Not to be outdone by the town's wide range of indoor offerings, Canadian boasts a considerable variety of outdoor activities, featuring four city parks with picnic tables and children's playgrounds, a city swimming pool, and a skate park, which was designed in consultation with Tony Hawk.

Rodeo grounds, Canadian

The Hemphill County Recreation Complex, on the north end of town on Highway 60/83, is home to the local Rodeo Arena, city ponds, baseball complex, horseshoe pit, children's playground, Jones pavilion and the driving range, plus the Hemphill County RV Park.

Located north of Canadian's city limits, the Canadian River Wagon Bridge was built in 1915 and became a part of SH 33 (now US 60/83) in the early 1920s. Today, its total length is 3,255 feet and is part of a scenic hiking and biking trail over the Canadian River Valley and wetlands habitat. The bridge is a great area for walking, jogging, bird watching, and wildlife viewing and in the fall, the changing colors of the fall foliage create a breathtaking vista. Make sure to plan a visit for Canadian's two-day Fall Foliage Festival the third week in October.

Situated seven miles north of Canadian is the  Gene Howe Wildlife Management Area, operated by Texas Parks & Wildlife. Enjoy the views and sounds of wetlands species on the area marshes, including turtles, bats, Great Blue Herons, and native Rio Grande Turkeys, or visit the prairie dog towns, wild plum thickets, and antelope or Lesser Prairie Chicken habitat in the sandhills. Visitors should check in at the headquarters and are required to have a pass from Texas Parks & Wildlife or be part of a group program. The only exceptions are for those who take driving tours. 

Just 5 miles farther north, 63-acre Lake Marvinqualifies the Black Kettle National Grasslands as the crown jewel of panhandle nature sites. Sitting astride the Texas/Oklahoma border and maintained by the US Forest Service, the 575 acres of grasslands combine natural beauty, fascinating history, pristine native habitat and awesome wildlife and bird watching opportunities, with both driving and hiking trails. The site includes a rustic Lodge as well as primitive and RV full hook-up style camping, fishing and limited boating. Reservations for the Lodge are made through the Chamber of Commerce. Camping is first come, first served, with an honor system on-site fee box. After crossing the Canadian River Bridge northbound on US 60/83, take FM 2266 to the right.