36 Beaches to Discover in Sunset Country

The thing about having 70,000 lakes in Sunset Country, is that is comes with a ton of sandy beaches! From public beaches to beaches at your resort to beaches in the wilderness to the beaches at Ontario Parks, there is always a beach nearby!

Sure, in the winter are beaches are covered with that white fluffy stuff we call snow, but in the summer months, there are beautiful sandy beaches along crystal clear waters that are just begging for us to dive in!

Whether you are driving through Sunset Country on a hot summer day, are just planning to book a lodge with a beach, or want to book an Ontario Park with a beach, this list of beaches in northwest Ontario will help you find a beach near you!

Public Beaches in Northwest Ontario

All the following public beaches are free to use. No lifeguards on duty. There are generally a restroom and/or change rooms as well as some other amenities. Please see the map below for more information on each beach.

Kenora Public Beaches

Anicinabe Park Beach 
Miikana Way & Golf Course Rd, Lake of the Woods (Drive to)

Garrow Park 
Birchwood Cres, Rabbit Lake (Drive to)

Keewatin Beach 
Beach Rd, Lake of the Woods (Drive to)

Norman Beach 
35 Minnesota St, Lake of the Woods (Drive to)

Coney Island Beach 
Coney Island, Lake of the Woods (Boat to)

Scotty’s Beach 
Scotty’s Island, Lake of the Woods (Drive to)

Ear Falls Public Beaches

Ear Falls Waterfront 
26 Waterfront Park, English River/Lac Seul (Drive to)

Red Lake Public Beaches

There are three public beaches in Red Lake/Cochenour as well as one boat-to beach/sand bar.

Cochenour Beach 
Cochenour Cres, Red Lake (Drive to)

Kinsmen (Keesic) Beach 
St Paul’s Bay, Red Lake (Drive to)

Rahill Beach 
Off Hwy 125, Red Lake (Drive to)

Sandy Point Beach 
Bruce Channel, Red Lake (Boat to)

Vermilion Bay Public Beaches

Machin Park 
Lyle Rd off Hwy 594, Eagle River, on Eagle Lake (Drive to)

Kinsmen Beach 
Durance Rd, Eagle Lake (Drive to)

Dryden Public Beaches

Ghost Lake Beach 
Ghost Lake Rd, Ghost Lake (Drive to)

Johnson’s Beach 
Thunder Lake Rd, Thunder Lake (Drive to)

Sandy Beach Recreational Area 
Sandy Beach Rd, Wabigoon Lake (Drive to)

Hudson Public Beaches

Bernier’s Beach 
Indian Trail, Big Vermilion Lake (Drive to)

Sioux Lookout Public Beaches 

Farlinger Town Beach 
20 Wellington St, Pelican Lake (Drive to)

MNR Beach 
MNR Airbase Rd off Hwy 72, Abram Lake (Drive to)

Second Sandy Beach 
Hwy 72, Pelican Beach (Drive to)

Umfreville Park Beach 
Hwy 72, Abram Lake (Drive to)

Ignace Public Beaches

Agimak Beach 
606 Lakeshore Dr, Agimak Lake (Drive to)

West Beach 
West Beach Drive off Hwy 17, Agimak Lake (Drive to)

Fort Frances Public Beaches

Point Park Beach 
Hwy 11 E, Rainy Lake (Drive to)

Rainy River Public Beaches

Hannam Park 
Corner of 5th St and River Ave, Rainy River (Drive to)

Morson Public Beaches

Oscar’s Bay Beach 
Frenchman’s Rock Rd, Lake of the Woods (Drive to)

Sable Islands 
South end of Lake of the Woods (Boat to)

Beaches at Ontario Parks in Northwest Ontario

We have over a dozen Ontario parks in Sunset Country. All the parks that you can drive to have at least one public beach. Day fees may apply. Free for all people camping at the Ontario Park. Most do not have lifeguards at the beaches. Of course, there are also Ontario Wilderness Parks that have many sand beaches scattered through them. 

