What I tell buyers about Kahshe Lake real estate
Kahshe Lake is a large lake in the Town of Gravenhurst, and the MNR calls it a diverse one: 828 hectares with a 60 km shoreline, plus another 30 km around its islands, on rugged barren bedrock with many islands, bays and dangerous rocks. It is Canadian Shield country of granite outcroppings, windswept pines and rocky shoals, beautiful for the same reasons it asks for care from anyone who boats it. The Kahshe & Bass Lakes Association runs buoy and rock marker programs.
Access is mixed. Roads such as North Kahshe Lake Road and South Kahshe Lake Road serve drive-to properties, and islands and some shoreline are reached by boat. The MNR lists public boat launches at the west end off South Kahshe Lake Road and on the north shore off North Kahshe Lake Road, with limited parking at both. An MNR-owned dam at the west end regulates the water level under the Kahshe Lake operating plan, so it is worth asking any seller what the water does at their dock across a season.
The lake reaches 21 metres but averages only 5, and the MNR lists water clarity at 2.9 metres. The fish community has been transformed by a long series of introductions, some authorized and some not, and the MNR says it is now dominated by black crappie, northern pike, bass and walleye. It also reports that the walleye fishery has improved significantly in recent years. Which species were introduced, and when, is set out in the lake facts further down.
South of the lake, the 3,169 hectare Kahshe Lake Barrens Conservation Reserve protects bedrock barrens on Crown land. The older name, Kah-she-she-bog-a-mog, has been interpreted several ways: local tradition says “lake of healing waters” or “lake of many ducks and loons,” while linguistic work on early Ojibwe dictionaries points to “lake of many ducks.” There is more in Reflections on Kahshe.
The question I hear most is what cottages here actually sell for. The answer is in the sold record further down this page: every cottage and home sale on Kahshe Lake since 2020 that the board's records show, sorted by price band, with how close each band came to asking. It is published whether or not it flatters the lake.
Current listings are below: cottages, year-round homes and vacant waterfront, both water-access and drive-to. For a viewing or any question, call or text me at 705-783-7718.
Current Kahshe Lake Listings
The Kahshe Lake Market
Every cottage and home sale on Kahshe Lake since 2020 that the board's water body record shows: 69 built properties, summarized by price band. These are the actual closed figures, not an estimate. Vacant land sells too rarely to chart: 5 lots sold in the same period, between $260,000 and $725,000.
Half of those sales closed between $780,000 and $1,225,000. Forty-six of the 69 sold under asking, but the discount is modest: the average sale closed at 97% of list. Nineteen sold over asking, and three of those beat asking by 10% or more. The two middle bands, $800,000 to $999,999 and $1,000,000 to $1,499,999, account for 37 of the 69 sales, and 11 sold for $2 million or more.
Sixty-nine sales in almost seven years is a modest record, and one unusual property moves a median, so read the bands as a pattern rather than a price list.
Sales by Price Band
| Price band | Sales | Share of sales | Median sold price | Average sale-to-list | Sold over asking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $600,000 | 8 | 12% | $480,000 | 94% | 0 |
| $600,000 to $799,999 | 11 | 16% | $651,000 | 97% | 3 |
| $800,000 to $999,999 | 17 | 25% | $850,000 | 98% | 7 |
| $1,000,000 to $1,499,999 | 20 | 29% | $1,150,000 | 96% | 4 |
| $1,500,000 and up | 13 | 19% | $2,500,000 | 101% | 5 |
| All built properties | 69 | 100% | $950,000 | 97% | 19 |
Band averages rest on eight to twenty sales each, and one or two big over-asking sales move them, so the over-asking count is the steadier figure.
Figures come from MLS® sold records for detached and rural residence properties on Kahshe Lake in the Town of Gravenhurst, selected by the board's water body field and deduplicated to remove properties listed more than once. Sale-to-list is the average across sales. Records before 2020 are too sparse in the source to publish honestly, so the series starts there.
These figures reflect MLS®-listed sales only. Private and exclusive listings never enter the MLS® system and are not captured here. That is a genuine limitation of any sold-data analysis, including this one.
Kahshe Lake at a Glance
| Official name | Kahshe Lake. The MNR also lists the local name Kah-she-she-bog-a-mog. |
|---|---|
| Municipality | Town of Gravenhurst, District of Muskoka (geographic township of Morrison) |
| Surface area | 828 hectares (about 2,050 acres) |
| Shoreline | 60 km perimeter, plus 30 km of island shoreline |
| Depth | 21 m maximum, 5 m average |
| Water clarity | 2.9 m |
| Elevation | 243 m above sea level |
| Watershed | 209 km² (excluding the lake), draining to the Kahshe River |
| Water levels | Regulated. An MNR-owned and operated dam at the west end of the lake controls the level, and flows and levels are managed under the Kahshe Lake operating plan. |
| Shoreline development | High: commercial and shoreline residential. Crown land is listed at 5%. |
| Protected areas | Kahshe Lake Barrens Conservation Reserve, and Jevins and Silver Lake Conservation Reserve |
| Public access | Public. Boat launches at the west end of the lake off South Kahshe Lake Road, and on the north shore off North Kahshe Lake Road, with limited parking at both. |
| Fisheries management | Fisheries Management Zone 15, with no lake-specific regulation exceptions. Not designated for lake trout management. |
| Major fish species | Walleye, northern pike, muskellunge, black crappie, smallmouth bass, burbot and largemouth bass. Introduced: walleye (first recorded 1939), black crappie (1991), northern pike (1993) and largemouth bass (1952). Muskellunge (1945) and smallmouth bass (1915) are listed as introduced with the status uncertain, and the MNR notes both may be native. Burbot is presumed native. |
| Stocking | None now. Historic stocking, by last year stocked: smallmouth bass (1959), largemouth bass (1965), muskellunge (1967) and walleye (1989). |
| Other species recorded | Grass pickerel, cisco, brown bullhead, rock bass (introduced, first recorded 1975), pumpkinseed, yellow perch, white sucker, trout-perch, golden shiner and bluntnose minnow. Freshwater jellyfish were first recorded in 2010. The MNR notes grass pickerel are rare in Ontario and ranked Special Concern by COSEWIC. |
Source: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Lake Fact Sheet: Kahshe Lake (Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2010). The most recent assessment it lists is a 2009 walleye netting. Stocking, species and water clarity are as of that sheet and may have changed.
