 October 2021 - Fire pit under the stars overlooking the calm bay - 1/40  View from the deck or inside at the dining table or livingroom - 3/40  June 2021 - approx 7ft deep off the end of the dock. The water level lowers throughout the season. - 5/40  October 7, 2021 - on the dock - 6/40  July 2021 guest, Paul, showing his grandsons how it is done. 3.5lbs off the dock! - 7/40  Even Big Kids at heart enjoy the slide! - 8/40  August 2021 guest, Jena, and 2 of her kids making a splash! - 9/40  On the shore sandy play area. Use of canoe included. - 10/40  Use of 2 adult & 2 youth kayaks included - 12/40  June 2021 guest family exploring the bay in our kayaks - 13/40  New Record Holder - 4.8 lb Small Mouth Bass, off the dock! - 14/40  Fully equipped kitchen, including: water cooler, Keurig and Brew Coffee Maker - 17/40  Hand-held shower and flush toilet - 20/40  Woodburning stove and a big screen tv with lots of movies for cozying up together - 22/40  Master Bedroom - Queen bed - 25/40  2nd Bedroom - Queen bed - 26/40  3rd bedroom - 2 sets of bunk beds - 27/40  Returning guest, Clayton, always loves his adventures in the kayak. - 29/40  The self proclaimed Boss Hogg of the lake. 4.5lbs - 30/40  June 2021 - Extended dock and improved shoreline - 31/40  Autumn explorations - October 2020 - the water level lowers throughout the season - 32/40  Looking west in our bay 8:50pm June 24, 2021 - 33/40  Looking east in our bay 9:10pm the same night - June 24, 2021 - 34/40  The first fish, 2020 guest, Joe, has ever caught...in his life! 4.4lbs with a Jitterbug - 36/40  October 5, 2020 - before the retaining wall and extended dock were completed - 38/40  We look forward to hosting you in our neck of the woods! - 40/40 $250 - $325 / night | CONTACT OWNER |
DESCRIPTIONGENERAL DESCRIPTION  | Sleeps 8 |
 | 3 Bedrooms |
 | 1 Bathroom |
 | Pets
not allowed |
 | Smoking
not allowed |
 | Fireplace |
 | Waterfront |
Relax at Smokey the Bear Cave in Wilberforce/ Highlands East.
Located on picturesque Esson Lake, just north of the Kawarthas and just east of the Haliburton Highlands, this fully furnished 3-bedroom, newly renovated, very clean cottage is the perfect getaway for spectacular views.
A short walkway off a spacious, shade-covered deck takes you down to a sandy, shallow entry waterfront.
A large, 16' x 36' dock with ladder surrounded by clear water provides for excellent swimming, boating, and fishing, or as a relaxing vista.
Lounge on the 15' x 6' Lily Pad (floating mat).
There is a slide off the end of the dock for those who dare!
The cottage property has southern exposure in a bay of calm, very clear water.
There is a public boat launch, if you would like to bring a motorized boat.
We have 2 youth & 2 adult kayaks, a canoe, as well as some sand & water toys available for use.
Although, we have a few lifejackets, we recommend that you bring your own to ensure proper fit.
We are located on the snowmobile trail system and back onto densely wooded crown land - Great for hiking, extreme mountain biking and other outdoor adventures.
7 mins away is Wilberforce - the Geocaching Capital of Canada!
In the evening, light a campfire under the stars overlooking the serene bay.
For your comfort, each room has a ceiling fan and the cottage has a window air-conditioning unit.
Although we offer bed options for up to 8 people, that would be a combination of adults and children.
Great for a single family with adults, teens and little ones!
All beds have new mattresses with fresh mattress covers.
The master bedroom has a queen bed.
The middle bedroom has a queen bed.
The third bedroom has 2 sets of bunk beds.
There is a sofa bed in the living room.
The kitchen is fully equipped with dishware, cookware, water cooler, Keurig, brew coffee maker, kettle, toaster, crockpot, microwave, fridge/freezer, stove/oven and a double sink.
There is a BBQ with propane included, and outdoor furniture for dining on the wrap around deck.
A 50-inch TV with DVD player, a large selection of movies & board games with a stone fireplace in the living room, invite you to cozy up inside.
The bathroom is equipped with a hand-held shower, flush toilet and sink.
**Strict Smoke Free & Pet Free policy**
For the safety and comfort of all guests, we do not permit any pets or smoking on the property at any time.
