First pick
Île du Corbeau
Wood or forest · 130 m outside town
45 ha0.1 km of path
8.3 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: P199 · CC BY-SA 3.05.2%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Messines · parks, protected land & trails
Messines touches 07351R029 Biological Refuge
2.6 km out lies the largest, lac des Trente et Un Milles White-Tailed Deer Yard, at 24,354 ha. Within 5 km lie 6 beaches, unnamed on the map. The protected share within 10 km is 5.2%, where a typical Canadian town has 2.3%.
Protected land
5.2%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
11
within 10 km, 11 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
71 km
Ottawa River Provincial Park
Beaches
6
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
What sets Messines apart outdoors
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Beaches6 beaches within 5 kmParks are a drive awayThe nearest provincial park, Ottawa River Provincial Park, is 71 km off
Messines’ best card is its beaches. The gap is a big park within easy reach.
Against other towns
Messines 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. Outdoors isn’t graded in Canada. The page compares each figure with other towns and leaves it there.
Protected within 10 km5.2%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town0.8%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas11Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes0Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches6Beaches 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, Messines ranks 10th for protected land within 10 km
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (1,691 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
Messines5.2%
Towns its size1.6%
Towns in Quebec4.9%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Messines11
Towns its size4
Towns in Quebec10
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Messines0
Towns its size0
Towns in Quebec0
Typical Canadian town0
Messines beats most towns its size for protected land nearby; 9 of 39 do better.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anmore BC | 22% | 47% | 16 | 5 | 98 |
| 2 | Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska QC | 19% | 0% | 28 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Gracefield QC | 19% | 19% | 34 | 0 | 6 |
| 4 | East Preston NS | 16% | 6.3% | 20 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | Clearwater BC | 7.7% | 4.1% | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | Roberval QC | 6.1% | 1.2% | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague QC | 5.8% | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | North Frontenac ON | 5.7% | 5.2% | 13 | 6 | 4 |
| 9 | Cap-Chat QC | 5.3% | 0.4% | 13 | 0 | 10 |
| 10 | Messines QC | 5.2% | 0.8% | 11 | 0 | 6 |
| 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
Messines on the map: green space, protected land and paths
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
8 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Messines
Largest first: Île du Corbeau leads with 45 ha. Numbers match the map.
8 named parks and woods, 161 ha in all
Woods 161 ha
La Grosse Île plus Île du Corbeau account for 56% of the green.
Île Orlo
Wood or forest · 360 m outside town
2.8 ha
5.8 km south-westfrom 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
In Messines, 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%)
Messines0%
Towns in Quebec52%
Typical Canadian town83%
That leaves about 1,700 people more than a short walk away. Most towns do better: the typical Canadian town is at 83%.
Protected areas
Within 10 km of Messines, 5.2% 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 Messines0.8%
Within 10 km5.2%
Towns in Quebec4.9%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Governments or Indigenous nations hold all 11. Biggest of the named areas: lac des Trente et Un Milles White-Tailed Deer Yard, 24,354 ha.
07351R029 Biological RefugeWildlife area · 100 ha · reaches Messines
Lac Profond White-Tailed Deer YardProtected area · 926 ha · 1.8 km from the edge of town
lac des Trente et Un Milles White-Tailed Deer YardProtected area · 24,354 ha · 2.6 km from the edge of town
07351R061 Biological RefugeWildlife area · 62 ha · 4.2 km from the edge of town
Mont-Sainte-Marie Land set asideProtected area · 7,562 ha · 7.2 km from the edge of town
Sud du lac des Bleuets, Cayamant HeronryProtected area · 27 ha · 7.4 km from the edge of town
07351R056 Biological RefugeWildlife area · 81 ha · 7.6 km from the edge of town
Père-Louis-Marie Ecological ReserveNature reserve · 315 ha · 9.1 km from the edge of town
Baie-Noire Forest RefugeWildlife area · 378 ha · 9.8 km from the edge of town
07351R055 Biological RefugeWildlife area · 55 ha · 9.9 km from the edge of town
1 area recorded only by its type (a provincial layer such as wildlife habitat areas) is counted, not listed.
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
Ottawa River Provincial Park is 71 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
Provincial park
Ottawa River Provincial Park
71 km south-west1.3 km²since 1989
There is no national park within 100 km; for big parks, Messines has its province’s. A Québec parc national belongs to the province, not to Parks Canada.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Messines has 39 km of footpaths in and around it
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 (191.8 km²)
Woodland
72%
about 137.8 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
MessinesTowns in QuebecTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.2
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
MessinesTowns in QuebecTypical Canadian town
Woodland72%
0%50%100%
It has fewer paths per km² than 78% of Canadian towns. For woods, it beats 92% 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
No mapped walking route near Messines
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
No named route shows within 2 km of the town; volunteers map trails unevenly from one region to the next.
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 Messines: May to July and September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Maniwaki, 14 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) | -6 | -4 | 2 | 10 | 19 | 23 | 26 | 24 | 20 | 12 | 4 | -3 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 76 | 56 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 80 | 87 | 95 | 87 | 96 | 72 | 76 |
The warmest days come in July (26 °C highs), the coldest in January (-6 °C). February is the driest month at 56 mm; October the wettest at 96 mm. The climate in Messines →
Beaches
6 beaches within 5 km of Messines, none named
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
This page can’t show water quality: no open, Canada-wide record of beach testing exists. Check local advisories first.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
A viewpoint near Messines
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
6 picnic sites top the list. Mont Morisette, 400 m, is the high point nearby.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 1
Mont Morisette400 m · 1.0 km from town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
Parc régional du Mont Morissette1.6 km from town
DirectionsPicnic sites 6
Halte de Messinesin town
DirectionsHalte du de Farleyin town
DirectionsHalte du lac Blue Seain town
DirectionsHalte du Lac Clémentin town
DirectionsHalte du Lac Grantin town
DirectionsPlus 1 picnic site without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 1
Plus 1 playground without a name on the map.
Campsites 5
Camping Lac Saumurein town
DirectionsCamping Manoirin town
DirectionsCentre Plein-Air du lac Grenonin town
DirectionsPlus 2 campsites without a name on the map.
Slipways 1
Plus 1 slipway without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Messines
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
Kitigan ZibiManiwakiDéléageGracefieldMessines
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Messines | 5.2% | 11 | 0 | 6 |
| Kitigan Zibi 11 km | 2.4% | 10 | 0 | 2 |
| Maniwaki 15 km | 3.2% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Déléage 15 km | 17% | 15 | 0 | 3 |
| Gracefield 18 km | 19% | 34 | 0 | 6 |
Déléage and Gracefield have at least twice the protected share around them.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- 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.
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- 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.
- Walking routes. Routes are what OpenStreetMap’s volunteers have mapped as named walking or hiking routes; many good trails aren’t mapped that way.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
Questions about the outdoors in Messines
Is there a provincial park near Messines?
The closest is Ottawa River Provincial Park, at 71 km.
When should you visit Messines for the outdoors?
May to July and September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
What is the largest protected area near Messines?
It is lac des Trente et Un Milles White-Tailed Deer Yard, a protected area covering 24,354 ha.
Where can you swim near Messines?
The beaches mapped within 5 km have no names on the map.
Is Messines near a national park?
The nearest national park is more than 100 km from Messines.
Is there protected land near Messines?
Within 10 km, 5.2% of the land lies in protected areas.
Sources
Where Messines’ 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).