First pick
Rotary Friendship Park
Park or garden
28 ha5.9 km of path
1 h 20 minto walk all 5.9 km of path
1.9 km north-eastfrom the centre
Rotary PathFox Run Trail 2Sugar Bush Trail+5 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.025%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Summerside · parks, protected land & trails
A national route near Summerside: the The Island Walk
25% of the land and water within 10 km is protected (the typical Canadian town: 2.3%). Prince Edward Island National Park is the closest national park, 21 km from town. For a swim, Shooting Gallery Shore is the nearest of 7 beaches within 5 km.
Protected land
25%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
15
within 10 km, 2 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
21 km
Prince Edward Island National Park
Nearest provincial park
48 km
Amherst Shore Provincial Park
Walking routes
10
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
7
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What Summerside has going for it outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
On a national routeThe The Island Walk passes within 2 kmProtected land all round25% of the land within 10 km, more than 97% of Canadian townsWalking routes10 named routes within 2 kmA national park nearbyPrince Edward Island National Park, 21 km away
Summerside’s best card is the The Island Walk, with protected land around it close behind.
Against other towns
Summerside 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 km25%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town0.5%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas2Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes10Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches7Beaches 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, Summerside ranks 3rd for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (18,364 to 19,662 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
Summerside25%
Towns its size2.9%
Towns in Prince Edward Island4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Summerside2
Towns its size5
Towns in Prince Edward Island7
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Summerside10
Towns its size1
Towns in Prince Edward Island11
Typical Canadian town0
None of the other 39 towns its size has more walking routes than Summerside. It trails them for public protected areas, where 25 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beaconsfield QC | 45% | 3.2% | 47 | 0 | 6 |
| 2 | L'Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève QC | 29% | 40% | 48 | 0 | 13 |
| 3 | Summerside PE | 25% | 0.5% | 15 | 10 | 7 |
| 4 | Deux-Montagnes QC | 14% | 2.1% | 33 | 0 | 4 |
| 5 | Esquimalt BC | 12% | 1% | 31 | 4 | 19 |
| 6 | Desmarchais-Crawford QC | 8.8% | 1.4% | 21 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 | Vinegar Hill ON | 8.7% | 0% | 14 | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | Greensborough ON | 8.5% | 23% | 44 | 1 | 1 |
| 9 | Tétreaultville QC | 8% | 0% | 27 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Louis-Riel QC | 6.1% | 0% | 24 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Bracebridge ON | 5.4% | 3.4% | 13 | 1 | 6 |
| 12 | Oak Bay BC | 5.4% | 3.4% | 17 | 2 | 26 |
| 13 | Woodbridge ON | 5.1% | 0.5% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Granville Entertainment District BC | 5% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 70 |
| 15 | Dewdney East SK | 4.5% | 0% | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 16 | Heart Lake South ON | 4.3% | 4.2% | 9 | 1 | 1 |
| 17 | Royal Oak BC | 4.1% | 0% | 27 | 3 | 6 |
| 18 | Midland ON | 3.4% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 5 |
| 19 | Miramichi NB | 3.2% | 0.1% | 19 | 0 | 7 |
| 20 | Mont-Saint-Hilaire QC | 3% | 24% | 37 | 0 | 3 |
| 21 | Bendale-Glen Andrew ON | 2.8% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 1 |
| 22 | Westmount ON | 2.5% | 0% | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| 23 | North St.James Town ON | 2.4% | 0% | 10 | 8 | 16 |
| 24 | O'Connor-Parkview ON | 2.3% | 19% | 13 | 1 | 14 |
| 25 | Medway ON | 2.3% | 4.4% | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| 26 | Kensington-Chinatown ON | 2.2% | 0% | 12 | 8 | 29 |
| 27 | Fletchers West ON | 2.2% | 0% | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 28 | Petawawa ON | 1.9% | 1.2% | 9 | 0 | 15 |
| 29 | Central London ON | 1.9% | 0% | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| 30 | Saint-Sulpice QC | 1.5% | 2.1% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Nicolas-Viel QC | 1.3% | 0% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Saint-Colomban QC | 1.1% | 1.1% | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| 33 | Sainte-Sophie QC | 1% | 0.2% | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| 34 | Collingwood BC | 0.8% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 6 |
| 35 | Stony Plain AB | 0.7% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| 36 | Eringate-Centennial-West Deane ON | 0.4% | 0% | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 37 | Weston ON | 0.4% | 0% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Port Hope ON | 0.3% | 0.1% | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 39 | Walkerville ON | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 40 | Wîhkwêntôwin AB | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 2 | 1 |
The map
Parks, woods and paths around Summerside
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 Summerside: 23 named parks and woods
The biggest is Rotary Friendship Park, 28 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
23 named parks and woods, 54 ha in all
Parks & gardens 54 ha
Rotary Friendship Park and Heather Moyse Heritage Park together hold 65% of it.
