Chapel Beach

The walk to the beach and back is 6.5 miles and was thoroughly enjoyable. While a significant portion felt more like a hike, the waterfall along the route made for a pleasant break. Visiting in mid-May meant no horse flies, though I'm not certain when they typically appear. I suggest taking this trip in the late morning.

I understand that my three-star rating of this popular spot might make you wonder, "What's wrong with her? Everyone loves Chapel Beach." But let me explain why I wasn't impressed. Initially, I was captivated by the stunning view of the Chapel Rock tree. We saw it from the water during a kayaking tour and decided we needed to explore the area on foot. Unfortunately, that turned out to be a disappointing experience. The trail was long, easy, and frankly, boring, with only a couple of attractive spots like a waterfall and a hidden lake. While the Chapel Rock tree was incredible, it looked far more impressive from the water than from the land. As for the beach, we had hoped to swim there, but that was absolutely impossible due to the HORSEFLIES. There were swarms of them, and they stung us relentlessly, despite having used off-spray before stepping onto the beach. We retreated as quickly as possible, leaving the area to the horseflies. As a result, I no longer think of it as Chapel Beach; to me, it's now Horsefly Beach.

I absolutely love this beach; it's probably one of my favorites! It's definitely a hidden gem and well worth the hike to get there. While it could be a bit bigger, we were fortunate that it wasn't too crowded when we visited, so we got to fully enjoy it. I especially love the waterfall and the fact that you can still see Chapel Rock from here. The water was perfect. You have to check it out!

I picked this up as part of our 11-mile loop hike. The trail was mostly fine, with some muddy sections to navigate around and a few downed trees to negotiate. Along the way, we enjoyed beautiful green spring growth and flowers. Chapel Falls and Chapel Rock were an added bonus.

Wow, getting here was quite a trek, but I absolutely loved this place. The hike itself was beautiful and totally worth it. Be sure to bring water and snacks, but the beach was absolutely STUNNING, nestled among the cliffs with crystal-clear, refreshingly cool water. It was so breathtaking that I’d do it all over again... though maybe with a lighter pack next time! Haha If you have the chance to go, do it!