BOATING

Lakes, rivers, and the iconic Trent-Severn Waterway make Kawarthas Northumberland a boater’s paradise.

Just east of Toronto and just west of Kingston, Kawarthas Northumberland is Ontario’s undiscovered boating paradise. We are home to over 350 lakes & rivers, many of them connected by the historic Trent-Severn Waterway. We also have beautiful waterfront towns on Lake Ontario, like Cobourg and Port Hope, and some of the best multi-species fishing grounds in Ontario.

Looking for more details specifically on fishing? Jump to our dedicated Fishing page.

If you’re seeking advice on non-motorized canoe, kayak, and SUP destinations, visit our Paddling page.

EXPERIENCE THE HISTORIC TRENT-SEVERN WATERWAY

Connecting Georgian Bay to Trenton and Presqu’ile Bay on Lake Ontario, the Trent-Severn Waterway is the backbone of Kawarthas Northumberland. Managed by Parks Canada, the Trent-Severn Waterway is a National Historic Site of Canada. But this historic waterway is far more than just a canal. Less than 60km of its nearly 400km is man-made canals. The rest is natural lakes and rivers framed by limestone gorges and the iconic Canadian Shield. These diverse bodies of water are home to some of the best multi-species fishing in all of Ontario and over a dozen provincial parks as well as several unique conservation areas.

The locks of the Trent-Severn are also at the heart of towns and villages with vibrant cultural scenes, delicious locally-sourced cuisine, and award-winning craft breweries. The storied shores of the Trent-Severn embrace an abundance of trails (including the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail), and some of Ontario’s most scenic driving and cycling routes. Suffice it to say that travellers on and along with Trent-Severn Waterway will be spoiled for choice between on-water escapes and excursions on land.

VISIT THE CHARMING TSW TRAIL TOWNS

Kawarthas Northumberland invites you to explore the communities of Canada’s first Waterway Trail Town Program located along the Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site. Boat, paddle, cycle, hike or drive along this renowned inland passageway through historic lock stations and into quaint communities with unique offerings for every visitor. Visit tswtrailtowns.ca to learn more about each Trail Town, or visit the linked community pages to start your explorations.

TSW Trail Town logo, a green town silhouette with a watery blue strip below

EXTEND YOUR STAY WITH A HOUSEBOAT RENTAL

Take your family or get away with a group of friends for a perfect vacation on the Trent-Severn Waterway, the Houseboat Capital of Ontario. A houseboat vacation gives you all the freedom to choose your own adventure, all at your own pace and leisure. Take all the comforts of home with you on the water, navigating the lock system from lake to lake, stopping for lunch along the way in Bobcaygeon or grilling up your own in the middle of the lake! Swim, paddle, stargaze, and cast your line right from the boat. Make some stops along your route and discover the charming and quaint towns and villages. You can even head to shore to go to the theatre, check out a concert, visit a farmers market, or do some retail therapy at some of the many unique stores and shops.

QUICK AND CONVENIENT WATER ACCESS

If you want to put your boat in the water, in any of our over 350 lakes and rivers, you need to start somewhere—and that somewhere is usually a public boat ramp. Our resident fishing blogger, Chris Huskilson, has provided a list of some of the public ramps and the fish from shore GPS coordinates.