What This Means If You Are Buying
- Boat with care. The MNR describes the lake as rugged bedrock with many islands, bays and dangerous rocks. The Kahshe & Bass Lakes Association runs buoy and rock marker programs, and any buyer who boats should learn the shoals before a first evening run.
- Two ways in. Roads such as North and South Kahshe Lake Road serve drive-to properties, while islands and some shoreline are boat access. The public launches have limited parking, so ask where you would keep a boat and a car.
- Managed water. An MNR dam at the west end regulates the level under the Kahshe Lake operating plan, so ask what the water does at the dock you are buying across a season.
- An introduced fish community. The MNR says a long series of introductions has transformed the fishery, which is now dominated by black crappie, northern pike, bass and walleye, and that the walleye fishery has improved significantly in recent years.
- Protected land to the south. The 3,169 hectare Kahshe Lake Barrens Conservation Reserve is Crown land of bedrock barrens, and the MNR lists the Jevins and Silver Lake Conservation Reserve as well.
- An active association. The Kahshe & Bass Lakes Association has an Environment section that includes benthic monitoring information, along with community events for members.
- Prices. Half of the built-property sales since 2020 closed between $780,000 and $1,225,000, with a median of $950,000. Thirteen sold for $1.5 million or more.
Kahshe Lake Cottages: Common Questions
How much do cottages cost on Kahshe Lake?
Cottages and homes that have sold on Kahshe Lake since 2020 ranged from $380,000 to $5.35 million, with a median of $950,000. Half of the 69 sales closed between $780,000 and $1.225 million, and buyers paid about 97% of asking on average. The breakdown by price band is published on this page. Vacant land sells too rarely to chart: 5 lots sold in the same period, between $260,000 and $725,000.
How big and how deep is Kahshe Lake?
According to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Kahshe Lake covers 828 hectares (about 2,050 acres) and has a 60 km perimeter, plus another 30 km of island shoreline. The maximum depth is 21 metres and the average is 5 metres. Water clarity is listed at 2.9 metres.
Is Kahshe Lake water access or drive-to?
Both. Roads such as North Kahshe Lake Road and South Kahshe Lake Road serve drive-to properties, while islands and some shoreline are reached by boat. The MNR lists public boat launches at the west end of the lake off South Kahshe Lake Road and on the north shore off North Kahshe Lake Road, with limited parking at both.
Is boating on Kahshe Lake difficult?
The MNR describes Kahshe Lake as a large, diverse lake on rugged barren bedrock with many islands, bays and dangerous rocks, so boaters need to learn the shoals. The Kahshe & Bass Lakes Association runs buoy and rock marker programs.
Is the water level on Kahshe Lake controlled?
Yes. The MNR lists the lake as regulated: an MNR-owned and operated dam at the west end controls the water level, and flows and levels are managed in accordance with the Kahshe Lake operating plan.
What fish are in Kahshe Lake?
The MNR lists walleye, northern pike, muskellunge, black crappie, smallmouth bass, burbot and largemouth bass as the major species. It says a long series of introductions, some authorized and some not, has transformed the fish community, which is now dominated by black crappie, pike, bass and walleye, and that the walleye fishery has improved significantly in recent years. The lake is not stocked now. It sits in Fisheries Management Zone 15 with no lake-specific regulation exceptions, so check the current zone regulations before you fish.
Is there protected land near Kahshe Lake?
Yes. The Kahshe Lake Barrens Conservation Reserve occupies 3,169 hectares of Crown land south of the lake, protecting bedrock barrens. The MNR also lists the Jevins and Silver Lake Conservation Reserve, and lists Crown land on the lake at about 5%.
Is there a lake association on Kahshe Lake?
Yes. The Kahshe & Bass Lakes Association (KBLA) serves both lakes. It runs buoy and rock marker programs, has an Environment section that includes benthic monitoring information, and organizes community events for its members.
Are there vacant waterfront lots for sale on Kahshe Lake?
Vacant lots sell rarely on Kahshe Lake: 5 sold since 2020, between $260,000 and $725,000. Current listings, including any lots, are on this page.
What does the name Kahshe mean?
The older name, Kah-she-she-bog-a-mog, has been interpreted in several ways. Local tradition says it means lake of healing waters or lake of many ducks and loons, while linguistic work based on early Ojibwe dictionaries suggests a meaning closer to lake of many ducks.