Cates Bay Beach is a rocky, off-leash beach with beautiful east-facing views. To access the beach, you head down a wide gravel path which leads to a short set of stairs. At the bottom of those stairs you have to scramble over a series of logs and rocks before you reach the beach.
Limited parking is available. You will find street parking for about a dozen vehicles, or so.
We did not observe a public toilet in the immediate area.
Are dogs allowed on Bowen Island beaches?
Bowen Island’s municipal website says that, “dogs are currently allowed off-leash in all municipal parks but must be kept under control by owners.” It also says that “dogs are not allowed on Tunstall, Sandy or Bowen Bay Beaches in July and August,” however, “at all other coastal access points, leashes are optional, so long as your dog is under control and kept within 3 metres of you.”
“Public beach,” as defined in Bowen Island’s Animal Control Bylaws, “means those public lands located between the low water mark and fifteen (15) metres upland of the high water mark of any body of salt water”
