Cottages For Sale on Kahshe Lake
A large, island filled lake about 10 km south of Gravenhurst, close to Highway 11.
44 photos$1,088,000Waterfront cottage3 bed · 2 bath · 2000-2500 sq ft1622 Houseys Rapids RoadRyde, GravenhurstCourtesy of: Best Sellers Realty Inc.
50 photos$2,000,000Waterfront cottage5 bed · 3 bath · 2000-2500 sq ft1048 Nora LaneRyde, GravenhurstCourtesy of: Chestnut Park Real Estate
42 photos$2,799,000Waterfront cottage6 bed · 3 bath · 3000-3500 sq ft1069 White Eagle RoadMorrison, GravenhurstCourtesy of: HARVEY KALLES REAL ESTATE LTD.
50 photos$1,095,000Waterfront cottage3 bed · 1 bath · 700-1100 sq ftCOTTAGE - 1055 West Bank DriveMorrison, GravenhurstCourtesy of: Sotheby's International Realty Canada
30 photos$995,000Waterfront cottage3 bed · 1 bath · 700-1100 sq ft18 5KL Island Kahshe LakeMorrison, GravenhurstCourtesy of: Royal LePage Lakes Of Muskoka - Clarke Muskoka Realty
47 photos$2,575,000Land0 bathLots 1-5 Kahshe LakeMorrison, GravenhurstCourtesy of: SOTHEBY'S INTERNATIONAL REALTY CANADA
41 photos$1,950,000Log home2 bed · 1 bath · 2000-2500 sq ft1430 S. Kahshe Lake RoadMorrison, GravenhurstCourtesy of: Muskoka Real Estate Services Inc
41 photos$849,000Log home3 bed · 1 bath · < 700 sq ft10 Island 21 KL Boyd IslandMorrison, GravenhurstCourtesy of: Chestnut Park Real Estate
31 photos$649,000Waterfront cottage1 bed · 1 bath · < 700 sq ft2 Island 5KL Part 2 Burnt IslandMorrison, GravenhurstCourtesy of: Chestnut Park Real Estate
25 photos$399,000Land0 bath1114 Tryon RoadMorrison, GravenhurstCourtesy of: Sotheby's International Realty Canada
43 photos$699,000Waterfront cottage2 bed · 1 bath · 700-1100 sq ft1040 KAHSHE LAKEMorrison, GravenhurstCourtesy of: Sotheby's International Realty Canada
6 photos$489,000Land0 bathPart 1 Burnt IslandMorrison, GravenhurstCourtesy of: Chestnut Park Real EstateListing data © PropTx MLS®. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Kahshe Lake cottage market today
Based on 12 homes for sale right now (asking prices). Updated through the day.
Homes by price
By style
| Style | For sale | Median price |
|---|---|---|
| Waterfront cottage | 12 | $1.04M |
| Cottage | 9 | $1.09M |
| Land | 3 | $489K |
| Log home | 2 | $1.4M |
Thinking of selling here?
See what your home could sell for against these 12 listings.
Get my instant estimateBrowse Kahshe Lake cottages by type and price
- Waterfront Cottages 12
- Luxury Cottages 3
- Under $500,000 2
- Under $750,000 4
- Under $1 Million 6
- Under $2 Million 10
- Cheap Cottages 1
- Four-Season Cottages 5
- Seasonal Cottages 2
- Island & Water Access Cottages 7
- Cottages with a Boathouse 1
- Cottages with a Sandy Beach 5
- Cottages with a Bunkie 1
- Cabins 9
- Log Homes 2
- Waterfront Land 3
- Building Lots & Acreage 3
Kahshe Lake: the complete cottage buyer's guide
Owning a cottage on Kahshe Lake
Kahshe Lake is a lake of islands, rocks and bays, shared by roughly 600 cottages. It is described as the fourth-largest lake in the Muskoka region, yet it feels more like a neighbourhood than a big-water lake. It is a family lake with a long memory. The ratepayers' association marked its 100th year in 2023, its regatta has run for more than half a century, and summer still brings barn dances and a Labour Day concert.
The water is tea-coloured from natural tannins, with clarity of about three metres. That brown tint is natural and does not stop swimming, but the water is not safe to drink without treatment. The west side is shallow and the east side is deeper. Rock shoals are scattered everywhere, and the community has spent years marking them, including permanent lighted towers at the Hens and Chickens.
It sits just south of Gravenhurst in the Town of Gravenhurst, and many properties are on islands or reached only by water. Owners here tend to measure convenience in minutes from the marina rather than minutes from the highway. Two marinas, Rockhaven and Denne's, anchor that routine, handling boat storage, spring launch and the run back and forth for supplies. Water flows out the Kahshe River to Sparrow Lake.
- Islands
- Short drive
- Annual regatta
History of Kahshe Lake
The name is usually traced to a First Nations name, Ka-shesheb-agam-ag, often explained as the lake of many ducks. Other popular meanings, such as lake of many islands or lake of healing waters, have also been suggested.
Settlers were milling timber in the area early. In 1861 John Everbeck built a sawmill at the rapids on the Kahshe River, the lake's outlet toward Sparrow Lake, and pine from it was hauled by ox trail to a wagon shop on the Muskoka Road. The mill burned in 1867. Cottaging grew through the 20th century, and lake families organized early: the ratepayers' association dates to 1923.