LakePublic Ramp CoordinatesFish from Shore Coordinates
Katchawanooka Lake 44° 25’47.8″N 78° 16‘11.2″W
Little Lake (Peterborough) 44°17’55.5″N 78°18’17.9″W
Little Lake (Peterborough) 44 17’58.5″N 78 18’31.7″W
Little Lake (Peterborough) 44 17’48.6″N 78 18’57.8″W
Little Lake (Peterborough) 44 17’36.0″N 78 19’00.1″W
Mitchell Lake 44° 34.035‘ N 78° 57.391 W
Otonabee River 44° 12‘43.0″N 78° 21‘18.1″W
Otonabee River 44°24’59.5″N 78°15’55.5″W
Otonabee River 44 12’56.0″N 78 14’00.8″W
Otonabee River 44 12’56.0″N 78 14’00.8″W
Otonabee River 44 22’22.4″N 78 17’14.8″W
Otonabee River 44 22’10.5″N 78 17’27.3″W
Otonabee River 44 21’11.1″N 78 17’33.7″W
Stony Lake 44° 32‘01.7″N 78° 08‘40.0″W
Rice Lake44°14’30.0″N 78°09’30.9″W 
Rice Lake44°15’50.5″N 78°03’48.1″W44°15’49.5″N 78°03’47.2″W
Pigeon Lake44°18’01.5″N 78°33’21.1″W44°18’01.5″N 78°33’21.1″W
Pigeon Lake44°35’11.6″N 78°30’41.2″W 
Stoney Lake44°32’01.7″N 78°08’40.0″W 
Stoney Lake44°33’54.2″N 78°08’17.1″W 
Balsam Lake44°34.421’N 78°47.661’W 
Balsam Lake44°34.676’N 78°53.718’W 
Scugog Lake44°9.661’N 78°49.948’W 
Scugog Lake44°6.445’N 78°56.613’W 
Round Lake44°30’18.2″N 77°52’35.5″W 
Crowe Lake44°28’16.6″N 77°46’02.5″W 
Jack’s Lake44°42’39.4″N 78°03’57.3″W 
Chandos Lake44°50’31.9″N 77°59’00.5″W 
Canal Lake44° 33.608‘ N 79° 2.744‘ W 
Otonabee River44° 24‘59.5″N 78° 15‘55.5″W 
Otonabee River44° 22‘03.8″N 78° 17‘26.0″W 
Otonabee River44° 21‘13.9″N 78° 17‘27.9″W 
Otonabee River44° 19‘32.3″N 78° 18‘11.5″W 
Otonabee River44° 16‘48.7″N 78° 18‘59.4″W 
Otonabee River44° 16‘26.6″N 78° 19‘26.1″W 
Otonabee River44° 12‘43.0″N 78° 21‘18.1″W 
Otonabee River44° 11‘04.5″N 78° 20‘09.8″W 
Otonabee River44° 12‘04.3″N 78° 18‘29.0″W 
Otonabee River44° 12‘19.3″N 78° 16‘49.0″W 
Otonabee River44° 12‘55.6″N 78° 13‘59.9″W 
Dalrymple Lake44° 38.416‘ N 79° 6.699‘ W 
Mitchell Lake44° 34.035‘ N 78° 57.391 W 
Katchawanooka Lake44° 25‘38.5″N 78° 16‘16.6″W 
Kasshabog Lake44° 36‘39.2″N 77° 59‘31.9″W 
Mississauga Lake44° 42.534‘N 78° 19.700‘ W 
Salmon Lake44° 49.559‘N 78° 26.831‘ W 
Gull Lake44° 49.240‘N 78° 46.670‘ W 
Little Boshkung Lake45° 0.363‘N 78° 42.227‘ W 
Otonabee River44° 24‘59.5″N 78° 15‘55.5″W 
Little Lake44° 17‘55.5″N 78° 18‘17.9″W 
Sturgeon Lake44.36329 N 78.73700 W44.363557 N 78.737161 W
Burnt River44.782447 N 78.651960 W 
Lovesick Lake44.558 N 78.208 W 
Gull River44.74390 N 78.82477 W 
Bass Lake44.67863 N 78.52511 W 
Cameron Lake44.53726 N 78.74132 W 
Big Cedar44.60154 N 78.16528 W 
Coon Lake44.60289 N 78.19526 W 
Belmont Lake44.4860283 N 77.8176624 W 
Little Boshkung Lake45 2.710′ N 78 43.199′ W

OTHER RESOURCES

Read More

The Kawarthas Northumberland blog is the place to go for longer stories and additional recommendations. Browse the articles below to find out more about boating in the region.

Aerial view of Campbellford
Trail Towns
Kawarthas Northumberland

Meet the Trent-Severn Trail Towns: Campbellford

The Trent-Severn Waterway is a scenic 386 km stretch connecting Lake Ontario to Lake Huron. A National Historic Site of Canada, the Waterway naturally has a storied past, but today serves as a recreational attraction to the boaters, paddlers, cyclists, and other visitors drawn to explore its scenic, meandering route. Nestled along its length are

Read More »
Aerial view of the Trent-Severn Waterway in summer
Trail Towns
Kawarthas Northumberland

Meet the Trent-Severn Trail Towns: Bobcaygeon

The Trent-Severn Waterway is a scenic 386 km stretch connecting Lake Ontario to Lake Huron. A National Historic Site of Canada, the Waterway naturally has a storied past, but today serves as a recreational attraction to the boaters, paddlers, cyclists, and other visitors drawn to explore its scenic, meandering route. Nestled along its length are

Read More »
Aerial view of the Trent-Severn Waterway near Lakefield
Trent-Severn Waterway
Matt

Nautical Distancing: How to Safely Visit the Trent-Severn Waterway in 2021

Ask someone in Kawarthas Northumberland how their summer’s going, and there’s a good chance they’ll tell you they’ve been exploring close to home. With Covid-19 precautions still making long-distance travel difficult or inadvisable, we’ve never felt more fortunate to have a wealth of outdoor experiences at our fingertips. The Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site has

Read More »