Stoney Lake Vacation Rentals

Why Rent On Stoney Lake

Stoney Lake occupies the eastern anchor of Ontario’s celebrated Kawartha Lakes region, roughly two hours northeast of Toronto in Peterborough County. The three interconnected bodies that together form the system, Upper Stoney Lake, Stoney Lake proper, and Clear Lake, span a combined surface area of approximately 28 square kilometres and stretch nearly 32 kilometres from Young’s Point to the lake’s eastern shores at 234 metres above sea level. More than 1,000 islands define the lake’s essential character, creating a sheltered and constantly varying waterscape that rewards exploration at every scale, from a full-day cruise through the island passages to a slow morning paddle in a protected cove. The granite ridges of the Canadian Shield rise along the northern shore while the southern banks ease into the gentler terrain of the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Lowlands, a geological boundary that gives the landscape a visual drama unusual for central Ontario. The lake is also part of the Trent–Severn Waterway, the historic inland passage managed by Parks Canada that connects Lake Ontario to Georgian Bay, adding a navigational dimension that draws both pleasure cruisers and history-minded visitors.

Things to do at Stoney Lake

Stoney Lake is, at its core, a boating lake, and among the best in Ontario for it. The maze of islands, shoals, and rocky passages makes every hour on the water feel like navigation through a different landscape, and access points at Burleigh Falls, Crowes Landing, and Young’s Point provide routes in for those arriving without a private dock. Kayaking and canoeing are particularly rewarding in the sheltered island corridors, where conditions stay calm even when the main lake surface is running. Fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye (locally called pickerel throughout the Kawarthas), and muskellunge is productive throughout the season. Swimming from cottage docks and selected public access points is a standard part of summer here. In winter, the Shield landscape takes on an entirely different quality, with ice fishing, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing keeping the lake in use well past Thanksgiving. An Ontario fishing licence is required; regulations fall under Fisheries Management Zone 17, and a fish sanctuary near Burleigh Falls and Perry’s Creek applies seasonal restrictions that are worth checking at ontario.ca/fishing before fishing that area.

What to do near Stoney Lake

The cultural and natural context surrounding the lake is unusually rich, and shore-based time here can be as rewarding as any hour on the water. Petroglyphs Provincial Park, at the eastern end of Upper Stoney Lake, contains one of Canada’s most significant collections of Indigenous rock carvings, more than 900 images created by Ojibwe peoples between 900 and 1400 CE and known as Kinoomaagewaabkong, or the Teaching Rocks. This alone justifies the extra time. Burleigh Falls, where the Trent–Severn Waterway drops through a dramatic series of rapids and locks, is a short drive and a genuinely compelling stop. The village of Young’s Point at the lake’s western end marks the start of navigation and has a lock, a small marina, and access to Katchewanooka Lake. The town of Lakefield, about 20 minutes south, adds independent restaurants and cafes with a quieter pace than Peterborough. The city itself, approximately 45 minutes southwest, brings museums, live music, and the Trent–Severn Peterborough hydraulic lift lock, one of the engineering landmarks of Canadian canal history.

What is the best time to visit Stoney Lake?

The Victoria Day weekend in late May is the traditional opening of cottage season on the lake, and the water warms progressively through June and July. Peak swimming conditions arrive in July and early August, when temperatures reach the low 20s Celsius and the island passages catch long afternoon light in a way that makes even experienced visitors stop and pay attention. Weekday visits in June or September offer a notably quieter experience than the busiest July weekends. Fall is exceptional: the hardwood and mixed-forest shorelines shift through gold and crimson from late September into October, smallmouth bass fishing strengthens, and the pace slows in a way that feels earned. Winter brings ice fishing and the particular quiet of a Shield lake community at rest. Stoney Lake’s waterfront cottage rental market is one of the strongest in the Kawarthas, with properties ranging from classic three-bedroom Ontario cottages with stone fireplaces and wooden docks to contemporary open-plan lakehouses with panoramic island views. Many include private dock access, kayaks, and canoes. Browse Lake.com for cottage and vacation home listings on Stoney Lake and across the broader Kawartha Lakes region.