Homes For Sale in Upper Rideau Lake

About Upper Rideau Lake

Upper Rideau Lake is a cottage-lake area in Rideau Lakes Twp. Shoreline cottages and year-round homes ring the lake, with the surrounding township providing day-to-day services.

Waterfront inventory moves with the seasons. Every listing below sits inside the community boundary shown on the map.

The homes of Upper Rideau Lake

Upper Rideau Lake is Big Rideau's quieter sibling on the UNESCO Rideau system — the same heritage waterway, a calmer market. The shoreline mixes three-season cottages in sheltered bays with four-season homes on multi-acre treed lots and the occasional legacy peninsula. Westport village anchors the west end, giving the lake a service town most Rideau lakes lack.

Recent listings show genuine range. A three-season cottage with 290 feet of waterfront in a quiet sheltered bay was listed at $614,900. A waterfront retreat at 66 Scott Lane was offered at $595,000. A four-season home at 715 North Shore Road — 1,700 square feet, private four-acre lot, 600 feet of clean deep shoreline — was listed at $1,250,000. A treed 1.25-acre retreat at 781 North Shore Road with south-facing exposure and a private dock was offered at $999,999. At the top, a 19-acre private peninsula at 9868 County Road 42 with 3,860 feet of waterfront was listed at $2,298,000.

Sheltered bays are Upper Rideau's sweet spot for families — privacy, calm water and long lake views without the open-water exposure. The big-frontage multi-acre lots are the lake's prestige tier; compare them on usable shoreline, not just footage, since rocky sections price differently from swim-friendly ones.

Waterfront realities

The Rideau Canal's federal management applies here as on Big Rideau: Parks Canada oversees docks, boathouses and shoreline work, and UNESCO-adjacent status means the rules are real. Confirm permitting for your lot and verify grandfathered structures before you assume anything near the water can stay or be rebuilt.

Well and septic are standard in Rideau Lakes Township. The lake's three-season cottages are often modest builds — budget honestly for winterization if you plan four-season use, and confirm septic sizing against your intended occupancy. Private roads need written plowing and fee arrangements.

Westport's proximity is a practical advantage for contractors, services and winter needs. If rental income matters, confirm the township's current short-term rental licensing position before buying — the Rideau lakes are attractive rental markets, but rules govern.

Getting there

Upper Rideau Lake sits near Westport village at the west end of the Rideau system, with Perth and Smiths Falls covering broader services. The village gives the lake a walkable service core unusual for the Rideau lakes — dining, shops and marinas close at hand.

From Ottawa it's roughly an hour and a quarter; from the GTA, budget about three and a half hours. Like Big Rideau, the buyer pool leans Ottawa, so GTA buyers should expect to compete with the capital's cottage demand.

Frequently Asked Questions