First pick
Île Frontenac
Wood or forest
91 ha
54 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Hayden Soloviev · CC BY 4.011%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Val-d'Or · parks, protected land & trails
Protected land around Val-d'Or beats nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns
55 areas within 10 km are protected for nature. Protected areas take in 19% of the town itself. 4 beaches are mapped within 5 km, the nearest Plage Rotary.
Protected land
11%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
55
within 10 km, 54 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
44 km
Aiguebelle National Park (Québec)
Beaches
4
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
Where Val-d'Or stands out 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 88% of Canadian townsMany protected areas54 public areas within 10 kmParks are a drive awayThe nearest provincial park, Aiguebelle National Park (Québec), is 44 km off
Above all, Val-d'Or offers protected land around it, with the number of public protected areas close by close behind. Where it falls short is a big park within easy reach.
Against other towns
Val-d'Or 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. No letter: the outdoors is described for Canadian towns, not graded.
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 town19%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas54Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes0Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches4Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Val-d'Or has the 7th most protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (30,981 to 35,858 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
Val-d'Or11%
Towns its size3.3%
Towns in Quebec4.9%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Val-d'Or54
Towns its size8
Towns in Quebec10
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Val-d'Or0
Towns its size0
Towns in Quebec0
Typical Canadian town0
Val-d'Or beats most towns its size for public protected areas; only 1 of 39 does better.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Explorateurs QC | 23% | 12% | 46 | 1 | 10 |
| 2 | Vieux-Lachine - Saint-Pierre QC | 17% | 0% | 30 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Bois-Francs QC | 14% | 1.4% | 39 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | Cecil-P.-Newman QC | 14% | 0% | 25 | 0 | 5 |
| 5 | Clayton Park West NS | 13% | 0% | 18 | 13 | 7 |
| 6 | Centretown ON | 12% | 1.5% | 37 | 4 | 6 |
| 7 | Val-d'Or QC | 11% | 19% | 55 | 0 | 4 |
| 8 | Savane QC | 11% | 0% | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Fairview BC | 8.2% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 68 |
| 10 | Sainte-Marie QC | 6.3% | 0% | 24 | 0 | 4 |
| 11 | Edmonds BC | 6.2% | 0% | 40 | 4 | 8 |
| 12 | Sainte-Julie QC | 5.8% | 0.7% | 45 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Saint-Constant QC | 5.8% | 0% | 25 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | Grande-Prairie QC | 5% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Orangeville ON | 4.2% | 3.5% | 38 | 1 | 1 |
| 16 | Arcola East SK | 4.2% | 8.8% | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 17 | Mount Olive-Silverstone-Jamestown ON | 4.1% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | Killarney BC | 4% | 3.5% | 14 | 2 | 6 |
| 19 | North Cowichan BC | 3.9% | 2.3% | 72 | 7 | 10 |
| 20 | West Humber-Clairville ON | 3.4% | 0% | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| 21 | Langley BC | 3.2% | 0% | 95 | 3 | 0 |
| 22 | Victoria-Fraserview BC | 3.1% | 0% | 15 | 2 | 4 |
| 23 | Chambly QC | 2.7% | 1.1% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Est (Montréal-Nord) QC | 2.6% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Vimont QC | 1.9% | 0% | 33 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | St Lawrence-East Bayfront-The Islands ON | 1.7% | 6.1% | 12 | 9 | 48 |
| 27 | Thorold ON | 1.6% | 4.2% | 16 | 7 | 1 |
| 28 | Parkland County AB | 1.6% | 1.3% | 69 | 15 | 5 |
| 29 | Courtenay BC | 1.4% | 2.9% | 54 | 0 | 1 |
| 30 | Leamington ON | 1.3% | 5.5% | 2 | 0 | 16 |
| 31 | Whitehorse YT | 1.3% | 4.5% | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 32 | Elmira ON | 0.8% | 0% | 27 | 10 | 1 |
| 33 | Grimsby ON | 0.7% | 1.5% | 26 | 7 | 8 |
| 34 | Lisgar ON | 0.7% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Chestermere AB | 0.5% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 36 | Applewood ON | 0.3% | 0% | 6 | 1 | 3 |
| 37 | DT Core ON | 0.3% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Okotoks AB | 0.2% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 39 | Saint-Georges QC | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 40 | Fergus ON | 0% | 0% | 4 | 8 | 2 |
The map
Val-d'Or 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
21 named parks and woods to walk in near Val-d'Or
The biggest is Île Frontenac, 91 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
21 named parks and woods, 145 ha in all
Parks & gardens 40 haWoods 105 ha
Île Frontenac and Île Namawash together hold 72% of it.
