Kawartha Lakes (Ontario) facts for kids
The Kawartha Lakes are a group of beautiful lakes in south-central Ontario, Canada. They form the upper part of the Trent River's water system. These lakes sit where two different types of land meet. One part is made of limestone from a very old time period. The other part is the Canadian Shield, which has ancient granite rocks.
The name "Kawartha" comes from the word "Ka-wa-tha." This word was created in 1895 by Martha Whetung from the Curve Lake First Nation. In the Anishinaabe language, it meant "land of reflections." People hoped this name would help promote the area for visitors. Later, people involved in tourism changed the word to Kawartha. They gave it a new meaning: "bright waters and happy lands."
Even though there's a city called Kawartha Lakes, more than half of these lakes are actually in Peterborough County. The Trent-Severn Waterway travels through many of the main lakes. Many cottages are built along the lake shores, some of them quite large. This area is very popular for fun tourism activities.
Contents
Discover the Main Kawartha Lakes Chain
The Kawartha Lakes are famous for their connected waterways. Here are some of the main lakes that make up this chain:
- Lakes on the Talbot River:
- Canal Lake (A)
- Mitchell Lake (B)
- Lakes on the Trent River:
- Balsam Lake (C)
- Four Mile Lake (D)
- Cameron Lake (E)
- Sturgeon Lake (F)
- Pigeon Lake (G)
- Shadow Lake
- Silver Lake
- Talbot Lake
- Other important lakes:
- Buckhorn Lake (H)
- Lake Chemong (J)
- Lower Buckhorn Lake (K)
- Lovesick Lake (Between K & L)
- Stony Lake (L)
- Clear Lake (M)
- Katchewanooka Lake (N)
- Lake Scugog (S) is located southwest of the main chain.
More Lakes in the Kawartha Area
Some other lakes are also sometimes considered part of the Kawartha region:
Exploring the Kawartha Highlands Lakes
North of the main chain of lakes is a system of interconnected lakes. These lakes have the same water levels. This is because of a dam built in the mid-1900s at the south end of Mississauga Lake. You can travel by boat between all these lakes.
Lakes You Can Boat Through
The interconnected lakes include:
- Catchacoma Lake
- Beaver Lake
- Mississauga Lake
- Gold Lake
- McGinnis Lake
- Cold Lake
- Cavendish Lake
Lakes Requiring a Portage
Other lakes are nearby but you cannot reach them by boat without carrying your boat (a "portage"). These include:
- Gull Lake
- Anstruther Lake
- Bottle Lake
- Sucker Lake
Part of this area is protected within the Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park.
