Upon arriving in the lovely Muskoka Lake District, visitors are again struck by the beauty and serenity of the area. Although the lake district includes over 1,600 lakes, there are three main lakes: Muskoka, Rosseau, and Joseph Lakes. These lakes are located about 200 km north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The lower Muskoka Lakes area is bounded by the Georgian Bay on the west and the Severn River to the south, while the northern and eastern boundaries extend to areas up into the Canadian wilderness.
The lakes were formed when the last glacier swept across land gouging out rivers and lakes, leaving an incredibly beautiful landscape. The name "Muskoka" may come from a Huron Indian name meaning "the place where the large rocks are red." According to some geologists who identified it, the pink Muskoka granite rock is the oldest on earth.
First Tourists
In 1861 the first tourists came to what was then Indian territory known only to the first settlers receiving land grants, to fur traders and to surveyors. Between 1865 thousands of farmers received 200 free acres of land, even more for each child over 18 years old. However, after finding the land so rocky, many gave up or turned to lumbering, road building, or the tourist industry.
In 1890 the first tourist lodge opened. During the 1920's tourism reached its peak with people taking a sidewheel steamer named Segwun, Ojibway for "Springtime" or taking the Muskoka Express, a train running daily from Toronto to Gravenhurst, Muskoka's first official town in the Lake District located on the southern tip of Muskoka Lake.
Today there are more than 20,000 cottages and 130 hotels and motels in the Muskoka Lakes District with the number of visitors now approaching 1.5 million per year. And the RMS Segwun, the 1887 steamship, has been lovingly restored and visitors take one to four hour cruises on the steamship daily from Gravenhurst.
Cottages Along the Lakes
Many classic cottages can be found along the lake shores. These cottages are usually hidden in the tall pines and are set back from the water. Because the cottages are generally not winterized, tourists and owners usually come in the summer months.
According to author Judy Ross in the book Muskoka "going to the cottage" has meant the same thing to many generations. Often five or six generations of the same family have summered in them. As one owner expressed in Ross' book, "It's important to have something that doesn't change when talking about the family cottage." Renters also appreciate the "vintage" look and feel of the cottages.
Scenery on the Shores
When in the Muskoka area, visitors are anxious to go get onto the water and enjoy the surroundings. While being shown the "sights" of the main lakes, visitors can see Millionaire's Row at the Beaumaris area of Muskoka Lake. Here the first group of Americans came and erected luxurious cottages or summer homes.
Sightseeing along the lakes also includes interest in celebrity "cottages," such as those owned by Goldie Hawn, Tom Hanks, or the British pop group Duran Duran. Other sights of interest are quaint small churches, like the Church of Kettles, the church and graveyard on Mortimer's Point, and the rocky Mount Baldy, suitable for family members to climb and admire the vista.
Ports of Interest on Muskoka Lake
The small town of Bala draws visitors for several reasons. Those in the know are sure to stop in at Don's Bakery to buy, among other items, fresh scones for breakfast, meat pies for lunch, and butter tarts for treats.
The Bala waterfalls is another draw. With over two dozen waterfalls, Muskoka is known as the Waterfall Capital of Canada. The Bala falls is a popular recreational area for both swimmers and sightseers.
Bala also hosts the annual Cranberry Festival, held each year the weekend after the Canadian Thanksgiving. Along with the accompanying tours and antique shows, there are sometimes a performance by the Golden Helmets precision motorcycle team.
The town of Port Carling is an interesting hub where Lake Muskoka, Lake Joseph, and Lake Rosseau meet. Approaching Port Carling by boat, visitors see the rectangular side of a large building with a painting of a paddle wheel steamboat, the kind that plied the lakes during the late 1800's. However, the closer visitors come to the steamboat facade, the more the picture gives way to black and white photos of early settlers. When off the boat, visitors see only the photo collage, a masterful exhibit of yesterday's residents designed to attract today's tourists.
Antique and Classic Boat Show
Also in Port Carling every two years is the Antique and Classic Boat Show where around 150 antique boats are proudly displayed by their owners. At one time Muskoka was the custom boat building capital of North America. The wooden boat industry died after World War II when fiberglass was introduced in the 1950's. After missing the beauty of the wooden boats, the first classic boat show was organized, drawing only 500 people. Today almost 20,000 people attend the show to admire the boats. Enthusiasts can see even more classic boats in the larger Gravenhurst wooden boat show.
Autumn Leaves Bring Fall Visitors
Even after the warm summer months wane, tourists flock to Muskoka to admire the leaves of the birch and maple trees along the shoreline and the roads. Seasoned or novice foliage followers enjoy the stunning visual display of the daily changing colorful leaves announcing the on coming winter.
As the leaves fall, visitors return to cities and towns with fond memories of delightful times spent in the Muskoka Lakes.
sources: International Lake Environment Committee/Muskoka
Muskoka by John De Visser and Judy Ross, Boston Mills Press 1989, Erin, Ontario
Judith Pruitt - Judith Pruitt is a writer, teacher and traveler. She is active in historic preservation and is a student of spirituality and mysticism. ...
