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The Ultimate Beach Day Trip from Grande Prairie: Shaws Point

Having lots of relatives in the Okanagan, I grew up camping at beautiful, clear, BC lakes with sandy beaches. Thus, living in GP, I was fairly disappointed with the mainly murky water-body options. And when we thought we found a half decent water hole, someone would find a leech attached to their leg! Well, thanks to my good friend Nicole, I finally found a great beach on a lake with no leeches!

Nicole doesn’t like to sleep. And, obviously she thinks I get too much of it too! Because she confidently suggested we meet at Tim’s at 6:45 am before starting our drive out of Grande Prairie! Having 4 kids, I was thinking this might be a bit of a challenge, but if she could do it, so could I! Waking up to the alarm in the morning made me know I was foolish, and how I couldn’t possibly move this early in the morning (have you guessed I’m not a morning person yet?!)! But, we made it! (I may have been 10 minutes late…) And it was worth it…

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How far is Shaws Point from Grande Prairie?

Shaws Point Resort is located roughly 2.5 hours drive from GP! I suggest leaving early so you can stake a spot on the popular beach! You will need to drive past the town of High Prairie to reach the private camping resort. Located on the large well-known Lesser Slave Lake!

Directions from Grande Prairie to Shaws Point Resort

Drive past the town of High Prairie and through Grouard. There will be signs posted for Shaws Point Resort and Hilliards Bay Provincial Park. Both are located close to each other.

More Precise Driving Directions:

  1. From Grande Prairie, take hwy 43 to Valleyview
  2. Turn left onto hwy 49 (sign for Peace River; stay on for about 47 kms)
  3. Turn right onto hwy 2A (signs for High Prairie)
  4. After driving through High Prairie, turn left onto hwy 750 towards Grouard
  5. Not far past Grouard, turn right onto Willow Point Road
  6. Follow the signs to Shaws Point Resort

Is the Beach really worth the drive?

So, is the beach at Shaws Point Resort really worth the semi-long drive? Well, I definitely think so! The sand is fine and the lake bottom is sand as well! It is also a gradual, shallow entry into the lake which makes it perfect for babies and young kids. It was nice to let my baby crawl around without worrying about rocks!

By the way, if you need more floaties, we love these chair floaties with cup holders from Amazon! (They were around $10 when I bought them in 2016!)

But I’ll let you decide how nice it is from the pictures below!

Note: Hilliard’s Bay also has a sandy beach! Next time, I will take a look to see how it compares to the beach at Shaws Point!

Amenities at Shaws Point

Shaws Point Resort is a private campground resort. There is a restaurant, fish cleaning stations, shower and bathroom buildings, a playground, and several marinas. Also, laundry facilities and boat rentals are on site. Boats can be rented for as little as $30/hr! I believe there is also a shop with everything you could possibly need for sale…or so I’ve heard online.

fishing on lesser slave lake

There is also an open-air market every Saturday from 9 am – 2 pm!

Many of the camping lots are seasonal but the rest are available on a first come first serve basis. The general public may also enter but you will need to pay a $15 fee (per vehicle) at the gated entrance.

Can I Stay Overnight There?

Besides campsites, the resort also offers a few cabins for rent. They vary in price from $100 – $150 per night.

Other options include camping, or get a hotel in nearby High Prairie.

Other interesting places Enroute

On the drive I noticed a couple places of interest…all close to High Prairie.

EC Bar Ranch Adventures – Private bookings available during the summer for their giant slip n slide. Corn maze and pumpkin patch open during the Fall!

Shady Orchard & Winery – I’ve tried a couple different shady wines and loved them! Very fruity and perfect for summer! You might want to grab a bottle for the lake! Their shop is open tuesday – saturday.

Day Trip Summary

Definitely check out this beach spot! You will be happy you did! The beach is amazing and there are several amenities. Didn’t pack food? There is a onsite restaurant. Want to stay the night? Rent a cabin! We went on a scorching hot day and couldn’t get enough of the water! The only thing I would do different is stay LONGER! I will definitely either camp, or rent a cabin or hotel next time.

Let me know if you visited this beach in the comments below!

Read about the sandy Simonette River beach closer to Grande Prairie! (coming soon)

Looking for more activities close to GP? Take a hike (and swim) at Red Willow Falls! Read about it here.

Take care,


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About the author 

Rachel Matthews

I am a Canadian Mommy of 4 little munchkins, always dreaming of our next adventure, and how we can one day become a snowbird family!

I love making the most of life and exploring our hometown of Grande Prairie while keeping my family happy and healthy. Follow my blog for Grande Prairie articles, our family adventures, reviews and everything related to Mommy life.

If you are interested in Family Travel that, check out my other website > FlipFlopFam.com

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