Lake of Bays is the quieter corner of Muskoka. It sits east of Huntsville and Bracebridge, a big, many-armed lake ringed by villages that are small and full of character: Baysville at the south end, Dwight to the north on the way to Algonquin, and Dorset to the east, which straddles the township line with Algonquin Highlands. This guide covers the best things to do around the lake, what is open in winter, and how to fit it into a longer Muskoka trip.
Baysville
A village at the river
Baysville grew up where the Muskoka River leaves Lake of Bays. The Lake of Bays Heritage Advisory Committee's Baysville Historical Walk booklet traces the village to the opening of McLean Township for settlement in 1868 and a sawmill that became the core of the settlement. The current dam, a provincial project, opened in 1960. The booklet makes a good self-guided walk around the village.
See our listing for Baysville for more.
Where to stop
Lake of Bays Brewing Co. has its brewery store in Baysville. Check before you go for what is currently offered at the taproom. In winter, the village's Baysville Outdoor Rink opens when the weather allows, with parking along Bay and Bridge Streets.
Baysville also hosts a winter festival. See our listing for Baysville Winterfest, and confirm the date with the township's event calendar.
Dorset
The Dorset Scenic Lookout Tower
The Dorset Lookout Tower is the classic Lake of Bays view. The Township of Algonquin Highlands owns and operates it, just off Highway 35 north of the village. The current 30-metre tower was built in 1967. The original, built in 1922, was a fire lookout until 1961. From the deck you stand about 142 metres above Lake of Bays, and in autumn the view across the hills is unforgettable.
The tower is seasonal. Algonquin Highlands says it is now closed for 2026 and will reopen on Victoria Day weekend 2027. Leashed dogs are welcome on the grounds and trail but not on the tower.
Robinson's General Store and the heritage museum
Dorset's main street is home to Robinson's General Store, a long-running village landmark. It is a good stop for supplies, snacks and a sense of the village.
Down the street, the Dorset Heritage Museum covers early pioneer life, local settlers and traditional logging. It keeps seasonal hours from spring to Thanksgiving and opens on request in the off-season.
Dorset also has a winter carnival. See our listing for the Dorset Snowball Winter Carnival.
Bigwin Island
Bigwin Island is part of Lake of Bays legend as the home of the grand Bigwin Inn, one of the big resort hotels of Muskoka's early 20th-century heyday. Today the island is home to the Bigwin Island Golf Club. The island is accessible only by water, and the club runs on a membership basis, so contact it before planning a visit.
Dwight and the road to Algonquin
Dwight sits at the north end of the lake on Highway 60, the gateway to Algonquin Park's West Gate. Dwight Beach is the community's summer gathering place, and in winter the township lists a skating trail at the beach and an outdoor rink in Dwight.
For cross-country skiing, the township points to Bondi Cottage Resort, which has more than 20 km of track-set ski trails that non-guests can use. The township lists a $10 per person fee for non-guests, who register at the office first. Nearby, the Limberlost Forest & Wildlife Reserve offers free day use with a waiver. The township also lists Fairy Falls for hiking and snowshoeing, and the Frost Centre's trails.
Planning more skiing? Our guide to cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in Muskoka covers the wider region.
Winter on Lake of Bays
Winter here is about rinks, trails and small festivals. The township's winter pages list:
- Skating: the Dwight Beach Skating Trail, the Baysville and Dwight outdoor rinks, and the Dorset Ice Palace, which is run by Algonquin Highlands. Outdoor skating depends on the weather.
- Skiing and snowshoeing: Bondi, Limberlost, Fairy Falls and the Frost Centre.
- Ice fishing: popular, but the township's message is clear: no ice is safe ice.
The villages' winter festivals tend to fall in February, so a February visit can take in more than one. Check each date before you travel.
The Anishinaabeg at Lake of Bays
Lake of Bays has a long Indigenous history. Ontario Heritage Trust plaques, unveiled in October 2017 for Cedar Narrows Heritage Park in Dorset in partnership with the Chippewas of Rama First Nation and the Township of Lake of Bays, commemorate the Anishinaabeg at Lake of Bays. The plaque text states that their descendants are members of the seven First Nations of the Williams Treaties (1923), the nearest of which is the Chippewas of Rama First Nation.
For more, read our guide to Indigenous Muskoka: the peoples, the treaties and the places to learn.
Fitting Lake of Bays into a trip
Lake of Bays works as a day trip from Huntsville, or as a quiet base in its own right. A simple loop:
- Morning: coffee in Baysville and a walk by the river.
- Midday: drive to Dorset for lunch, Robinson's and, in season, the lookout tower.
- Afternoon: continue to Dwight for the beach or the ski trails, then on to Huntsville.
For more ideas, see our winter weekend in Huntsville.