Heather Moyse Heritage Park
Park or garden
7.1 ha1.6 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.6 km of path
1.0 km south-eastfrom the centre
Heather Moyse Heritage Park and Garden
Directionsto a point inside
Queen Elizabeth Park
Park or garden
3.7 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
0.7 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Leger Park
Park or garden
1.9 ha0.1 km of path
Centralin the middle of Summerside
Directionsto a point inside
Air Force Heritage Park
Park or garden
1.1 ha0.3 km of path
4.3 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Memorial Park
Park or garden
0.8 ha0.4 km of path
1.2 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 23 named parks and green spaces
Rotary Friendship ParkPark or garden · 28 ha · 5.9 km of path
DirectionsHeather Moyse Heritage ParkPark or garden · 7.1 ha · 1.6 km of path
DirectionsQueen Elizabeth ParkPark or garden · 3.7 ha · 0.6 km of path
DirectionsLeger ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsWilmot ParkPark or garden · 1.9 ha
DirectionsAir Force Heritage ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsMemorial ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsLeFurgey ParkPark or garden · 1.5 ha
DirectionsBilly Bridges ParkPark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsCentennial ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha
DirectionsMeadow Heights ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha
DirectionsSchurman ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha
DirectionsHarvard Street ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsErrol Thompson ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha
DirectionsMaplewood ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsHilson Point ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsBlue Bell ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsSlemon Bark - Off Leash Dog ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsHillcrest ParkPark or garden · 0.4 ha
DirectionsJennifer Street ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsArgus ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsNorthumberland Street Bark ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsWoodridge Place ParkPark 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
A park is within a short walk for 8 in 10 in Summerside
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 (77%)Further (23%)
Summerside77%
Towns in Prince Edward Island0.2%
Typical Canadian town83%
For comparison, the typical Canadian town has 83%. Around 4,300 residents are further than 400 m from a park.
Protected areas
Within 10 km of Summerside, 25% 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 Summerside0.5%
Within 10 km25%
Towns in Prince Edward Island4%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
On public land: 2 of the 15. The others are private conservation land. Scallop Buffer Zone (SFA 22) is the biggest, 285,278 ha. The figures include 13 private conservation areas, left unnamed.
