Ontario Agritourism

Community of Dorset

Dorset, Ontario: A Rural Community Shaped by Waterways, Forestry, and Northern Agriculture

Dorset is a small rural settlement in the District Municipality of Muskoka, located along Highway 35 where the Black River flows out of Lake of Bays. Surrounded by lakes, forests, and rocky Canadian Shield terrain, Dorset has long served as a natural stopping point between inland Muskoka and the Haliburton Highlands.

Welcome to Dorset

Settlement began in the late 19th century, driven by forestry, water routes, and the gradual opening of Muskoka’s interior. Dorset developed as a small service centre for loggers, settlers, and travellers moving through the region by river, rail, and later road. Its location near multiple waterways gave it strategic importance despite its modest size.

Robinson's General Store

Today, Dorset remains village-scale and strongly tied to its natural setting. With a compact core and a landscape defined by water and forest, the community reflects a quieter side of Muskoka—one rooted in rural life rather than resort development.

Restaurant - Dorset

The Local Agricultural Landscape

Agriculture around Dorset reflects the realities of Canadian Shield farming, where thin soils, exposed rock, and a shorter growing season limit large-scale crop production. Instead, the surrounding area has traditionally supported small mixed farms, livestock, hay and forage, and local food production adapted to northern conditions.

Dockside Shop

Historically, farms near Dorset helped supply nearby logging camps, settlements, and lakeside communities with food, feed, and agricultural products. This localized approach to farming emphasized self-sufficiency and resilience—qualities still visible in the area’s rural properties today.

Lake of Bays - Dorset

For agritourism visitors, Dorset offers insight into how Ontario agriculture adapts beyond southern farmland. Farming here is shaped by landscape and necessity, creating a distinctive rural experience where agriculture, forestry, and water-based livelihoods have long coexisted.

Park

And Here’s the Rest of the Story…

Every community has a few stories that don’t always make the guidebooks—this is one of them.

Dorset is home to one of Muskoka’s most unexpected landmarks: the Dorset Lookout Tower. Built in 1967 as a Centennial project, the tower rises above the treetops to reveal a sweeping view of lakes, forests, and rolling highlands. What many visitors don’t realize is that the lookout stands on a site once used for forest fire detection, continuing a long tradition of watching over the landscape. From logging and farming to conservation and tourism, Dorset’s story has always been shaped by seeing the land clearly and respecting its limits.

Lookout Tower - Dorset