Wasaga Beach is more than a beach day. Wasaga Beach Provincial Park has trails through old dunes, fishing on the Nottawasaga River, birding and a winter season with groomed ski trails, and the Town runs its own beach areas. This guide lists what each offers and what the park and the Town say about it.
Facts box
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Census (2021) | Wasaga Beach: 24,862 people (2021 Census), up 20.3% from 20,675 in 2016; 13,768 private dwellings, 10,811 occupied by usual residents[1] |
| Drive to Wasaga Beach | Toronto: about 131 km, 1 h 58 min; Ottawa: about 564 km, 6 h 45 min; London: about 290 km, 3 h 43 min; Kitchener: about 149 km, 2 h 40 min. OSRM estimates; allow for traffic and stops[2] |
| Provincial park | Wasaga Beach Provincial Park, 11 22nd Street North, 705-429-2516. Day use only; 7 km of sandy shore in four park beach areas (3 to 6).[3] |
| 2026 park dates | Day use April 6 to October 12, 2026. Winter season December 11, 2026 to March 21, 2027.[4] |
| Nordic and Trail Centre | 101 Blueberry Trail, Wasaga Beach, with parking at the trailhead.[5] |
Quick answer
Spend the morning at a beach area, the afternoon on a dune trail or the river, and book your park permit first. See Wasaga Beach: beach areas, parking and water quality for parking and the rules.
On the sand
The park’s four beach areas are 3 to 6, and Beach Area 3 has the only on-leash dog beach section in the park.[6] The Town describes Allenwood Beach, New Wasaga Beach and Beach Areas 1 and 2 as well. Beach Area 1, known locally as "The Main End", has shops, restaurants, a boat launch and events such as the Wasaga BeachLife Festival. Wind sports are allowed only in designated areas of Allenwood Beach and Beach Area 6.[7]
Plan your day
Park permits for Beach Areas 3 to 6 can be booked up to five days ahead, and a reservation is the only way to secure entry on a busy day. Permits do not transfer between park areas or to Town lots.[6] Town beach areas are open daily from 6 am to 10 pm.[7] The Town says Schoonertown’s shops and restaurants are a short walk from two of the western beach areas, and Mosley Village from Beach Area 3.[7]
Trails and cycling
The dunes area has over 30 km of trails, reached from the Wasaga Nordic and Trail Centre. The trails start in the raised beaches, remnants of a glacial lake that covered the area close to 10,000 years ago, and sections of the Ganaraska Trail and the Harold Culham Memorial Bicycle Trail run through the dunes.[8] The park’s main page counts over 50 km of hiking trails from the centre, including the Ganaraska sections.[3] Cycling is allowed on the trail network through Beach Areas 3 to 5 and on Shore Lane Trail, which crosses town and park land.[8] At Beach Area 2, the Town’s dog trail runs from 3rd Street to 12th Street through the 6th Street parking lot.[7]
Winter
Ontario Parks says the park offers some of the most exciting Nordic ski terrain in central Ontario.[8]
- Cross-country skiing: the activities page lists 24 km of groomed and track-set trails, while the winter blog says over 30 km. High Dunes Trail is for experts and Blueberry Trail for beginners.[8][9]
- Snowshoeing: the activities page lists a 10 km trail, while the winter blog describes a 7 km trail in beginner, intermediate and expert sections.[8][9]
- Winter biking: the blog lists 8 km of single track through the Pine Oak Savannah Forest.[9]
- Hours, passes and rentals: winter hours are 9 am to 5 pm, and rentals are due back by 4 pm. Cross-country skiing has an extra fee. Ski, snowshoe and fat-bike rentals are at the Nordic and Trail Centre, 705-429-0943.[8][10]
- Shelf ice: view it only from solid shore, because hidden thin spots and ice tunnels make the ice dangerous.[9]
On the water
Ontario Parks says Nottawasaga Bay suits large motorboats, sailboats and windsurfers. Boats can be rented from marinas in town, and a municipal boat launch is at 2nd Street South. The Nottawasaga Canoe Route is 32 km and can be paddled in one day, with canoe rentals from private companies.[8] Boats and personal watercraft must stay out of designated swimming areas.[7]
Fishing
Ontario Parks recommends fishing from a boat, and you can also fish near the Nottawasaga River bank within park boundaries, and a fishing access point is in the dunes area. Catches include rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, splake and pickerel, especially in spring and fall.[8] The Town does not allow fishing within its beach areas except in the waters of the Nottawasaga River.[7]
Birding and wildlife
The park’s mix of sandy beach and forested dunes makes it a stopover for migrating birds. Ontario Parks names Red Knots and Ruddy Turnstones in fall and Bald Eagles and Snowy Owls in winter.[8] Winter visitors can see white-tailed deer, rabbits and squirrels, and less often fishers and coyotes.[9] The Town asks visitors not to feed wildlife and to stay out of Piping Plover Critical Habitat Areas.[7]
Events
The Town requires a Special Event Permit for weddings, parties and organized gatherings on its beaches.[7] We did not confirm 2027 event dates on an official calendar, so we list none.
