Did you know? Fun Facts About Cottage Country.

Did You Know?

Fun Facts About Cottage Country

Whether you’ve been coming north for decades or are just starting to dream about lake life, Cottage Country has a few secrets up its sleeve. From fascinating history to natural wonders, here are a few things you might not know about this extraordinary part of Ontario.

“Did you know?…”

• Thousands of Lakes — Literally.
  
  The Haliburton Highlands alone boasts over 600 lakes, and Ontario has more than 250,000 — that’s about one-fifth of all the freshwater on Earth!
                                                                                                                                                                                                     

• Group of Seven Inspiration.
  
  Many of Canada’s most iconic paintings were inspired by the landscapes of Muskoka, Algonquin, and Haliburton — especially those windswept pines and granite outcroppings that define the Canadian Shield.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

• Under the Surface.
  
  Some lakes in the region are hundreds of feet deep, with Redstone Lake reaching depths of around 270 feet and Kennisis Lake reaching depths of around 310 feet — this means that you could fit am approx 30 floor high rise building completely under the water in the deepest parts of these two lakes and is ideal for lake trout that thrive in cold, clear water.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

• Hidden History.
  
  Many of today’s cottage roads trace the routes of 19th-century logging trails once used to move white pine to sawmills. 
  
  Some of the earliest “recreational” cottage / summer-home developments included places like Jackson’s Point on Lake Simcoe, which by the end of the 19th century had estate hotels and cottages serving city dwellers escaping urban life.  in Muskoka the earliest summer reteats were built by the well-to-do in the late 19th and early 20th century.  For example on Lake Joseph the first summer cottagers bought islands in the late 1800's
                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

• Cottage Country Terminology
  
  The term “cottage country” didn’t really become common in Ontario until after World War II — this name helped recast areas of industry, wilderness and seasonal housing into a leisure-landscape led by southern cities. 
                                                                                                                                                                                        

• Canada’s Freshwater Coastline.
  
  Add up all the lakes and shorelines in Cottage Country, and you’ll find more waterfront than the entire Atlantic coast of Canada.
                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                                           

• Northern Lights Sightings.
  
  On clear nights with minimal light pollution — especially in Haliburton, Algonquin, or Parry Sound — you might catch the Aurora Borealis shimmering above the treetops.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

• Crystal-Clear Water.
  
  Many lakes owe their clarity to being spring-fed and low in nutrients, limiting algae growth. Kennisis Lake and Kushog Lake are known for their exceptional purity.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

• From Railways to Road Trips.
  
  Before highways, cottagers arrived by train or steamboat, with docks serving as “stations” for each lake community.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

• Wildlife Wonderland.
  
  It’s not uncommon to see moose, loons, and even black bears near the shoreline, deer, foxes and wild turkeys are often seen while driving the roads, and you may even spot wolves or fuisger cats, especiailly on the ice in the winter - a reminder that we’re guests in their wilderness.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

• Cottage or Camp?
  
  Ontarians say “cottage,” but head north and it’s “camp,” west and it’s “cabin,” and in Quebec — “chalet.”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

• Starry Nights.
  
  The Haliburton Forest & Wildlife Reserve is officially recognized as a Dark Sky Preserve, offering some of Ontario’s most breathtaking stargazing. The Torrence Barrens Conservation Reserve is the first official dark-sky preserve in Canada, where the Milky Way and even the rings of saturn are visible to the naked eye.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

• Ice Roads Exist.
  
  In the heart of winter, locals on certain lakes use ice roads to reach their properties — complete with speed limits to prevent cracks!
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

• Cottage Country Celebrities.
  
  Everyone from Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell to Shania Twain, Martin Short, Mike Myers and Carrie Underwood have owned cottages in Muskoka and Haliburton over the years.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

• Once Home to Mammoths and Mastodons

Archaeological studies show the Lake SImcoe area was inhabited by mammoths and mastodons and other megafauna over 12,000 years ago.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

• Home to Ancient Minerals

Bancroft is known as the Mineral Capital of Canada. It's one of the very few places on earth where the rare mineral fluro-richterite occurs and zircon crystals there are billions or years old.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

• A Four-Season Lifestyle.
  
  Cottage Country isn’t just for summer — winter brings snowmobiling, skating, and some of Ontario’s best cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

• The Sound of Summer.
  
  The haunting loon call is unique to northern lakes — and each bird has its own distinct “laugh” or wail that carries across the water.

The Lakelands Way

Cottage Country is more than a destination — it’s a lifestyle defined by connection, nature, and the simple luxury of time well spent by the water. Every lake, island, and backroad holds a story, and helping people find their place in it is what I love most about what I do.

If you’re curious about the market, considering a waterfront investment, or simply want to learn more about the unique character of our local lakes, I’d be happy to share my insight.