Balsam Lake is a lake in the City of Kawartha Lakes in Central Ontario, Canada. It is in the Great Lakes Basin, is one of the lakes of the Kawartha Lakes, and is at the summit of the Trent–Severn Waterway.

Geography

Balsam Lake is 16 km long and averages 3 km wide, though its actual width varies due to the many large bays that carve its shoreline; the total area is 48 km2 and the watershed area is 115 km2. The primary inflows are the Gull River at the north and the Staples River at the southwest. The lake is the highest point of the Trent–Severn Waterway at 256.3 m; from here, the waterway descends to Georgian Bay in the northwest, and to Lake Ontario in the southeast. It is the highest point to which a vessel can be navigated from sea level in the Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence River drainage basin. The main outflow, at the east, is the Rosedale River and Trent Canal leading to Cameron Lake. The village of Coboconk is located on the north side of the lake.

Natural history

Balsam Lake Provincial Park and Indian Point Provincial Park are located on the north shore of the lake. The lake offers excellent fishing for bass, walleye, and muskie. Mackenzie Bay in West Bay is a popular spot for boats to congregate on a warm summer day.

Map images