Lake Muskoka

With expansive open water, sheltered bays and numerous islands, Lake Muskoka is ideal for cruising, sailing, canoeing, kayaking and watersports. Municipal docks and launches are available in communities including Bala, Milford Bay, Port Carling, Torrance and Walker’s Point. At Port Carling, the historic locks allow recreational boat traffic to continue into the upper Muskoka lakes.

Lake Muskoka supports a large and diverse sport fishery. Anglers may find lake trout, northern pike, walleye, smallmouth and largemouth bass, lake whitefish, cisco, burbot and several panfish species. Lake trout reproduce naturally in the lake but have also received supplemental stocking as part of long-term rehabilitation and monitoring efforts.

Lake Muskoka’s bays and public beaches provide many opportunities for summer swimming and family beach days. Public options in the surrounding area include Jaspen Park in Bala and beaches in Milford Bay and Port Carling. Township swimming areas are unsupervised, so visitors should use caution and check current public-health advisories before entering the water.

Lake Muskoka is surrounded by some of the region’s best-known communities. Gravenhurst is home to Muskoka Wharf, historic steamships and the Discovery Centre; Port Carling is known for its locks, waterfront shops and Muskoka Lakes Museum; and Bala provides access to the lake’s southwestern waters and the Moon River system. Other nearby shoreline and access communities include Bracebridge, Milford Bay, Beaumaris, Torrance and Walker’s Point.