Troy Lake, Ontario, Canada

If you’re looking for a quiet, lakefront cottage vacation, then Troy Lake is for you. Although Troy Lake is not physically connected to the historic Rideau Canal Waterway in eastern Ontario, it is considered part of the Rideau Lakes area. The lake is located less than three miles from Whitefish Lake and only five miles from the Jones Falls Locks, both of which are part of the…
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All About Troy Lake, ON

Lake Locations: Canada - Ontario, Canada -

If you’re looking for a quiet, lakefront cottage vacation, then Troy Lake is for you. Although Troy Lake is not physically connected to the historic Rideau Canal Waterway in eastern Ontario, it is considered part of the Rideau Lakes area. The lake is located less than three miles from Whitefish Lake and only five miles from the Jones Falls Locks, both of which are part of the Rideau Canal Waterway. Troy Lake provides plenty of privacy for vacationers seeking solitude. Limited cottage construction has taken place mostly along the west shore, so every cottager has a view of unbroken water and woods beyond. Visiting neighbors is often quicker by boat than by road, since roads lead only to the northern and western shoreline.

Cottagers at Troy Lake enjoy a variety of water sports. The water warms quickly in spring, making swimming a favorite activity. Visitors and residents also enjoy sailing, water skiing, pontooning, canoeing and kayaking. It’s the perfect spot for a campfire near the beach or watching a sunset from the comfort of the deck. Local residents say Troy Lake has been a prime fishing spot as long as the area has been settled. Primarily known for crappie, pike, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass, the lake also offers up a variety of sunfish for youthful first-time anglers. The irregular shoreline and a few small islands provide plenty of cover for fish. The wooded lakefront and expanse of natural habitat offer plenty of undisturbed area for wildlife and a variety of waterfowl. Loons and great blue herons call Troy Lake home, making binoculars and a camera vital equipment for a Troy Lake vacation. Smaller Mud Lake is only a few hundred feet from Troy Lake’s southwest shore – one of a series of aligned lakes stretching to the southwest. Several wetland areas extend from the north and south ends of Troy Lake as evidence the lake was once larger and deeper than it is now. The entire area is called Rideau Lakes; there are more lakes NOT connected to the canal system than there are lakes included in the Waterway. The area is sometimes called ‘The Muskoka of Ottawa’ as evidence of its similarity to the better-known ‘Cottage Country’ to the west.

Some residences have occupied the Troy Lake shoreline for many years. Other cottages have been built within the last few years as an alternative to property on the Rideau Waterway which has become increasingly expensive. Only an hour-and-a-half from Ottawa and 40 minutes from Kingston, Troy Lake is the ideal spot for a getaway cottage and still affordable for those of modest income. There are no services on the lake itself, but Jones Falls is only five miles away. Major shopping and services are in Newboro and Westport, with small local shopping available in Elgin. The community of California no longer has any services, its historic school, church and cheese factory now converted to private homes. Jones Falls has the restored block lockmaster’s house and blacksmith shop on view to visitors. A resort hotel near the locks has been in business since 1888 and still accepts paying guests. The four locks at Jones Falls are the deepest locks in the entire Rideau system. The locks and a stone arch dam still control the waters of the Rideau Waterway as they have since completion in 1832.

The mostly-deserted country roads in the area lend themselves nicely to cycling excursions. The Rideau-Info web site (see Internet Resources) offers suggested routes for self-directed tours in the Jones Falls area. The entire area is enclosed within the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve, and much is protected land. A variety of informal trails offer miles of space for hiking, snow shoeing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Lack of water access from Troy Lake to the Rideau Waterway need not deter any visitor from boating on the big canal: boat rentals of all types can be found along the canal and at the marinas. Houseboats can also be rented and are an excellent way for the experienced boater to explore the Rideau at a leisurely pace.

The prospective Troy Lake visitor can often find vacation rentals offered along the lakefront as absentee owners regularly rent their cottages by the week or month. If the appropriate cottage can’t be found directly on the lake, the areas along the Rideau Canal provide a wealth of lodging opportunities to the visitor – from hotels and resorts to bed-and-breakfasts and fishing camps. Much real estate is available for purchase in the general area around Troy Lake, some with direct lakefront or lake access. Troy Lake is growing in popularity; wise visitors will reserve their vacation cottage early to get the ideal spot. So, pack the fishing gear, the binoculars, the camera and the birding guide. All of nature awaits you at Troy Lake.

Things to Do at Troy Lake

These are some activities in the Troy Lake, ON area visitors can enjoy:

  • Vacation Rentals
  • Fishing
  • Boating
  • Sailing
  • Swimming
  • Beach
  • Canoeing
  • Kayaking
  • Water Skiing
  • Hiking
  • Biking
  • Cross-Country Skiing
  • Snowmobiling
  • Wildlife Viewing
  • Birding
  • Shopping

What Kind of Fish Are in Troy Lake?

Troy Lake has been known to have the following fish species:

  • Bass
  • Black Bass
  • Crappie
  • Largemouth Bass
  • Pike
  • Smallmouth Bass
  • Sunfish
  • Whitefish
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Find Places to Stay at Troy Lake

If you’re considering a Troy Lake lake house rental or hotel, we’ve made it super easy to find the best rates and compare vacation accommodations at a glance. Save time using this interactive map below.

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More Sites to Book a Troy Lake Vacation

Our interactive Troy Lake lodging map above is an easy tool for comparing VRBO rental homes and nearby hotels with Booking.com, but there could be times when you need to expand your search for different types of accommodations. Here are some other lake lodging partners we recommend:

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Troy Lake Statistics & Helpful Links

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Lake Type: Artificial Reservoir, Dammed

Shoreline Length: 4 miles

Normal Elevation (Full Pond): 341 feet

Trophic State: Eutrophic


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