Aaron Park 
Highway 17 east of Dryden. Aaron has two sandy beaches on Thunder Lake that are located on the east and west sides of the park. 

Blue Lake Park 
Highway 647 north of Vermilion Bay. Super long beach along the shores of crystal clear Blue Lake.

Caliper Lake Park 
Highway 71 south of Nestor Falls. Large beach with sectioned-off swimming area. Floating swim platform. 

Dawson Trail Campground in Quetico Park 
Accessed off Highway 11 east of Atikokan. If you won’t be canoeing in the backcountry in Quetico Park, you can still swim at the beach at Dawson Trail Campground.

Ojibway Park 
Highway 72 south of Sioux Lookout on Little Vermilion Lake. The beach is located in the day-use area.

Pakwash Park 
Highway 105 north of Ear Falls on Pakwash Lake. Long, sandy beach located in the day-use area. The swimming area is marked with buoys.

Rushing River Park 
Highway 71 just southeast of Kenora. Four sandy beaches with excellent swimming areas, all of which have a shallow roped-off section. Ideal for children.

Sandbar Lake Park 
Highway 599 just north of Ignace. Sandy beach with a gradual drop off makes this a great swimming location for families. The beach is located in the day use area and the swimming area is marked with buoys.

Sioux Narrows Park 
Highway 71 north of Sioux Narrows. A family-friendly sandy beach is only minutes from the campground.

Bring your water toys to enjoy Lake of the Woods at the Sioux Narrows Park!

There are many other beaches within the remote wilderness Ontario Parks like Wabakmi, Woodland Caribou, Quetico, and Turtle River/White Otter.

We are also fortunate to have many remote beaches on Crown Land (government-owned) on the many lakes in Sunset Country. Feel free to pull up to these remote beaches while you are out on the lake for the day and take a dip in the cool clear water.

Accommodations with a private beach for guests

There are many lodges and private campgrounds with a sandy beach for the guests to use.  The easiest way to find a lodge with a beach is to go to the Sunset Country Accommodation Finder and under the search tab called “Amenities or Services” select ‘beach’ and you can see all the lodges with their own beach. 

While there are too many to list in this article, here are a few with amazing beaches just waiting for you!

• Tomahawk Resort in Sioux Narrows on Lake of the Woods. The secluded sandy beach is located in a private cove where you can swim and sunbathe to your heart's content. Or explore the shoreline in complimentary pedal boats, canoes or kayaks.

• True North Outposts & Cabins on Clearwater/Burditt Lake. Sand beach with lots of toys! Paddleboats, kayaks and paddleboards to use. Swim out to the floating dock with a diving board and slide. 

Enjoy yourself at the beach at True North Outposts & Cabins!

• Sunny Beach Camp is located on one of the largest privately-owned beaches on the Canadian side of Rainy Lake.
• Arrowhead Resort & Motel is located right across the highway from the waterfalls in Nestor Falls. Paddleboats, kayaks and paddleboards to use.

There is so much to do at the beachfront at Arrowhead Resort & Motel!

• Amberlite Wilderness Resort is the perfect place to hold an event. They offer a selection of spaces and services suitable for every kind of event or celebration. and they can be held right on their beautiful sandy beach!! 

As you can see, there are plenty of beaches in Ontario’s Sunset Country. Driving through? We got you covered. Camping? Yup, beaches there too. Want a sand beach at your resort? Yes, there are many to choose from. 

Enjoy your time on the beach in Sunset Country!

Order your free Sunset Country Travel Guide & Map for more vacation ideas.

Find Your True North

Sign up now to get stories, news, and travel tips

First name

Email address

Subscribe

We will never spam you and will never share your e-mail. Please see our privacy policy.

Thank you for subscribing!

Showing 'Edited Body' is no longer supported.