Shaws Beach

Overview

About Shaws Beach

Why stop

Quiet dune-backed shore with long walks
Open views across Brackley Bay

Heads up

Stair-only access to the beach

This is one of the smaller beaches in the Brackley-Dalvay area, and smaller beaches here often see less traffic than the larger ones like Brackley Beach. It suits a quieter sandy shoreline and a long shoreline walk rather than a full day at a heavily serviced beach.

Parkwolf’s verdictWhy stop

Map

Where it is

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Full map

BeachShaws Beach46.42997, -63.19342

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Plan your stop

Before you go

Best time to go

Early morning is the easiest time, with a calmer feel and better odds of finding a spot. The park is very busy through July and August, when services are fullest; shoulder months are quieter with reduced services. Beach stairs and accesses are seasonal, installed for the warmer months, and in winter the beach accesses are not maintained even though the parking area is among those kept cleared. Check conditions and parking availability before you set out.

Access and parking

The listed access here is limited parking and stairs only, so plan on carrying gear down and back up. This site has fewer listed services than the larger park beaches, so bring water, sun protection and anything else you will need for your visit. There is also a short walking route of about 0.9 miles out and back, easy and roughly half an hour to an hour, with parking near Shaw's Hotel on Apple Tree Road; the small path behind the hotel can change with the tide.

3 active Prince Edward Island alerts

ClosureOceanview cliff area closed beyond signs and fencingStay out of all unmown areas beyond the signs or fencing at Oceanview (46.49951N 63.38272W), including the rocks and cliff edges.Official details
ClosureHomestead trails closed because bridges are outDo not use Homestead Long Loop or Homestead Trail Short loop: both trails are closed because bridges are out. - Respect all posted warnings, closures, notices and signs while using other park trails.Official details

See all 3 alerts

A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone — Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Prince Edward Island Tour Guide

Your drive to Shaws Beach, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Prince Edward Island National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

Recorded for this area

Brackley Beach

0:00 / 0:32

“You're coming up on Brackley Beach, a broad white-sand beach with a seasonal canteen, picnic space, and outdoor showers at the complex.”

Plays on the road 0.4 km from Shaws Beach in the Parkwolf Prince Edward Island Tour Guide.

More about Shaws Beach

What you see and doPale sand backed by a low grassy dune ridge, with open water views across Brackley Bay.

Pale sand backed by a low grassy dune ridge, with open water views across Brackley Bay. The beach is broad and easy to walk, so many visits turn into a slow stroll along the shore and back. Soft waves and quiet mornings are the usual draw. Sunset is worth timing for if you are staying nearby.

Honest drawbacksStairs are the only listed way down, which rules it out for anyone who needs a ramp or level…

Stairs are the only listed way down, which rules it out for anyone who needs a ramp or level access.
Parking is limited, so arrival time matters in summer.
Mosquitoes can be bothersome near dusk.
September visits can feel cold, and high winds and severe winter weather are possible.
Emergency services are limited in the off season.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Prince Edward Island

All Prince Edward Island wildlife maps

100 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 7 AMSighting map

95 sightingsOspreyMost seen around 8 AMSighting map

67 sightingsGreat Blue HeronMost seen around 7 AMSighting map

104 sightingsRed FoxMost seen around 7 AMSighting map

97 sightingsSnowshoe HareMost seen around 7 AMSighting map

13 sightingsMuskratMost seen around 7 PMSighting map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Prince Edward Island. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.