Scallop Buffer Zone (SFA 22)Nature reserve · 285,278 ha · reaches Summerside
Egmont Bay PEI Conservation AgreementNature reserve · 2,958 ha · 6.4 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
21 km to Prince Edward Island National Park
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
21 km north-east27 km²since 1937
Provincial park
Amherst Shore Provincial Park
48 km south2.6 km²since 2000
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Summerside and its edge hold 63 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
63 km
in and around the town (66.8 km²)
Woodland
11%
about 7.5 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
SummersideTowns in Prince Edward IslandTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.9
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
SummersideTowns in Prince Edward IslandTypical Canadian town
Woodland11%
0%50%100%
59% of Canadian towns have more footpath per km². For woods, it beats 55% 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
Where to walk from Summerside
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
North Cape Coastal Walk195.1 km
Central PEI Coastal Walk188.1 km
Rotary Friendship Park Trails5.8 km
Summerside Baywalk5.3 km
Heather Moyse Heritage Park and Garden Trails1.8 km
Slemon Park Confederation Trail Connector0.7 km
Summerside Connector Trail0.7 km
The The Island Walk is 672 km long on the map, and 19.5 km of it lies within 2 km of town. At 195.1 km, the North Cape Coastal Walk is the longest local route. 3 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
Walking season in Summerside: June to August
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (New Glasgow, 34 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 | 15.5 | 14.2 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.3 | 8.6 |
| High (°C) | -3 | -3 | 1 | 7 | 14 | 20 | 24 | 24 | 19 | 13 | 7 | 1 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 111 | 91 | 94 | 86 | 90 | 98 | 75 | 88 | 117 | 135 | 130 | 138 |
Snowfall averages 292 cm a year. Daytime highs run from -3 °C in January up to 24 °C in July. The wettest month, December, brings 138 mm, against 75 mm in July. The climate in Summerside →
Beaches
Beaches near Summerside: 7 within 5 km
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Shooting Gallery Shore0.1 km from town
DirectionsGlovers Shore0.2 km from town
DirectionsLinkletter Shore1.3 km from town
DirectionsWaites Shore1.3 km from town
DirectionsStaverts Shore3.8 km from town
DirectionsWoodside Shore4.9 km from town
DirectionsThe shoreline runs 102 km within 5 km of town. The map adds one unnamed beach. 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
Near Summerside: one viewpoint on the map
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Most numerous: playgrounds (90).
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 1
Linkletter Provincial Park1.3 km from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 90
Plus 90 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 3
Northumberland Street Bark Parkin town
DirectionsSlemon Bark - Off Leash Dog Parkin town
DirectionsSummerside Dog Parkin town
DirectionsCampsites 1
Linkletter Provincial Park1.3 km from town
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Summerside
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
MiscoucheKensington, Part 1KensingtonKinkoraMalpeque BayWellingtonSummerside
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summerside | 25% | 15 | 10 | 7 |
| Miscouche 6.3 km | 28% | 12 | 5 | 2 |
| Kensington, Part 1 11 km | 11% | 21 | 11 | 6 |
| Kensington 12 km | 1.5% | 8 | 5 | 0 |
| Kinkora 14 km | 19% | 15 | 8 | 9 |
| Malpeque Bay 15 km | 1.3% | 14 | 2 | 19 |
| Wellington 18 km | 32% | 38 | 5 | 2 |
None of the places nearby has twice as much protected land around it as Summerside.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- 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.
- National and provincial parks. National parks are Parks Canada’s; provincial parks are the province’s or territory’s, Québec’s parcs nationaux among them.
- Private land. Private conservation land is in the totals, not the lists. Many such areas are easements on working farms or woodlots.
Questions about the outdoors in Summerside
Which is the biggest protected area near Summerside?
It is Scallop Buffer Zone (SFA 22), a nature reserve covering 285,278 ha.
How much land around Summerside is protected?
Within 10 km, 25% of the land lies in protected areas.
Is there a beach near Summerside?
Shooting Gallery Shore, 0.1 km from town, is the nearest mapped beach.
Where can you walk near Summerside?
Try the The Island Walk, Confederation Trail (all spurs) and Confederation Trail - Tignish to Elmira; more are on the map.
How far is Summerside from a national park?
It is Prince Edward Island National Park, 21 km off.
What is the nearest provincial park to Summerside?
It is Amherst Shore Provincial Park, 48 km away.
When should you visit Summerside for the outdoors?
June to August: long days, mild highs and little rain.
Sources
Sources for this page on Summerside
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).