Terrace Bay Beach

This little mill town is located just up the Trans-Canada Highway from Rainbow Falls Provincial Park, where we were staying - about 25 minutes of driving.

(It’s also about 40 minutes from Neys Provincial Park - we stayed there last year!)

We actually went on a lark, feeling kinda disappointed with Aguasabon Falls.

A trail there had a glorious photo of the north shore of Lake Superior, inviting visitors to hike to Terrace Bay Beach.

I wasn’t up for another hike that day, so we googled to see if it was accessible by car. It was, so we went.

Part of the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area, it’s a great place to get some fresh air.

There are plenty of spots to picnic, a nice boardwalk if you want to take a short walk and stretch your legs, and a nice view of Lower Aguasabon Falls.

The mouth of Aguasabon River is right by the HUGE parking lot, along with some really nice boat launching and docking facilities.

We honestly lost track of how many times either of us said “Wow” during our visit.

Anyway, let’s tell you all about it!

The Basics:

Location Name: Terrace Bay Beach
Address: Beach Road, Terrace Bay, ON P0T 2W0
Website: Terrace Bay Beach
Price: Free!
Reservations: Not Applicable
Season: Year-Round, Boat Launch is open from May to October

Logistics

Some basic information to help you plan your trip to Terrace Bay Beach.

Registration and Check In

Not at all applicable here. There is no gate, no tickets... not even paid parking. Ah, the glories of well-funded government!

Maps and Signage

There’s a fair amount of helpful signage in the area - boat regulations, rules for visiting the area, how to use the accessible canoe launch, that kind of thing. All of these signs were bilingual, by the way.

The maps are of larger hikes heading out of the immediate area - we didn’t see any maps of the beach area itself.

You don’t really need one, though - you can see the whole thing from the parking lot, and everything is pretty obvious. (Bathrooms in the building, etc).

Parking

There’s a huge main parking lot, as well as some offshoot parking lot areas around the corner, down the far end of the beach from the main parking area.

In the main parking lot, there’s an area designated for trailer parking, there’s a small section for motorcycles, and ample parking space for RVs to get in, park, AND turn around.

It wasn’t very busy when we were there, but we figure there’s a good chance that even if it was, you’d probably be fine.

Washrooms

There’s a set of actual washrooms - with flush toilets - on the side of the vistor centre building.

During our visit, the bathroom facilities were clean and well maintained.

Connectivity

We had great connectivity throughout the beach area.

Accessibility

The boardwalk trail and washrooms were accessible, as was the little gift shop.

The beach itself was not wheelchair accessible, and it was pretty difficult to walk on, as someone with mobility issues (relatively fine gravel, feet sinking in while stepping, etc).

That said, there WAS a wheelchair accessible boat launch with an accessible canoe launch apparatus, and really clear signage on how to use it.

The whole boat launch area was a wonderful spot to hang out at, so if you have mobility issues... you’ll still have a beautiful view.

Pets

Terrace Bay Beach was super dog friendly, you just have to pick up after them.

Yes, they make it very, VERY clear that you’re expected to pick up after your dogs.

The beach makes this easy, as there are waste baggie dispensers every 100 metres or so along the boardwalk, maybe more frequently than that, even.

They were all stocked, which is something we often DON’T see.

Beyond that, dogs are required to be leashed when on the boardwalk, and under control at all times when on the beach.

Gift Shop / Visitor Centre

There’s a small Canada Parks Store in the Terrace Bay Beach Pavilion, with a limited but cute selection of souvenirs.

It also serves as a bit of a visitor information centre, with travel brouchures for entire regions of Canada.

Day Use Area

The whole beach is a day-use area - no camping is allowed there.

There are a few distinct picnic areas at Terrace Bay Beach.

Some of the nicest picnic options are right at the Visitor Pavilion. There’s a sheltered picnic area in the middle of the building, and there was a cute picnic area on the beach in front of it, with little lights strung over it.

Nearby, there’s a beach volleyball net, with an amazing view of the entire bay.

Coasties Program

Just like Pukaskwa National Park, Terrace Bay Beach participates in the #Coasties program.

Coastie Canada is an initiative from a research team out of the University of Windsor, intended to track changes in various coastlines over time.

The Coastie setup is at the far end of the boardwalk, just before it turns into the Red Chairs Trail.

This is a little post with a phone holder, along with the invitation orient your phone through their holder. Then, you take and submit a photo of the current state of the coastline in question.

Miscellaneous

Camping is not permitted at Terrace Bay Beach, nor are campfires.

That was a surprise to us - there’s a bin big of used firewood right next to the pavilion. There’s no signage at all, but it definitely had the vibe of it being a supply for public use.

Beyond that, you’re also not allowed to have alcohol on the beach.

In terms of sky viewing... Terrace Bay is an area of low light pollution in general, so you should be able to do ok with general stargazing, even photographing the milky way over the lake.

As far as Northern Lights go, you’ll be dealing with lights from the town, so those could definitely mess with your photography.

