Muskoka

Just an hour and a half drive north of Toronto is Muskoka District, a vast 2,500 square miles of stunning pine and maple forests, some 1,600 sparkling lakes, magnificent waterfalls, granite cliffs, and the most breathtaking scenery in the province. Flanked on the north by Algonquin Provincial Park, Muskoka is known for its extraordinary beauty and tranquility.

Muskoka is made up of the regions of Bracebridge, Georgian Bay Township, Gravenhurst, Huntsville, Lake of Bays Township (Dorset), and Muskoka Lake Township (Bala and Port Carling). The area is peppered with quaint towns and villages, farming communities, and magnificent hotels, resorts, and estate cottages.

While there are only about 50,000 permanent residents of Muskoka, close to 100,000 people are seasonal property owners, swelling the summer population of the region considerably. Muskoka has been the jewel of the north for many generations and often seasonal homes have passed through seven and eight generations of a family. Lake Muskoka, Lake Rosseau, and Lake Joseph are the most popular of the Muskoka region. They are large lakes that interconnect and have been the choice of wealthy sportsmen and tourists since their discovery. These lakes have become home to mansions and summer places of the upper crust? many from the United States, including movie stars, dot com millionaires, and more. But the hundreds of lakes make boating, water sports, swimming, and fishing accessible to many. There are exclusive resorts, modest hotels, motels, and down-to-earth campgrounds to suit every budget.

In fact, Muskoka can be so beautiful and so enticing that many of its residents are early retirees who have settled permanently in the area. Many of them are artists, sculptors, and writers who are inspired by the magnificent and natural setting, lending the Muskoka area an artsy edge that further attracts visitors and cottagers.

One of the best features of Muskoka is that it offers the ?best of both worlds,? combining the quiet and peace of the countryside with modern amenities found in the cities of the region. Huntsville, Bracebridge, and Gravenhurst all provide contemporary city conveniences?shopping, restaurants, medical facilities, industry, and more.

Muskoka is a year-round region. Every season has its charms and attractions. During the fall, Muskoka is transformed into an artist?s palette of breathtaking colours. Photographers and artists flock to the region to capture summer?s swan song on paper. Winter offers an icy wonderland of fabulous snow activities including hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, skating, sledding, ice fishing, and more. With spring comes the return of the loons and their haunting cries are evidence that summer is around the corner.

About Muskoka

Population 50,312

Age First populated by loggers in the 1830s

Location 200 kilometres north of Toronto

Highways 11, 27, and 400

Airports Muskoka Airport

Public Transit Huntsville, Bracebridge, and Gravenhurst all have public transit

Education The Trillium Lakelands School Board operates public elementary and secondary schools throughout the region as well as some separate schools, private schools, and several post secondary schools

Emergency Services Full municipal fire protection and 911 area coverage served by the Ontario Provincial Police

Tourist/Cultural and Recreation Facilities Each city area within Muskoka offers a full complement of recreational and cultural facilities including sports arenas, theatres, libraries, dozens of golf courses, resorts, ski lodges, and parks throughout the region; for a complete listing of Muskoka attractions, please visit www.muskoka-tourism.on.ca