Muskoka lake guide
Fairy Lake
Huntsville's Own Lake, with Town Convenience and Cottage Character
- Nearby
- Huntsville (on-lake), Port Sydney (20 min south), Bracebridge (35 min south)
- In a line
- Named "because of its beauty" by surveyor Alexander Murray in 1853, Fairy Lake sits at the doorstep of downtown Huntsville. You can boat from your dock and tie up at a restaurant in minutes.
Overview
Fairy Lake covers 699 hectares with a maximum depth of 69 m and a mean depth of 22 m, connected via an 1888-excavated canal to Peninsula Lake and flowing downstream to Lake Vernon and Mary Lake. Water has a naturally tea-stained colour from dissolved organic matter, with Secchi clarity of 3.1 m, from the large North Muskoka River watershed. Water levels are regulated by an MNR-operated dam on the North Muskoka River under the Muskoka River Water Management Plan. The MNR notes native cold-water species including lake whitefish and cisco are now extirpated from the lake, replaced by introduced bass, walleye, and northern pike.
Good to know
- Direct boating access to Peninsula Lake (via canal), Lake Vernon, and Mary Lake, one of the most connected cottage lake systems in Ontario
- Lake trout designation still applies despite native lake trout being functionally absent, and triggers protective shoreline development policies
- Year-round municipal services from the Town of Huntsville accessible to many properties
- Only 23.4 km of shoreline with 0% Crown land remaining
Worth checking
Before you buy on Fairy Lake.
- 01
With 3.1 m Secchi clarity, the lakebed is hard to see. Ask for a professional dive inspection of docks, cribs, and boathouse foundations.
- 02
The Township of Huntsville's shoreline development standards apply impervious surface caps here. Ask what the cap is for the specific lot before planning a patio or driveway near the water.
- 03
Many properties share canal access to Peninsula Lake. Verify whether the deeded frontage grants passage rights through the 1888 canal or whether adjacent landowners control it.
- 04
The spiny water flea was confirmed in the lake in 1990. Boats moving between the Huntsville chain and other lakes must follow Ontario's Invasive Species Act clean, drain, dry requirements.
General information. Your home inspector, your lawyer and the township confirm the details on any specific property.
Talk to Seth
Thinking about Fairy Lake? Call Seth.
He'll tell you the long version: the bays, the roads, and what to look at on any cottage you're considering.