The cottage is situated between Haliburton (27km to the west) & Bancroft (47km to the northeast).
It's located 7km from Wilberforce.
It is 2.5 hours from Toronto.
Wilberforce provides amenities such as Public WiFi, Foodland, LCBO, a pharmacy, gas and Agnew's General Store with Kawartha Dairy ice cream!
Haliburton offers more variety, including a laundromat, Independent Grocery, Shopper's Drug Mart and Tim Hortons.
Bancroft offers even more amenities, shops and attractions, including the Eagle's Nest Lookout.
Summer Season:
Full week rental ONLY
Spring/Fall Season:
3 night minimum
Rates are based on the following maximum occupancy:
1 Family (2 adults, with up to 4 children) or 4 Adults.
Additional fee applies per extra pre-approved guest.
* A Reservation Deposit of $500-$700 per week (or 1/3) is required at time of booking. A completed Rental Agreement will be required within 1 month of booking. If you need to cancel your reservation, $250-$350 (or 1/2) of deposit is refundable up to 1 month prior to arrival.
* The full Rental Balance is due 1 month prior to arrival to confirm your reservation.
* A Security Deposit of $600 is required upon arrival and will be returned within 7 days if the cottage & property is left as clean as when you arrived and in good repair.
* You will need to supply your own bedding, pillows, bathroom & kitchen linens, toilet paper & paper towels, and dispose of your own garbage and recycling. A one-time use dump pass is included.
* Check-in is after 3:00pm EST, check-out is by 11:00am EST.
+ READ MORE - COLLAPSE
AMENITIES AND EQUIPMENT | | Bedrooms | 3 bedrooms : - 4 single beds - 2 Queen beds - 1 Sofa bed | | | Kitchen | | | | General | | |
| Entertainment | | | | Outdoors Features | | | Summer Activities
(nearby) | | |
For your comfort, each room has a ceiling fan and the cottage has a window air-conditioning unit. There is a BBQ with propane included, and outdoor furniture for dining on the wrap around deck. 15' x 6' lily pad (floating mat) & slide into the water. A 50-inch T.V. with DVD/Blu ray player (incl. a selection of DVDs) and a wide selection of board games in the living room invite you to cozy up inside. The bathroom is equipped with a hand-held shower, flush toilet and sink. + VIEW MORE - COLLAPSE | Other Town/Lake/Area: | Wilberforce |
Note: The cottage is located on southern exposure waterfront in a calm bay on beautiful Esson Lake.
7 km west of Wilberforce - the Geocaching Capital of Canada!
Wilberforce provides amenities such as Public WiFi, Foodland, LCBO, pharmacy, gas and Agnews General Store with Kawartha Dairy Ice cream!
Haliburton offers more variety, including laundromat, Independent Grocery, Shopper's Drug Mart and Tim Hortons.
Bancroft offers even more amenities & attractions, including the Eagles Nest Lookout AVAILABILITYLast update: July 01, 2022 |
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RATES | | $250 | $325 | - | $1600 | - | - | 3 Nights | SUMMER 2022 Jun 17, 2022 - Sep 17, 2022 | - | - | - | $1950 | - | - | 1 Week | SALE - LAST WEEK AVAILABLE 2022 Sep 11, 2022 - Sep 18, 2022 | - | - | - | - | - | $1850 | 7 Nights | FALL 2022 Sep 18, 2022 - Oct 20, 2022 | $250 | $325 | $650 | $1600 | - | - | 3 Nights |
Rates are in Canadian dollars ADDITIONAL INFORMATION | Check-in after | 03:00 PM | | Check-out before | 11:00 AM | | Security Deposit | $600 (Security deposit will be refunded within 7 days of check-out) | | Booking Deposit | 30% due at time of booking (The balance is due 30 days before arrival) | | Accepted Payments | Cash, Interac e-Transfer | | Cottage Rules | View |
NOTES Payments accepted by etransfer or cash only. REVIEWS | | David |  |
| A phenomenal experience. My wife and I arrived on Labor Day - as 'others' were heading home. The weather was good - mid 20's C. We had the lake to ourselves. So, with respect, my review may be tainted as, again, we had the lake essentially to ourselves.
