the centre
Robert L Cotton Memorial Park Trail
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Larry from Charlottetown, PEI, Canada · CC BY 2.02.7%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Stratford · parks, protected land & trails
Prince Edward Island National Park lies 18 km beyond Stratford’s edge
Walkers have 12 mapped routes close by, starting with the The Island Walk and Points East Coastal Walk. 13 beaches are mapped within 5 km, the nearest Keppoch Beach. Biggest among them: Miltonvale Wellfield Site, 265 ha, 8.2 km off.
Protected land
2.7%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
19
within 10 km, 7 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
18 km
Prince Edward Island National Park
Nearest provincial park
31 km
Brudenell Provincial Park
Walking routes
12
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
13
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
The outdoors in Stratford, in short
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
A national park nearbyPrince Edward Island National Park, 18 km awayWalking routes12 named routes within 2 kmOn a national routeThe The Island Walk passes within 2 kmBeaches13 beaches within 5 km
For someone who likes to get outside, Stratford’s draw is Prince Edward Island National Park within easy reach, with its choice of walking routes close behind.
Against other towns
How Stratford compares with 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. Outdoors isn’t graded in Canada. The page compares each figure with other towns and leaves it there.
Protected within 10 km2.7%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town0.9%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas7Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes12Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches13Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Stratford comes 20th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (12,924 to 13,388 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
Stratford2.7%
Towns its size2.7%
Towns in Prince Edward Island4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Stratford7
Towns its size4
Towns in Prince Edward Island7
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Stratford12
Towns its size0
Towns in Prince Edward Island11
Typical Canadian town0
Against towns its size, Stratford does best for public protected areas: 14 of the other 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Semiahmoo Town Centre BC | 21% | 0.8% | 103 | 2 | 4 |
| 2 | Bathurst NB | 20% | 2.6% | 13 | 1 | 17 |
| 3 | Centre-Ville QC | 11% | 22% | 40 | 4 | 5 |
| 4 | North Saanich BC | 9.2% | 5.1% | 37 | 0 | 24 |
| 5 | Quantztown ON | 8.5% | 0% | 12 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | Windsor Park NS | 7.6% | 0% | 18 | 4 | 17 |
| 7 | Saint-Jean-Vianney QC | 6.9% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 5 |
| 8 | Durand ON | 6.3% | 0% | 24 | 1 | 3 |
| 9 | Pine Grove ON | 6.2% | 37% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Bonnyville No. 87 AB | 5.5% | 1% | 13 | 0 | 20 |
| 11 | Deerfield ON | 5.2% | 6.3% | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Madoc ON | 5.1% | 0% | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 13 | Springdale ON | 4.9% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | Aloha Estates BC | 4.3% | 2% | 111 | 2 | 0 |
| 15 | Carrville Corners ON | 4.1% | 0.5% | 33 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Peel Village ON | 3.8% | 0.9% | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 17 | Stittsville North ON | 3.7% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Thornhill Woods ON | 3.5% | 2% | 29 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | New Brighton AB | 2.9% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 11 |
| 20 | Stratford PE | 2.7% | 0.9% | 19 | 12 | 13 |
| 21 | Albert Park SK | 2.7% | 0% | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 22 | Ionview ON | 2.6% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 5 |
| 23 | Yonge-St.Clair ON | 2.5% | 0% | 14 | 3 | 4 |
| 24 | Ayr ON | 2.4% | 1.8% | 36 | 8 | 4 |
| 25 | Douglasdale/Glen AB | 2.2% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 19 |
| 26 | Erin ON | 2.1% | 0.2% | 48 | 6 | 1 |
| 27 | Palmerston-Little Italy ON | 2.1% | 0% | 11 | 6 | 17 |
| 28 | Rawdon QC | 1.7% | 0% | 7 | 0 | 5 |
| 29 | Forest ON | 1.7% | 6.7% | 9 | 2 | 18 |
| 30 | Corso Italia-Davenport ON | 1.4% | 0% | 11 | 2 | 8 |
| 31 | Kincardine ON | 1% | 0.9% | 7 | 0 | 19 |
| 32 | Signal Hill AB | 0.9% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Dakota Crossing MB | 0.8% | 2.1% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Lloydminster (Part) SK | 0.5% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Centre-Nord (Montréal-Nord) QC | 0.5% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Sainte-Julienne QC | 0.2% | 1.7% | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 37 | Mount Dennis ON | 0.2% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 38 | Huntington Hills AB | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Walker AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 40 | Redstone AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Where the green is in Stratford
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
Walk in Stratford: 3 named parks and woods
The biggest is Robert Cotton Park, 6.6 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
Evelyn Meader Park Tree Maze
Park or garden
0.2 ha
1.7 km southfrom 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
About 3 in 10 of Stratford’s residents are 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 (32%)Further (69%)
Stratford32%
Towns in Prince Edward Island0.2%
Typical Canadian town83%
A median Canadian town manages 83%. For about 9,000 people, the nearest park is over 400 m away.