FAQ
Is there skiing at Wasaga Beach?
Yes. Wasaga Beach Provincial Park has groomed and track-set cross-country trails (24 km on the activities page; over 30 km in the winter blog), a snowshoe trail and winter biking. The 2026-27 winter season runs December 11 to March 21. Checked November 3 2026.
Can I fish at Wasaga Beach?
Yes, near the Nottawasaga River bank within the park and at the park’s fishing access point in the dunes. The Town does not allow fishing in its beach areas except in the river. Checked November 3 2026.
Where can I launch a boat?
Ontario Parks lists a municipal boat launch at 2nd Street South, and the Town lists a boat launch at Beach Area 1. Checked November 3 2026.
Cottages in this area
Browse cottages near Wasaga Beach or the whole Southern Georgian Bay and Lake Simcoe region.
Township Rules Check
Thinking of renting out a cottage here? Run the Township Rules Check. The Town of Wasaga Beach requires a short-term accommodation licence, and the licence number must be shown in every advertisement or listing.[11] Municipal accommodation tax is 4% of the purchase price for stays of 30 days or less, from April 1 2026.[12]
Claims table
Rebuilt 2026-11-03 by the independent fact-checker. The original table is in things-to-do-in-wasaga-beach.orig.md.
| # | claim | source URL | checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Census figures | https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000201 (checked against 98-10-0002-01 CSV) | 2026-11-03 |
| 2 | Drive estimates | https://router.project-osrm.org | 2026-11-03 |
| 3 | Address, phone, day use only, 7 km, four areas; over 50 km hiking incl. Ganaraska | https://www.ontarioparks.ca/park/wasagabeach | 2026-11-03 |
| 4 | 2026 dates | https://www.ontarioparks.ca/park/wasagabeach | 2026-11-03 |
| 5 | Nordic and Trail Centre address, trailhead parking | https://blog.ontarioparks.ca/winter-at-wasaga-beach/ | 2026-11-03 |
| 6 | Beach Areas 3 to 6; dog beach section; five-day booking; non-transferable | https://www.ontarioparks.ca/park/wasagabeach/facilities | 2026-11-03 |
| 7 | Town beach areas, Main End, BeachLife Festival, wind sports, hours, Schoonertown, Mosley Village, dog trail, swim-area boats, fishing rule, wildlife, plover areas, event permit | https://www.wasagabeach.com/programs-services/beaches/ | 2026-11-03 |
| 8 | Dunes trails, raised beaches, Ganaraska and Culham trails, cycling, winter trails 24 km, 10 km snowshoe, hours, fee, phone, boating, canoe route, fishing, birding | https://www.ontarioparks.ca/park/wasagabeach/activities | 2026-11-03 |
| 9 | Winter blog: over 30 km ski, 7 km snowshoe, 8 km biking, shelf ice, wildlife | https://blog.ontarioparks.ca/winter-at-wasaga-beach/ | 2026-11-03 |
| 10 | Winter rentals at Nordic and Trail Centre | https://www.ontarioparks.ca/park/wasagabeach/facilities | 2026-11-03 |
| 11 | STA licence; licence number in every ad (township dataset, By-law 2026-08) | https://www.wasagabeach.com/programs-services/municipal-law-enforcement/short-term-accomodations/ ; https://wasagabeach-006-ca.govstack.com/media/ki5jke4z/2026-08-license-regulate-and-govern-short-term-accommodation-by-law.pdf | 2026-11-03 |
| 12 | MAT 4%, 30 days or less, from April 1 2026 (dataset; mat_status_2026-11-03) | https://www.wasagabeach.com/media/pweak3nd/2025-63-implement-a-municipal-accommodation-tax.pdf | 2026-11-03 |
Fact-check 2026-11-03 (independent): original 29 rows: 13 confirmed, 6 corrected, 10 removed. The park sections relied on the Ontario Parks blog, which conflicts with the park’s own pages (four park beach areas, not eight; Beach Area 1 boat launch and Nancy Island details are not on the park pages). Removed: $21 permit, 8 am to 10 pm park hours, peak times, smoking and ATV rules, Nancy Island Welcome Centre and fishing rules, Ploverland closure, "only provincial park fully integrated within a town" (blog only), "re-check each January". Corrected: winter trail lengths now show the park page and blog figures side by side. Added from the park’s activities page: fishing, boating, canoe route, birding, cycling. Rules Check box matches the township dataset and MAT status file. Stray @R1 line removed.