Lake living near Canton
Leesville Lake homes and lake living
Leesville Lake is a 1,000-acre MWCD lake in Carroll County, known for muskie fishing, with a 10 hp limit and cottage-site homes on leased land. It’s about an hour from Canton.
Quick facts
- Drive
- approx. 60 minutes from downtown Canton
- County
- Carroll
- Managed by
- MWCD
- Ownership
- MWCD cottage sites: own the house, lease the land
- Horsepower limit
- 10 hp
- Water / land
- 1,000 acres of water, 2,789 acres of land
- Marinas
- South Fork & North Fork (privately operated)
- Camping
- South Fork campground (first come, first served); North Fork campground (private)
Steve’s take
Leesville is the quiet one: 10 hp, two forks, and the fishermen love it. If you want a lake place that isn’t a party lake, it’s worth a look.
Owning at Leesville: the MWCD lease
Homes on MWCD cottage sites sit on leased land. You own the house and lease the lot from the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD).
- MWCD leases 1,205+ cottage-site parcels at eight lakes: Atwood, Charles Mill, Leesville, Piedmont, Pleasant Hill, Seneca, Tappan and Wills Creek.
- Every existing site is already leased and has a house on it. You buy from a current owner.
- The house transfers by bill of sale. The land lease transfers through an MWCD lease assignment, and the buyer has to attend a lease conference before closing.
- Lease terms are 30 years. A 40-year term can be used when a lender requires it. MWCD signs a mortgage consent agreement with the lender, and the lease has a first right to renew.
- Lease rates follow MWCD’s rate classification and adjust every year under the lease.
- Exterior work and docks need MWCD permits. Boats docked overnight need an annual MWCD docking decal.
- Many sites run on their own well and septic. Some areas have central water or sewer. MWCD maintains the roads, including snow and ice.
Life at the lake
MWCD calls Leesville one of Ohio’s top lakes for muskie fishing. It sits in rolling hills between New Philadelphia and Carrollton, with two marinas, campgrounds and seven youth camps. The lake has two public boat-launch ramps, an accessible kayak launch and an accessible fishing pier.
Nearby
Questions buyers ask
What’s the horsepower limit on Leesville Lake?
10 horsepower, under Ohio Adm. Code 1501:47-9-01.
Is Leesville a good fishing lake?
MWCD calls it one of Ohio’s top lakes for muskie fishing.
Who runs the marinas at Leesville?
Both marinas, South Fork and North Fork, are privately owned and operated. MWCD runs the South Fork campground.
Sources
Checked October 2, 2026. Rules and fees change. Confirm with the lake office, the county or the school district before you rely on them.
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