The 2500 square miles called Muskoka District is the size of a small European country and is flanked on the North by the world famous untouched wilderness of Algonquin Provincial Park and on the west by rugged Georgian Bay, the way to the Great Lakes and the Ocean.

Muskoka is made up of the regions of Bracebridge, Georgian Bay Township, Gravenhurst, Huntsville, Lake of Bays Township ( Dorset ) and Muskoka Lake Township ( Bala , Port Carling ) liberally sprinkled with picturesque villages and towns, pioneer farming communities and grand lakeside vacation hotels and family resorts close to golf courses, tennis courts and historic walking trails. 

In all of this unique space although there are only 50,312 permanent residents of Muskoka there are an additional 99,936 seasonal property owners that consider themselves every bit as much local residents as do the families of local pioneers. Indeed some of the seasonal home owners qualify as pioneers, having established their mansions at the time of Muskoka settlement.

The seasonal folk vigilantly guard the preservation of their domains, which sometimes have passed through seven and eight generations of the family, much as the fine fertile farms are passed on from generation to generation of local pioneer families.

The most populous area is the Muskoka Lakes Township which contains the jewels of Muskoka, Lake Muskoka, Lake Rosseau and Lake Joseph. Because they are large interconnecting bodies of water in some places over 300 feet deep  they were the first Lakes explored, the first to accommodate an influx of wealthy sportsmen and tourists and land hungry settlers from the British Isles.

Many of the permanent residents are artists, musicians and craftsmen who are drawn to the extraordinary beauty and tranquillity within walking and paddling distance of their homes.

A growing number of permanent residents are active early retirees, previous cottagers and visitors who have decided to leave the hurly burly behind to enjoy the civilized wilderness atmosphere of Muskoka while doing things they never had time to do before. Newcomers to the area claim they sleep like babies and the air is like a tonic to their citified systems.

 © Text Copyright  D. Rimstead

Muskoka Information © 1998-2003 Baytides Management Inc.