Cow Head sits on a very shallow bay, which is called Shallow Bay. The tides here are quite noticeable, with quite a few rocks in the bay exposed at low tide. The bay is protected by some pretty islands called the Belldowns.
Shallow Bay is actually two bays separated by a sandy spit. The Shallow Bay Park is on the second bay. Cow Head has one of the longest sand beaches (about 6 km) in Newfoundland and a large area of sand dunes. A number of endangered bird species nest in the dunes. To protect these nesting sites there are two board walks provided to allow one to cross over the dunes. One is from the beach’s parking lot. The second boardwalk is north about 1.5 km and is located in the Shallow Bay Campground.
To reach the beach, go east on Main Street. Outside of town it becomes Parks Road. If you follow this almost to the end you’ll see the gravel road to the beach parking area. There are trails here and lookouts built. Take a walk on the beach, it’s firmly packed sand and perfect for a hike. During the summer months the locals say you can go swimming! You may want to leave that to the kids! Hours can be spent gathering shells, driftwood, picnicking and pictures.
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