Initially - the cottage was VERY clean, well organized and spacious. The fire pit excellent - safe, secure, with sufficient dry hardwood. A internal (seasonal) wood stove is present. The dock however was the highlight - loons literally 3 feet away. My wife wondered, at 1 point - do loons bite - as she had her feet in the lake, sitting on the dock. The dock is where we started and ended our day. Morning coffee as the sun was coming up and evening drinks. The dock is huge - well secured with a bridge leading to it. Safe for all to use. The property is very well maintained, actually spotless. Good fishing also.
Be advised that there is no TV service, no internet, but cell reception is present. Donna and Guy have lots of DVD's and a big screen TV,. We were too busy for that.
They have 4 kayaks and a large canoe. The kayaks were excellent. The lake is fairly large - took about 2 -3 hours for a round trip to explore all the lake. We did this daily. The water is crystal clear, no weeds, calm water. It is remote, a little difficult to find, and has small towns for supplies - once parked we never left. It is very very quiet there - loons sang. In conclusion - We highly recommend Smokey.
david - Cornwall, ON
Stayed: September 2021 Submitted: Sep 14, 2021
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Owner response: Thank you so much, David! We appreciate the detail in your review. We love the lake and our Loon-ey friends, as well. We hope you return again to our neck of the woods! Donna & Guy | |
| | Dita | |
| We truly enjoyed our week stay at Smokey the Bear Cave. The cottage was clean, well laid out and comfortable for our family of five plus three nights with another family. The waterfront is amazing - great for kids and adults alike. We enjoyed full sun all day on the dock and the kids enjoyed the slide, lily pad and catching fish and frogs. The cottage location was perfect for exploring the hikes, rock hounding and other sites that the Haliburton area has to offer. Donna and Guy were wonderful, welcoming hosts. Thank you!
Stayed: August 2021 Submitted: Aug 29, 2021
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Owner response: Thank you, Dita, for sharing your family vacation experience. We appreciate your kind words and the colourful drawing in our Guest Book from your budding artist. We would love to host your family again! Donna & Guy | |
| | Linda | |
| Smokey the Bear Cave suited our family perfectly! The first few days we enjoyed many peaceful moments paddle boarding, sitting on the dock with a glass of wine and enjoying the beautiful view. When our kids and grandkids arrived, they were all highly entertained by fishing off the dock (with success!), swimming/diving/jumping from the dock and swimming out to the lily pad. The kids (2,6 and 8) all improved their confidence in the water by the end of the week. Donna, the super host, is truly a wonderful neighbour/host. She quickly responded to queries prior to our arrival and during our stay. We are looking forward to next year!! (Thank you, Donna!) L and M
Stayed: August 2021 Submitted: Sep 10, 2021
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Owner response: Awww you are so sweet, Linda. Thank you! Your family is lovely. We are so glad that everyone enjoyed their vacation. We look forward to hosting you again next year at Smokey the Bear Cave. Donna & Guy | |
| | Jena | |
| This cottage is picturesque! Stunning lake front view and large dock with slide. CLEAR WATER!! The owners have taken pride in making the cottage comfortable and clean. Our family of five stayed very comfortably for the week and even had guests (4) come and stay for two nights. There were many games for indoors provided by owners and kayaks and a canoe. Our family always had something different to do each day. The owners are extremely kind and approachable. We truly needed this get away and found this was exactly what we needed to recharge. Thank you Donna and Guy!
Stayed: August 2021 Submitted: Aug 14, 2021
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Owner response: Thank you, Jena, for your kind words. Your daughter's heartfelt entry in the cottage journal was lovely, as well. We are very happy your family has built some lasting memories. We look forward to hosting you again at Smokey the Bear Cave! Donna & Guy | |
| | Season | |
| Amazing View! So much fun! Our family of 4 had a great week! We went the last week of July and we had a great time. The dock and water activities were perfect for our 7 and 14 year old kids. My husband and I enjoyed them too!
It rained a couple of days but we enjoyed the DVDs and board played board games while overlooking the stunning view of the lake! I woke up early every morning to have a coffee on the dock and listen to the loons!
Thanks Donna and Guy!
Stayed: July 2021 Submitted: Aug 05, 2021
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Owner response: Thank you for your kind words and sharing your family vacation experience, Season. We are happy you all enjoyed yourselves. We'd love to host your family again at Smokey the Bear Cave! | |
$250 - $325 / night $650 / weekend $1600 - $1950 / week DONNA & GUY Member since December 2019 Speaks: English Response Rate: 100% |
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