Sandbanks Provincial Park - West Lake Beach / Dunes Beach

Prince Edward, Ontario
Managed by Ontario Parks

Welcome to two of the largest freshwater baymouth sandbars in the world. The Park offers overnight camping, as well as long stretches of sandy beaches. This sensitive dune ecosystem is very rare and truly spectacular. In the middle of summer, the campground and the beach are nearly always packed with people so be sure to book your sites early. Found close to the Woodland camping ground and Maple Rest Heritage House, West Lake Beach is one of the most sheltered in the park.

No lifeguards, water safety is your responsibility. Life Jacket Lending Program available.

Water Quality
  • Passed water quality tests at least 95% of the time

  • Historical Status
  • This status is based on the latest sample, taken on August 29th, 2022. Ontario Parks updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on September 2nd, 2022 at 1:26 PM.
For water quality icon legend, click:  
Monitoring Frequency

Sandbanks Provincial Park - West Lake Beach / Dunes Beach is sampled weekly from June 15th to September 14th.

Source Information

Ontario Parks samples beaches weekly from June to the end of August (weather permitting). However, some Parks do not begin sampling until mid-June due to factors such as water temperature. Ontario Parks beaches are monitored according to the province's Beach Management Protocol. The Protocol says that authorities must check water quality at least weekly from June 1 to Labour Day at beaches where there are formal swimming programs or lifeguards.

Beaches are typically tested early in the week, on Monday or Tuesday. Samples are processed at provincial labs, processing times vary from park to park, depending on location. Beach postings may occur anytime during the bathing season. As part of the routine monitoring program of public beaches, beach postings may be required where exceedance of recreational water quality levels and other environmental data supports the need for posting. Beaches are posted when the geometric mean of the samples collected exceeds 200 E. coli / 100 ml or if a single sample exceeds 400 E. coli / 100 ml. If the recreational water quality at a swim site meets this standard it is given a GREEN current status in Swim Guide. If the recreational water quality at a swim site exceeds this standard it is given a RED current status in Swim Guide. When water quality exceeds the recreational water quality standards, Ontario Parks posts alerts on their website. Beaches are also physically posted with a sign. Ontario Parks re-samples water that has exceeded the standard as soon as possible. Swim Drink Fish enters water quality test results into Swim Guide according to the actual date the sample was taken. Each Ontario Park typically samples its beaches on the same day every week (or month). Ontario Parks has provided us with the sample collection schedule (Mon-Sun) for Ontario Parks' beaches they monitor. The water quality data for Ontario Parks is entered according to their sample collection schedule. The Ministry of the Environment F-5-5 Procedure says that a clean beach is open at least 95% of the swimming season, even if it is near a sewage pipe or combined sewer outfall. This rule applies to every place that is public, accessible, and feels like a good place to swim. When all else fails, the Ontario Environmental Protection Act strongly states that no one can interfere with the use that you can make of a public waterway - like swimming!

Read more
Water Quality Graph

Sandbanks Provincial Park - West Lake Beach / Dunes Beach

Prince Edward, Ontario
Managed by Ontario Parks

Water Quality
  • Passed water quality tests at least 95% of the time
  • Historical Status
  • This status is based on the latest sample, taken on August 29th, 2022. Ontario Parks updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on September 2nd, 2022 at 1:26 PM.
For water quality icon legend, click:  

Welcome to two of the largest freshwater baymouth sandbars in the world. The Park offers overnight camping, as well as long stretches of sandy beaches. This sensitive dune ecosystem is very rare and truly spectacular. In the middle of summer, the campground and the beach are nearly always packed with people so be sure to book your sites early. Found close to the Woodland camping ground and Maple Rest Heritage House, West Lake Beach is one of the most sheltered in the park.

No lifeguards, water safety is your responsibility. Life Jacket Lending Program available.

Monitoring Frequency

Sandbanks Provincial Park - West Lake Beach / Dunes Beach is sampled weekly from June 15th to September 14th.

Source Information

Ontario Parks samples beaches weekly from June to the end of August (weather permitting). However, some Parks do not begin sampling until mid-June due to factors such as water temperature. Ontario Parks beaches are monitored according to the province's Beach Management Protocol. The Protocol says that authorities must check water quality at least weekly from June 1 to Labour Day at beaches where there are formal swimming programs or lifeguards.

Beaches are typically tested early in the week, on Monday or Tuesday. Samples are processed at provincial labs, processing times vary from park to park, depending on location. Beach postings may occur anytime during the bathing season. As part of the routine monitoring program of public beaches, beach postings may be required where exceedance of recreational water quality levels and other environmental data supports the need for posting. Beaches are posted when the geometric mean of the samples collected exceeds 200 E. coli / 100 ml or if a single sample exceeds 400 E. coli / 100 ml. If the recreational water quality at a swim site meets this standard it is given a GREEN current status in Swim Guide. If the recreational water quality at a swim site exceeds this standard it is given a RED current status in Swim Guide. When water quality exceeds the recreational water quality standards, Ontario Parks posts alerts on their website. Beaches are also physically posted with a sign. Ontario Parks re-samples water that has exceeded the standard as soon as possible. Swim Drink Fish enters water quality test results into Swim Guide according to the actual date the sample was taken. Each Ontario Park typically samples its beaches on the same day every week (or month). Ontario Parks has provided us with the sample collection schedule (Mon-Sun) for Ontario Parks' beaches they monitor. The water quality data for Ontario Parks is entered according to their sample collection schedule. The Ministry of the Environment F-5-5 Procedure says that a clean beach is open at least 95% of the swimming season, even if it is near a sewage pipe or combined sewer outfall. This rule applies to every place that is public, accessible, and feels like a good place to swim. When all else fails, the Ontario Environmental Protection Act strongly states that no one can interfere with the use that you can make of a public waterway - like swimming!

Read more
Water Quality Graph

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Prince Edward, Ontario
Prince Edward, Ontario
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