Cottages For Sale on Four Mile Lake

Owning a cottage on Four Mile Lake

Four Mile Lake is a closed lake. There is no lock, no river channel and no navigable link to the Trent-Severn, so the only boats on it belong to people who live there or launch at the public ramp. That keeps it quieter than the big through-lakes to the south, and it is the main reason owners choose it over its busier neighbours.

The lake sits right on the line where limestone country meets the Canadian Shield, and you can see it from the water. The northern third has smooth granite shoreline. The southern two-thirds is limestone, with rugged, sometimes steep banks and long stretches left in their natural state. The change between the two is sudden, and it shapes what each lot is like.

There are about 450 cottages and homes around the lake, which works out to a fair amount of space between neighbours. Most are reached by year-round roads, some maintained by the city and some by private road associations. Full-time living is still fairly uncommon on the lake, but more cottages are being upgraded and converted into year-round homes each year.

• No through boat traffic
• Granite and limestone shore
• Private cottage roads

History of Four Mile Lake

Four Mile Lake is in the former Somerville Township, which was surveyed in the 1830s. Settlement there was slow until lumbering picked up and the forests were cleared in the early 1860s. The Victoria Railway reached the Burnt River valley in 1876, and the village of Burnt River grew up along the line with a stone quarry, stores and a smithy.

Somerville became part of the City of Kawartha Lakes in 2001. The lake's cottagers are represented by the Four Mile Lake Association, a member of the Federation of Ontario Cottagers' Associations, which works with the city and conservation authority on lake issues.

A closed lake with its own pace

Because it does not connect to other lakes by boat, Four Mile does not get Trent-Severn cruisers passing through. The public boat launch has controlled hours, which limits use by people who do not own on the lake.

Water stays in the lake a long time, about five years on average. Most of it comes from the undeveloped northwest corner rather than a big river, and it drains out the south end by Corben Creek toward Balsam Lake. Spring water levels usually rise for a week or two in early May, and flooding is not a problem for most lots.

Granite in the north, limestone in the south

Shoreline type is the first thing to understand here. Granite lots on the north end tend to be gentler, with smooth rock running into the water. Limestone lots in the south can have cliffs and steep drops, which make for privacy and views but can complicate stairs, docks and building.

The lake is deep for its size, with an average around 9 m and a maximum around 19 m. Lake herring, a cold-water fish, live here alongside the usual warm-water species.

Fishing Four Mile Lake

Walleye, smallmouth and largemouth bass, muskellunge, yellow perch, rock bass and pumpkinseed are all present, along with lake herring and brown bullhead. Fisheries Management Zone 17 seasons and limits apply.

Protecting the lake's character

The City of Kawartha Lakes Official Plan includes special policies for Four Mile Lake. According to the lake association, they bar residential cluster and commercial development on the shoreline or within 300 m of it, and bar aggregate pits and quarries within 1 km. New residential building must meet its own set of standards.

Zebra mussels are present, so water shoes are a good idea for swimming off rocky shores.

Getting supplies and services

The lake is about 3.5 km northeast of Coboconk and about 2 km west of the hamlet of Burnt River. Coboconk has a medical centre, post office and library. For anything bigger, Fenelon Falls, Kinmount and Bobcaygeon are within driving range.

The nearest 24-hour emergency department is at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay. The Minden emergency department to the north closed in June 2023.