The largest water body surrounding the town of Huntsville, Ont., Lake Vernon, has several areas: the north end (quieter bays, with some denser development, and Camp Tawingo), Big Island (water-access only), the “Big Lake” (boater’s playground, with mainland and island cottages, and YMCA Camp Waabanaki), and “The Narrows” (near Huntsville).
Market overview
Recently sold cottages range in price from $750,000 to $5 million. Mainland prices have been decreasing and bidding wars are rare, says John Fincham, a broker at Re/Max Parry Sound Muskoka, “but finding a cottage still takes patience.” Some areas were developed when the minimum frontage for lots was 100 feet, but more recently created lots fall under updated restrictions requiring 200 feet. Water-access cottages can be more affordable, but finding a place to park your boat on the mainland is tricky.
What’s the vibe?
Vernon is a social lake. About half the property owners are part of the 56-year-old Lake Vernon Association, says Rick Keevil, who’s been an active member for more than 50 years. Recent events include a golf tournament, an annual barbecue, and a roadside cleanup. Plus, there’s a highly engaged environmental committee that oversees shoreline restoration projects and monitors water quality.
A boater’s paradise
Boaters on Vernon have the ability to explore the four-lake chain and 40-km waterway that includes Fairy, Peninsula, and Mary lakes. Large, open stretches of water allow for watersports, but the lake also has sheltered areas for paddlers. Plus, cottagers can boat into Huntsville for a popular Wednesday night ritual: a concert series on the town docks. Daytrips include traversing the lock system or following the twisty Big East River that flows from Algonquin Provincial Park through nearby Arrowhead Provincial Park. The river’s steep, sandy cliffbanks are home to many common and rare birds, and much of the river delta has been designated floodland.
What about water quality?
“Overall, our lake is very healthy,” says Kevin Laframboise, the chair of the Lake Vernon Association’s environmental committee. There’s never been a harmful algal bloom, and the lake’s not at elevated risk. The community works to keep septics maintained and shorelines natural, and the association helps rehabilitate degraded waterfronts, says Keevil. The association also works with kids from local schools, who help collect aquatic insect samples before sending them to a Muskoka District water technician for identification. Lake culture (and local bylaws) steers landowners away from massive boat- houses and manicured shorelines, so the shore is less visually disturbed than on other lakes.
Hot spots in town
Browse the mainstreet shops in Huntsville: update your entertainment cupboard at Up North Games, pick up a new book at Cedar Canoe Books, and indulge in some ice cream at Affogato Café + Gelato. (Affogato even has an ice cream barge that you can track by GPS and book to show up at your dock.) And while you’re in town, stroll the floating boardwalk that’s part of the Hunters Bay Trail, a 4.6-km route used for walking and biking (and, in winter, skiing and snowshoeing).
The good and the bad
- Big lake feel but quieter than nearby lakes that have large resorts and condo developments
- Impressive amount of undeveloped shoreline
- A boater’s dream, including access to other lakes, good fishing (including pike, pickerel, and bass), and open expanses for watersports
- Close proximity to big box stores and medical services in Huntsville and easy access to Hwy. 11 and Hwy. 60
- Good water quality
- High level of boat traffic can cause excessive wave action and shoreline erosion
- The water is tea-coloured from tannins (due to the breakdown of organic material) but is fine for swimming and drinking, when treated
- Only one marina and limited boat slips for island cottagers
- Some parts of the lake are on designated floodplains; check zoning carefully
Liann Bobechko grew up cottaging on Lake Vernon. She is the co-editor of Bluedot Living Canada, a newsletter that shares sustainable climate ideas.
This story originally appeared in our Early Spring ’26 issue.
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