Entertainment and Activity

Some information on the outdoor activities you can participate in at Terrace Bay Beach.

Hiking

Need to stretch your legs? You’ve got a few options here:

Boardwalk Trail - 0.4 km, Easy

There’s a long boardwalk that starts along the length of the pavilion and walks the length of the beach.

If you’re looking for an easy, short stroll, this is your best option. Also? There are a bunch of chairs along the way, should you want to just sit and enjoy the scenery.

The trail ends about 0.4 km from the parking lot, at the start of the Red Chairs Trail - so about 0.8 km, return.

Red Chairs Trail - About 0.3 km, Moderate

This nature trail picks up where the Boardwalk Trail ends, taking you out to a set of Parks Canada Red Chairs with an amazing view over Lake Superior.

Porter did this one himself. Says he:

“This is a rugged trail, fairly steep, kind of narrow, and about .18 km from the sign to the red chairs.. One spot has a stairway that was nice.

It’s a short walk that is absolutely worth the bit of effort, if you’re up for it. The view from the chairs area is amazing!"

Casque Isles Trail, 53 km, Difficult

Near the boat launch is an access point for the Casque Isles Hiking Trail, a SUPER long coastal trail that links Aguasabon Falls & Gorge at one end, with the town of Rossport on the far end of it.

We actually walked part of the Casque Isle Trail in Rainbow Falls Provincial Park.

Anyway, we noticed a bridge going over the Lower Aguasabon Falls from the parking lot, and a nearby trail head, so Porter checked out this small section of the trail. (It’s a 3.25 km round trip hike to Aguasabon Falls, btw).

Here’s what he had to say:

The bridge was very wide, strong, and stable - not much bounce to it. Nice views over the falls and across to the beach, the view to the other side is nice enough, but wouldn’t have been worth the walk on its own."

Biking, etc

Bikes, scooters, roller blades, and skateboards aren’t allowed on the boardwalk... so this isn’t really a biking destination.

Swimming

While it’s not a sandy beach - it’s more of a pebble beach - Terrace Bay is the perfect place to swim.

Who needs white sand, when you’ve got sparkly, crystal clear Lake Superior water, and those VIEWS?

No lifeguards, though, so keep an eye on the water conditions, and swim at your own risk.

Birding, Wildlife, and Nature

Well, we saw a Canada Goose, and a butterfly. That was it!

Boating

In addition to the aforementioned accessible kayak launch, there’s a nice little boat launch and docking area at the mouth of the Aguasabon River, right off the parking lot.

Being out on that lake is akin to being out on the open ocean, so DEFINITELY keep an eye on weather conditions. It has a bad reputation for conditions changing quickly!

Fishing

You can fish from the floating docks, or go out onto Lake Superior to fish from a boat.

I haven’t found much in the way of information specific to fishing in Terrace Bay specifically, but I know that - up the highway in Rainbow Falls Provincial Park - people fish for Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout, Salmon, and Whitefish on Lake Superior.

Niantic Games

There are a few Pokestops / Ingress Portals / etc at Terrace Bay Beach, and enough internet to access.

Beyond that, there are several more stops in town.

Nearby Attractions

Looking for to have a round of golf, visit a lighthouse gallery, or find a place to stay when visiting Terrace Bay Beach? Here are a few of the local attractions:

Slate Islands Provincial Park - A non-operating park on an island, with a herd of CARIBOU! We’ll definitely have to check this out someday - you can charter a boat ride over, and even camp there!

Terrace Bay Lighthouse - a mainland replica of the lighthouse on Slate Island.

Aguasabon Golf Course - Pretty self-explanatory.

Simcoe Plaza - quaint shopping area in the center of town, with retail stores and restaurants.

Drifters Motel & Red Dog Inn - local overnight accommodations.

Schreiber Beach - a nearby, more secluded beach.

Final Thoughts

The whole beach area is really gorgeous - I mean like *stunningly* gorgeous.

It’s definitely a hidden gem, absolutely none of the signage from the highway had us prepared for how NICE this was.

The views of Lake Superior are just beautiful, the water is crystal clear, and the whole area is just really well appointed and maintained.

Everything felt really THOUGHTFUL.

We’ll definitely be back!

More Places to See

Looking for some nice sights to see and great places to visit while you're out on your camping adventures? Here are a few of our favourite day use parks, attractions, etc.

Aguasabon Falls & Gorge
Amethyst Mine Panorama
Batchawana Bay
Big Bay, Ontario
Bruce Peninsula National Park
Canada's Dinosaur Park
Chippewa Falls
Falls Reserve Conservation Area
Flowerpot Island
French River Provincial Park
Gariepy Creek Falls
Healey Falls
Inglis Falls Conservation Area
Menesetung Bridge
Mink Creek Falls
Old Woman Bay
Onaping Falls
Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park
Petroglyphs Provincial Park
Point Pelee National Park
Provoking Falls
Sand River Falls
Scenic Caves Nature Adventures
Scenic High Falls
Screaming Heads
Spirit Rock Conservation Area
Temagami Fire Tower