ESmith583
We visited Cabot Head Lighthouse for the second time in August of 2014. The drive from Dyers Bay to the lightstation is a little tense for us, as it is a single lane gravel road for several kilometers, with few places wide enough to accommodate meeting cars traveling from the opposite direction. The views on this winding gravel road are simply stunning, though! The lightstation itself is a well preserved historical building, offering an interesting glimpse at life for a lightkeeper and family.
telferm
The drive to the lighthouse was very nice. After getting off the highway, you drive into the small town of Dyer's Bay and then travell north along a narrow road, with the escarpment on one side and the waters of georgan bay on the other. Once we got to the lighthouse was walked the path down to Wingfield Basin. We were told that this bay is still used by sailors to hide from storms, but there were no ships that day. There are some old remains of buildings on the other side of the bay, but they are only accessable by water. Back at the lighthouse, they have a nice museum with information on the area and a nice view from the top of the lighthouse.
kacey89
If you are in the area, I definitely recommend visiting the Cabot Head Lighthouse! Although the road to the lighthouse is long and a little bumpy, it is incredibly beautiful and well worth the drive! There are not very many places along Georgian Bay that you can drive for this long right beside the Bay. The lighthouse is absolutely beautiful, and very well maintained by hard working volunteers. There are also some short walking trails around the property with beautiful views of the Bay. You are welcome to venture into the lighthouse, each room full of historical and ecological information about the area. The view from the top of the lighthouse is amazing!And - If you are traveling with your pets, they have 'dog parking' so that you can tie your dog up right beside the lighthouse!Overall, a wonderful piece of Georgian Bay history!
StrangeTripper
The 5 mile drive along a gravel road to the lighthouse is definitely worth it.... The reasonably short hike to the mouth of the basin rewards you with beautiful views of crystal clear Georgian Bay and the Bluffs...
BeckyM40_13
Everyone should experience the drive to this lighthouse and take pictures of the beautiful view and quaint lighthouse. The volunteers have done a great job keeping up the lighthouse and were very helpful and informative.
AllisonTuck
This was a really weird experience for us. It's in all the tourist guides so we went for a little trip. It's weirdly remote - you spend ages going down this bumpy track right next to the shore line, which I really enjoyed. When you get there, you find this odd lighthouse and pretty much that's it. There's really not much there but we enjoyed the adventure of the pot-holed drive, finding it, taking a photo, having a giggle then driving back.
KimN775
Having visited Cabot Head Lighthouse in the midst of severe heatwave, it was a pleasure to return with cooler temps. The view is gorgeous, the drive up the gravel road along the breathtaking shoreline is magnificent and if you keep a close eye out, you'll see Spotted Sandpipers hopping along the shore as well as the ever-present Ring-billed Gulls and Cormorants. Look out for the female Cormorants with their rusty mohawks (in early summer) riding the waves or hanging out on the rocks.Once at the lighthouse, take a tour and drink in the local history. Then take a few moments to sit and drink in the beautiful views of Georgian Bay. Take a hike down the trails (sturdy shoes recommended as some areas are rocky) to the Wingfield Basin. If you are allergic to bees, be sure to come equipped with epipen as there are many plants that attract them. Be on the lookout for the wildlife that enjoys this beautiful area. Pack sunscreen, your bathing suit and your sense of adventure. Also be sure to bring water as the gift shop that sells cold drinks wasn't open during our visit.
raynmanm
My girlfriend and I were exploring the area and came across this little gem in the middle of nowhere! It is way off the beaten path but worth the pretty drive along the shore of the bay. Be aware that the drive from the little town of Dyers bay is a good trek even by car down a one lane dirt road. Not a lot of passing area when you encounter another car and you may be wondering if your on the right road to begin with but stick with it and you'll be rewarded with beautiful views from the top of the lighthouse! Lastly this lighthouse is maintained by donations. If you can give as much as possible as this lighthouse needs all it can get to maintain it for further generations.