Protected areas
Around Stratford, protected areas make up 2.7%
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Stratford0.9%
Within 10 km2.7%
Towns in Prince Edward Island4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public bodies own 7 of the 19; land trusts and private owners hold the others. Miltonvale Wellfield Site covers 265 ha, the most of any named area. Another 12 are privately owned conservation land; they count in the figures but aren’t named, as private land isn’t a place to visit.
Ellens Creek Estuary Natural Area and Wildlife Management AreaWildlife area · 158 ha · 2.5 km from the edge of town
Royalty Oaks Woodland Natural AreaNature reserve · 4.1 ha · 3.1 km from the edge of town
Johnstons River, Freshwater Wetland Natural AreaNature reserve · 143 ha · 4.6 km from the edge of town
Beach Grove Hardwoods Natural AreaNature reserve · 6.4 ha · 5.2 km from the edge of town
Mt. Albion Marsh Freshwater Wetland Natural AreaNature reserve · 33 ha · 5.4 km from the edge of town
Glenfinnan Wildlife Management AreaWildlife area · 153 ha · 6.5 km from the edge of town
Miltonvale Wellfield SiteNature reserve · 265 ha · 8.2 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 Stratford
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
18 km north27 km²since 1937
Provincial park
Brudenell Provincial Park
31 km east3.1 km²
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Paths to walk: 39 km in and around Stratford
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
39 km
in and around the town (51.4 km²)
Woodland
14%
about 7.2 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
StratfordTowns in Prince Edward IslandTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.8
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
StratfordTowns in Prince Edward IslandTypical Canadian town
Woodland14%
0%50%100%
Woods cover more of it than in 59% of Canadian towns. Paths are thinner on the ground than in 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
The The Island Walk passes Stratford
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
NationalLocalOther waymarked
The Island Walk671.6 km
Points East Coastal Walk312.7 km
Confederation Trail (all spurs)86.1 km
Skmaqn - Port-la-Joye - Fort Amherst Trails6.2 km
Victoria Park Trail6.0 km
Riverside Drive Path4.2 km
Fullerton's Creek Conservation Path3.2 km
Waterfront Boardwalk2.9 km
Hillsborough River Path2.1 km
Stratford Trail1.8 km
Robert L Cotton Memorial Park Trail1.3 km
Boardwalk to Joe Ghiz Park Connector1.1 km
Of the The Island Walk’s 672 km, 12.6 km passes close to town. At 312.7 km, the Points East Coastal Walk is the longest local route. 5 are short walks under 3 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 Stratford in June to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Charlottetown (Airport) (8.4 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 | 14.1 | 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 |
Some 285 cm of snow falls each winter. Summer highs reach 24 °C in July; in January they stay near -3 °C. For dry weather, April is best (75 mm); October gets 122 mm. The climate in Stratford →
Beaches
13 beaches within 5 km of Stratford
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Keppoch Beachin town
DirectionsLangley Beachin town
DirectionsKinlock Beachsand · in town
DirectionsHeartz Shore3.0 km from town
DirectionsBrighton Shore3.3 km from town
DirectionsOpenStreetMap shows 8 more, nameless. Within 5 km is 104 km of coastline. 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
Stratford has 4 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.
The map shows 26 playgrounds, ahead of the rest.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 4
Plus 4 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 1
Tea Hillin town
DirectionsPicnic sites 1
Pondside Parkin town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 26
Evelyn Meader Park Playgroundin town
DirectionsTrinty Church Daycare Playground1.5 km from town
DirectionsQEH Pediatric Department Playground1.6 km from town
DirectionsPlus 23 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 1
Dog Fun Park1.9 km from town
DirectionsSlipways 3
Public Canoe/Kayak Launch1.3 km from town
DirectionsPlus 2 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Stratford
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
CharlottetownCrossroadsCornwallNorth ShoreMiltonvale ParkWest RiverStratford
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stratford | 2.7% | 19 | 12 | 13 |
| Charlottetown 5.8 km | 2% | 15 | 25 | 13 |
| Crossroads 5.9 km | 3.7% | 29 | 7 | 11 |
| Cornwall 8.3 km | 1.7% | 14 | 10 | 10 |
| North Shore 13 km | 4% | 26 | 12 | 3 |
| Miltonvale Park 15 km | 2.2% | 13 | 5 | 1 |
| West River 15 km | 2.2% | 18 | 8 | 15 |
No neighbouring place reaches twice Stratford’s protected share. Charlottetown has the most mapped walking routes nearby: 25.
How to read these numbers
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
- 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.
Questions about the outdoors in Stratford
What is the best season to get outdoors in Stratford?
June to September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
What is the nearest provincial park to Stratford?
Brudenell Provincial Park, 31 km away.
Are there hiking trails near Stratford?
The The Island Walk, Points East Coastal Walk and Skmaqn - Port-la-Joye - Fort Amherst Trails, among the routes mapped within 2 km.
What is the nearest beach to Stratford?
The nearest is Keppoch Beach, in town.
What is the biggest park or reserve near Stratford?
Miltonvale Wellfield Site, a nature reserve of 265 ha.
What is the nearest national park to Stratford?
Prince Edward Island National Park, 18 km from the edge of town.
Is there protected land near Stratford?
Yes: 2.7% of the land within 10 km is protected.
Sources
Where Stratford’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).