Parc de la côte de 100 pieds
Park or garden
6.8 ha
2.0 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Parc des Marais
Park or garden
3.5 ha0.7 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.7 km of path
1.3 km south-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Parc Blouin
Park or garden
4.1 ha0.2 km of path
1.7 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Parc de la Maison du Citoyen
Park or garden
4.3 ha
11 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Parc du Château-d'Eau
Park or garden
3.6 ha
3.8 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 21 named parks and green spaces
Île FrontenacWood or forest · 91 ha
DirectionsParc de la côte de 100 piedsPark or garden · 6.8 ha
DirectionsParc HarricanaPark or garden · 5.5 ha
DirectionsParc des MaraisPark or garden · 3.5 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsParc BlouinPark or garden · 4.1 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsÎle NamawashWood or forest · 14 ha
DirectionsParc de la Maison du CitoyenPark or garden · 4.3 ha
DirectionsParc du Château-d'EauPark or garden · 3.6 ha
DirectionsParc de L'EskerPark or garden · 3.5 ha
DirectionsParc L'HoumeauPark or garden · 1.5 ha
DirectionsParc VanierPark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsParc LemoinePark or garden · 1.0 ha
DirectionsParc PoirierPark or garden · 1.0 ha
DirectionsParc LionsPark or garden · 0.9 ha
DirectionsParc SabourinPark or garden · 0.8 ha
DirectionsParc PierretPark or garden · 0.9 ha
DirectionsParc GosselinPark or garden · 0.7 ha
DirectionsParc Lucien-ClichePark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsParc Edgard-DavignonPark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsParc Florent-HoudePark or garden · 0.3 ha
DirectionsParc BourlamaquePark 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
5 in 10 people in Val-d'Or live near 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 (50%)Further (50%)
Val-d'Or50%
Towns in Quebec52%
Typical Canadian town83%
A median Canadian town manages 83%. About 17,000 residents live further than 400 m from one.
Protected areas
The 55 protected areas near Val-d'Or
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Val-d'Or19%
Within 10 km11%
Towns in Quebec4.9%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Of the 55, 54 are public land; the others are privately held. At 43,419 ha, Caribous-de-Val-d'Or Biodiversity Reserve is the largest. One more area within 10 km is private land, held by a landowner or a conservation group: counted here, not named.
Caribous-de-Val-d'Or Biodiversity ReserveNature reserve · 43,419 ha · reaches Val-d'Or
Moraine-d'Harricana biodiversity reserveNature reserve · 36,500 ha · reaches Val-d'Or
Caribous-de-Jourdan Ecological ReserveNature reserve · 712 ha · reaches Val-d'Or
08451R047 Biological RefugeWildlife area · 323 ha · reaches Val-d'Or
08351R067 Biological RefugeWildlife area · 281 ha · reaches Val-d'Or
08351R058 Biological RefugeWildlife area · 256 ha · reaches Val-d'Or
08351R068 Biological RefugeWildlife area · 218 ha · reaches Val-d'Or
08351R102 Biological RefugeWildlife area · 211 ha · reaches Val-d'Or
08351R061 Biological RefugeWildlife area · 196 ha · reaches Val-d'Or
08351R063 Biological RefugeWildlife area · 196 ha · reaches Val-d'Or
27 more named areas within 10 km are in the figures.
