First pick
Parc des Îles
Park or garden
15 ha2.4 km of path
35 minto walk all 2.4 km of path
1.1 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Minoumi · CC BY 3.011%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Matane · parks, protected land & trails
Matane has more protected land around it than nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns
The largest named area nearby is Sector of Matane-Les Méchins Territorial reserve for protected area purposes, 31,628 ha, 2.1 km away. Swimmers have 9 beaches within 5 km, Plage du Parc des Îles the nearest. There is no national park within 100 km of the town.
Protected land
11%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
6
within 10 km, 6 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
48 km
Gaspésie National Park (Québec)
Beaches
9
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What Matane has going for it outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round11% of the land within 10 km, more than 87% of Canadian townsBeaches9 beaches within 5 kmParks are a drive awayThe nearest provincial park, Gaspésie National Park (Québec), is 48 km off
Matane is strongest on protected land around it, with its beaches close behind. Where it falls short is a big park within easy reach.
Against other towns
Matane 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. Outdoors isn’t one of Canada’s graded subjects, so there’s no letter here: each figure is set against other Canadian towns instead.
Protected within 10 km11%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town0.1%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas6Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes0Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches9Beaches 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, Matane ranks 6th for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (13,913 to 14,467 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
Matane11%
Towns its size2.5%
Towns in Quebec4.9%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Matane6
Towns its size6
Towns in Quebec10
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Matane0
Towns its size0
Towns in Quebec0
Typical Canadian town0
For protected land nearby, Matane sits near the top of its size group: 5 of 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kerrisdale BC | 18% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 33 |
| 2 | Riverview ON | 15% | 1.9% | 45 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 | Oakridge BC | 13% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 23 |
| 4 | Convent Glen - Orleans Woods ON | 13% | 0% | 35 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | Chapel Hill South ON | 12% | 0% | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Matane QC | 11% | 0.1% | 6 | 0 | 9 |
| 7 | Findlay Creek ON | 8.2% | 2.5% | 14 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | Rideaucrest - Davidson Heights ON | 6.8% | 11% | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Maricourt QC | 6.5% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Glen Cairn ON | 5.5% | 0% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Manor Park NS | 5.3% | 0% | 22 | 6 | 21 |
| 12 | Vieux-Limoilou QC | 4.9% | 0% | 17 | 1 | 7 |
| 13 | Sillery QC | 4.8% | 0% | 24 | 1 | 5 |
| 14 | Saint-Amable QC | 4.3% | 0% | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Plateau QC | 4.1% | 0% | 18 | 2 | 4 |
| 16 | Bourg-Royal QC | 4.1% | 0.5% | 19 | 0 | 8 |
| 17 | Tiny ON | 3.9% | 7.9% | 23 | 0 | 61 |
| 18 | Louis-Hébert QC | 2.5% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 1 |
| 19 | Oakridge ON | 2.5% | 11% | 12 | 1 | 13 |
| 20 | Fletchers Creek Village / Lundy Village ON | 2.5% | 7.1% | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 21 | Copperfield AB | 2.5% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| 22 | South Glengarry ON | 2.3% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 6 |
| 23 | Ridgehill / Armbro Heights ON | 2.3% | 9.7% | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 24 | Greenwood-Coxwell ON | 2.2% | 0% | 12 | 3 | 38 |
| 25 | Harbour Landing SK | 2.2% | 0% | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 26 | Prévost QC | 2.1% | 3.5% | 18 | 2 | 2 |
| 27 | Humewood-Cedarvale ON | 2% | 0% | 13 | 2 | 1 |
| 28 | Parkwoods-O'Connor Hills ON | 1.9% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Rosemère QC | 1.8% | 2.4% | 29 | 1 | 0 |
| 30 | Colchester County, Subdivision C NS | 1.7% | 1.8% | 125 | 5 | 1 |
| 31 | Hickory Woods ON | 1.6% | 0% | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 32 | Forest Heights ON | 1.6% | 0% | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Durham ON | 0.3% | 0.2% | 19 | 0 | 2 |
| 34 | Junction Area ON | 0.3% | 0% | 8 | 4 | 10 |
| 35 | Warman SK | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | River West ON | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 37 | Martindale AB | 0.2% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Mount Forest ON | 0.1% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Sandwich ON | 0.1% | 2.9% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 40 | Skyview Ranch AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Parks, woods and paths around Matane
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
15 named parks and woods to walk in near Matane
Largest first: Parc des Îles leads with 15 ha. Numbers match the map.
15 named parks and woods, 35 ha in all
Parks & gardens 35 ha
Parc des Îles and Parc des Castors together hold 75% of it.