Rock shoals and boating after dark
Kahshe has no government navigation buoys. Instead, volunteers maintain rock markers in four areas of the lake, and the association has added lighted towers at the Hens and Chickens. High spring water can hide shoals that are obvious in August, so new owners should learn their route in daylight first.
Speed is a live topic. In an association survey of more than 200 people, 70% said boats are driven recklessly and 62% supported a no-wake zone within 100 m of shore. Expect a culture that leans toward slow boating.
Water quality and the vulnerable listing
Decades of monitoring showed fairly low nutrient levels in the main lake, and the 2014 steward report found phosphorus well under the District's threshold. That changed the picture slightly after harmful algae blooms in September 2020 and November 2021, which led the District of Muskoka to list Kahshe as vulnerable. By 2022 the mid-lake phosphorus reading had reached the District's threshold for the lake.
Bass Lake, at the east end, typically carries about twice the phosphorus of Kahshe and affects the east end. Calcium is also low, close to the level where some small aquatic species struggle. Good septic care and natural shorelines matter more here than on a deep, clear lake.
Island and water-access living
Many Kahshe properties are on islands or have no road to the door. Rockhaven serves as the drop-off point for island garbage on scheduled days, and the two marinas handle docking and boat services. Before buying a water-access lot, line up mainland parking and a plan for shoulder seasons.
The Town of Gravenhurst handles septic permits. The association reported that the town's septic re-inspection program had not covered water-access properties since 2009, with new inspections planned for 2023, so ask a seller for pump-out and inspection records.
Nagaya Beach and lake life
Nagaya Beach is leased by the association from the Town of Gravenhurst and hosts the annual regatta. There is also a public beach, docks and a boat launch off North Kahshe Lake Road. Summer brings barn dances, a Labour Day concert and a craft sale at Rockhaven.
Kahshe Lake sold prices by year
79 cottages, homes and lots on Kahshe Lake have sold through the MLS® since 2018, 10 of them in the past 12 months. Sold prices are for members. Joining is free.
Free members see sold prices, sale-to-asking ratios and every sold listing on the lake.
| Year | Sales | Median sold | Average | Lowest | Highest | Sold vs. asking | Median days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 to date | 9 | ||||||
| 2025 | 13 | ||||||
| 2024 | 13 | ||||||
| 2023 | 9 | ||||||
| 2022 | 7 | ||||||
| 2021 | 15 | ||||||
| 2020 | 11 | ||||||
| 2019 | 1 | ||||||
| 2018 | 1 | ||||||
Sold data from the PropTx MLS®, for sales reported on the board. Private and exclusive sales are not included. Figures are a guide, not an appraisal. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
What to know before you buy on Kahshe Lake
- Ask the seller for septic pump-out and inspection records. The lake has had algae blooms and is listed as vulnerable, and town re-inspections did not cover water-access lots for many years.
- For an island or water-access lot, confirm mainland parking, which marina you will use and how you will get in during spring and fall.
- Walk the shoreline with a chart. Shallow rock shoals are common, especially on the west side, and they affect where a dock and boat can go.
- The vulnerable listing may affect how the District and town review new development. Check with Gravenhurst planning before you plan a severance or large addition.
- Short-term rental rules are set by the Town of Gravenhurst. Confirm current licensing requirements with the town before you count on rental income.
- Join the ratepayers' association. It runs the shoal markers, monitors water quality and comments on local planning applications.
New to waterfront? Start with Waterfront 101 and our septic, wells and water guide.
Kahshe Lake questions, answered
How big is Kahshe Lake?
Kahshe Lake covers about 8.3 square kilometres, with the smaller Bass Lake adding about 0.4 square kilometres. It is described as the fourth-largest lake in the Muskoka region.
How deep is Kahshe Lake?
The west side of Kahshe Lake is shallow and the east side is much deeper. Shallow rock shoals are found throughout, so careful navigation matters.
Is Kahshe Lake clean?
Kahshe has naturally tea-coloured water and long-term monitoring has shown fairly low nutrients. However, harmful algae blooms in 2020 and 2021 led the District of Muskoka to list it as a vulnerable lake, so owners keep a close eye on septic systems and shorelines.
Is Kahshe Lake good for swimming?
Yes. The lake association reports no known problems with swimming, and there is a public beach off North Kahshe Lake Road. As with any Muskoka lake, check health unit notices during late summer and fall.
What does Kahshe mean?
Kahshe is usually traced to the First Nations name Ka-shesheb-agam-ag, often translated as lake of many ducks. Other popular meanings, like lake of many islands, have also been suggested.
Is Kahshe Lake road access?
Some properties are reached by road from Kahshe Lake Road, while many others, especially on islands, are water access only. Rockhaven and Denne's marinas serve boaters.
Where is Kahshe Lake?
Kahshe Lake is in the Town of Gravenhurst, just south of the town. Its outlet, the Kahshe River, flows into Sparrow Lake.
Sources
We wrote this guide from public records and the organisations below. Lake data can change, so confirm anything that matters to your purchase (permits, rental rules, water levels) with the township or agency before you buy.
How does Kahshe Lake compare?
Put lakes side by side on size, depth, drive time, fish, listings and asking prices.
Towns on Kahshe Lake
Ready to find your cottage?
Talk to a cottage specialist today. Honest answers, no pressure.