2 areas recorded only by their type (provincial layers such as wildlife habitat areas) are 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
The nearest big park: Aiguebelle National Park (Québec), 44 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)
Aiguebelle National Park (Québec)
44 km north-west268 km²since 1985
For a national park, people in Val-d'Or travel more than 100 km. Note that Québec calls its provincial parks parcs nationaux; Sépaq manages them.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
192 km of paths in and around Val-d'Or
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
192 km
in and around the town (4,356.6 km²)
Woodland
82%
about 3,593.3 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Val-d'OrTowns in QuebecTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0
012 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Val-d'OrTowns in QuebecTypical Canadian town
Woodland82%
0%50%100%
Woods cover more of it than in 97% of Canadian towns. For path density, 93% of Canadian towns do better.
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 named walking route passes Val-d'Or on the map
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 walking or hiking route is mapped near the town; local paths may simply not be on OpenStreetMap as routes.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
May is the best month for walking in Val-d'Or
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Val-D'or, 5.3 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) | 8.8 | 10.1 | 11.7 | 13.6 | 15.2 | 16.0 | 15.7 | 14.3 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.2 | 8.4 |
| High (°C) | -10 | -8 | -2 | 7 | 16 | 22 | 24 | 22 | 17 | 9 | 1 | -6 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 55 | 42 | 47 | 65 | 69 | 84 | 101 | 93 | 102 | 82 | 75 | 54 |
Daytime highs run from -10 °C in January up to 24 °C in July. For dry weather, February is best (42 mm); September gets 102 mm. The climate in Val-d'Or →
Beaches
Beaches near Val-d'Or: 4 within 5 km
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Plage Rotaryin town
DirectionsPlage Rotary Val d'Orin town
DirectionsOpenStreetMap shows 2 more, nameless. No national or provincial register of beach water quality is published as open data, so check the local health unit before swimming.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Val-d'Or 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.
Playgrounds lead the count with 15.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Belvederein town
DirectionsHills and peaks 1
Montagne de la Tour Matchi-Manitou1.5 km from town
DirectionsNature reserves 1
Réserve écologique des Caribous-de-Jourdanin town
DirectionsPicnic sites 3
Halte de la barrière0.9 km from town
DirectionsPlus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 15
Plus 15 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 5
Plus 1 campsite without a name on the map.
Slipways 6
Plus 6 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Val-d'Or
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page. No closer places have figures: these lie 25–39 km from Val-d'Or.
MalarticRivière-HévaLac SimonBarrauteSenneterreVal-d'Or
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Val-d'Or | 11% | 55 | 0 | 4 |
| Malartic 25 km | 6.6% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Rivière-Héva 31 km | 9.3% | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| Lac Simon 33 km | 0.5% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Barraute 39 km | 0.5% | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Senneterre 39 km | 1.4% | 13 | 0 | 3 |
Its neighbours have no more than twice Val-d'Or’s protected share.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- 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.
- National and provincial parks. A park at 0 km touches or overlaps the town’s outline; directions point from the town’s centre.
- Protected land. CPCAD maps each protected area; the page counts how much of the 10 km around the town they cover, lakes and sea included.
- Walking routes. Only named route relations count; a park’s own path network may not show unless it is mapped as a route.
- Beaches. Beaches are OpenStreetMap’s, named or not; in the north many are unnamed shoreline imports.
Questions about the outdoors in Val-d'Or
How far is Val-d'Or from a national park?
No national park lies within 100 km of Val-d'Or.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Val-d'Or?
On the normals, May: that is when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light.
What is the biggest park or reserve near Val-d'Or?
It is Caribous-de-Val-d'Or Biodiversity Reserve, a nature reserve covering 43,419 ha.
Is there a beach near Val-d'Or?
Try Plage Rotary, in town, first of several.
What is the nearest provincial park to Val-d'Or?
The closest is Aiguebelle National Park (Québec), at 44 km.
Is there protected land near Val-d'Or?
Within 10 km, 11% of the land lies in protected areas.
Sources
Sources for this page on Val-d'Or
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).