lisaspecht
The lighthouse is well worth the drive down the narrow gravel road that leads to it. It's very well maintained, and has lots of artifacts from the days of manned lighthouses. The climb to the top is a bit precarious, but the payoff is the gorgeous views across the water. The tiny gift shop doesn't have a lot to offer that is specific to the lighthouse, but the gent that was staffing it the day we went was very friendly. They also offer (overpriced) snacks.The small building housing the shipwreck gallery was closed when we went, which was disappointing.My only complaint would be the lack of public restrooms beyond outhouses. I'm not squeamish about using an outhouse, but these ones were not accessible, you have to climb a little rocky path to get to them. My mother-in-law was unable to use them as she has bad knees.
n2history
We visited during a weekly rental down the road at Dyer's Bay. We'd already been out hiking in various parks and snorkeling and sea kayaking around the shipwrecks. It was time for taking it a little easier. We biked the one lane gravel road that runs along the shore from Dyer's Bay to the lighthouse -- what beautiful views! The road is fairly well maintained, although there were some pretty good sized potholes (at least for biking) along the way. We also noticed that quite a few of the drivers were not used to driving around bikes.The old lighthouse is well maintained by a local volunteer group and there is a lot to see inside hearkening back to the "glory days", or as I would put it, the real wilderness times. There is a newer steel structure that serves as the functional lighthouse now, but climbing into the upper reaches of the restored old building is a treat. There are numerous displays inside about the local geology, plant, and animal life as well as history of the lighthouse, area shipping, and the people who lived and worked here.Besides the lighthouse (a nominal donation is requested), there are a few trails running over to an old fish camp. The buildings are gone now and the camp is on the other side of a fair size bay from the trail. We saw a number of watercraft in the bay as we enjoyed a siesta on shore.
258marya
We just visited one of the nicest places on the Bruce. The ride up to the lighthouse is so pretty and calming,could use a few more areas to pull off and take a look at the shoreline. The coastal rock changes so much. The lightouse is a beauty,neat,tidy , well cared for and the hosts are most knowledgeable and welcoming. So much information tucked in to the lighthouse,takes you back in time and slows life down just a bit. We all could use that. Thanks for taking such care with this little gem. Well worth the visit. Will definitely be back here to stay longer.
Family_Traveller_382
We visited on a sunny warm day. The volunteer guides were engaging, offering historical information and engaged my son, asking him questions, pointing out things in the exhibits. My son really liked the light-up map, showing the location of all the shipwrecks. The view from the top of the tower was lovely (the space is a bit small), with markers showing which landmarks you can see looking out each of the windows.The guides told us about a 10 min walk to Wingfield basin, which was gorgeous. Great sign boards are located around the site that outline the history. Admission is by donation. The artists shed has some interesting pottery, paintings and jewelry. The little gift shop has snacks, clothing, postcards and such. The drive out is on gravel road. Make sure to stop by the rocky shore of bay to throw stones in the water or generally sun yourself. Look for flat pull in places.
96TravellerMP
My visit was definetly not a waste of time! I was very satisfied with the hiking on the trails, and the amazing view from the top of the lighthouse. A well-stocked giftshop allowed me to take some memories home. I also found an amazing blog where you can read all about the amazing history! Visit and give it some feedback! Cabotheadlighthouse.wordpress.com. Share it with your friends.
KimN775
Okay, the drive in seems endless (gravel road), but the views along the way are stunning. Have your camera ready to spot herons, cormorants and all sorts of bird life enjoying this protected natural location.The lighthouse is beautifully presented and the guides are sweet and knowledgeable. It's worth the climb to the top to see out to the lake and imagine what life was like back in the days before internet and internet reviews. The washrooms are outhouses and while we were there, the ground wasps were in their full glory so just a head's up for anyone who has allergy concerns.Make sure you have bottled water or something to drink - can be very hot up there on windless days.
Johnfriction
The drive past Dyer's Bay right on the water is magnificent and made the visit worth it. The museum feels remote and peaceful (it does take a while to get out here). We went in late June and only saw another couple cars on the gravel road, which is fairly narrow but wide enough for careful two-way traffic. The museum is clearly well-loved and taken care of, and we bought some things in the small giftshop that supports the museum. The lighthouse view from the top would have been better if it was sunnier, but still very nice. Definitely worth a visit off the beaten path.