Parc des Castors
Park or garden
11 ha0.9 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.9 km of path
2.0 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Place des Rochelais
Park or garden
1.4 ha0.3 km of path
2.1 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Parc Nancy-Charest
Park or garden
1.3 ha0.1 km of path
2.0 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Parc multirécréatif de Matane
Park or garden
0.7 ha0.1 km of path
1.3 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Parc Jeanne-Dionne
Park or garden
0.5 ha0.2 km of path
1.1 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Parc Jean-Charles-Forbes
Park or garden
0.5 ha0.2 km of path
1.6 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 15 named parks and green spaces
Parc des ÎlesPark or garden · 15 ha · 2.4 km of path
DirectionsParc des CastorsPark or garden · 11 ha · 0.9 km of path
DirectionsPlace des RochelaisPark or garden · 1.4 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsParc Nancy-CharestPark or garden · 1.3 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsParc HammermillPark or garden · 0.9 ha
DirectionsParc multirécréatif de MatanePark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsParc Jeanne-DionnePark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsParc Jean-Charles-ForbesPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsParc Jane-McCallumPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsParc Octavia-Christina-Roy-DesjardinsPark or garden · 0.7 ha
DirectionsParc du TricentenairePark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsParc Mélanie-JoncasPark or garden · 0.5 ha
DirectionsParc "Maman Luc" Albina-Fortin-TremblayPark or garden · 0.6 ha
DirectionsParc du Barrage-Mathieu-D'AmoursPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsParc du Pied-de-la-CôtePark or garden · 0.3 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
About 6 in 10 of Matane’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 (58%)Further (42%)
Matane58%
Towns in Quebec52%
Typical Canadian town83%
That leaves about 5,900 people more than a short walk away. The typical Canadian town reaches 83%.
Protected areas
The 6 protected areas near Matane
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Matane0.1%
Within 10 km11%
Towns in Quebec4.9%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
The 6 are all publicly owned. Sector of Matane-Les Méchins Territorial reserve for protected area purposes leads for size with 31,628 ha.
Petit Matane Water Fowl Gathering AreaWildlife area · 673 ha · reaches Matane
Matane Water Fowl Gathering AreaWildlife area · 266 ha · reaches Matane
Saint-Ulric Est Water Fowl Gathering AreaWildlife area · 670 ha · reaches Matane
Sector of Matane-Les Méchins Territorial reserve for protected area purposesNature reserve · 31,628 ha · 2.1 km from the edge of town
Sainte-Félicité Water Fowl Gathering AreaWildlife area · 902 ha · 3.1 km from the edge of town
Saint-Ulric Water Fowl Gathering AreaWildlife area · 682 ha · 6.1 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
Gaspésie National Park (Québec) is 48 km away
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
Québec national park (provincial)
Gaspésie National Park (Québec)
48 km east802 km²since 1981
There is no national park within 100 km; for big parks, Matane has its province’s. Despite the name, a Québec parc national is a provincial park.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Matane and its edge hold 73 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
73 km
in and around the town (270.4 km²)
Woodland
51%
about 139.1 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
MataneTowns in QuebecTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.3
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
MataneTowns in QuebecTypical Canadian town
Woodland51%
0%50%100%
Woods cover more of it than in 84% of Canadian towns. It has fewer paths per km² than 74% 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
OpenStreetMap shows no walking route near Matane
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
No walking route is mapped within 2 km of the town. Mapping of trails as routes varies a great deal across Canada.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
The best months for walking in Matane: May, June, August and September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Mont-Joli, 58 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) | 8.7 | 10.1 | 11.7 | 13.6 | 15.2 | 16.1 | 15.8 | 14.4 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.1 | 8.3 |
| High (°C) | -8 | -6 | 0 | 7 | 16 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 18 | 10 | 3 | -4 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 74 | 65 | 70 | 64 | 76 | 76 | 93 | 78 | 86 | 97 | 74 | 81 |
October is the wettest month (97 mm) and April the driest (64 mm). July is the warmest month, with highs around 24 °C; January the coldest, at -8 °C. The climate in Matane →
Beaches
9 beaches within 5 km of Matane
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Plage du Parc des Îlesgravel · in town
DirectionsAdd 8 unnamed beaches to the count. OpenStreetMap maps 40 km of coastline within 5 km. Whether the water is fit for a swim isn’t in any open national dataset; public health posts the local advisories.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Matane has a viewpoint within 2 km
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
Highest of the named peaks: Sommet, 175 m.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 1
Sommet175 m · in town
DirectionsPicnic sites 1
Plus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 1
Le Vire-Vent, espace famille de La Mataniein town
DirectionsCampsites 1
Camping de la Rivière Matanein town
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Matane
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Sainte-FélicitéSaint-UlricMatane
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matane | 11% | 6 | 0 | 9 |
| Sainte-Félicité 14 km | 27% | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Saint-Ulric 14 km | 3.4% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
Sainte-Félicité has at least twice the protected share around it.
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.
- 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. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
Questions about the outdoors in Matane
What is the nearest national park to Matane?
The nearest national park is more than 100 km from Matane.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Matane?
On the normals, May, June, August and September: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
What is the largest protected area near Matane?
It is Sector of Matane-Les Méchins Territorial reserve for protected area purposes, a nature reserve covering 31,628 ha.
How far is the nearest provincial park from Matane?
It is Gaspésie National Park (Québec), 48 km away.
Are there protected areas near Matane?
Within 10 km, 11% of the land lies in protected areas.
What is the nearest beach to Matane?
Plage du Parc des Îles, in town, is the nearest mapped beach.
Sources
Where Matane’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).