Cottages For Sale in Rideau Lakes & Thousand Islands

Buying a cottage in Rideau Lakes & Thousand Islands

The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville lie in eastern Ontario, between Kingston and Cornwall along the St. Lawrence River and north to the Rideau River. The west side crosses the Frontenac Arch, a band of Canadian Shield granite that links the Algonquin highlands to the Adirondacks. That rock creates the Thousand Islands on the river and the deep, island-filled lakes inland. The east side, around Kemptville and Prescott, is flatter farmland on limestone.

Most cottages are in Rideau Lakes township, on the lakes of the Rideau Canal: Big Rideau, Upper Rideau, Newboro, Clear, Indian, Opinicon, Sand and Whitefish. The canal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site run by Parks Canada, and locks join the lakes into one 202 km boating route between Kingston and Ottawa. Charleston Lake and the Beverley lakes sit off the canal and are quieter. On the St. Lawrence, buyers find island cottages, mainland river homes and deep-water docks.

Road access is the norm on the mainland, but many properties are on islands and need a boat, a mainland parking spot and a plan for spring and fall. Most cottages use a septic system and a well or lake intake. On canal lakes, Parks Canada regulates docks, boathouses and shoreline work, so ask about permits. Water levels on the Rideau are managed and usually drop through late summer and fall. St. Lawrence owners should also learn the shipping channel and border rules.

Getting there: About 3 to 3.5 hours from Toronto.

• Rideau Canal
• Big Rideau Lake
• Thousand Islands
• Charleston Lake
• Lock stations
• Frontenac Arch granite