The lake is known for its simple beauty, with a mixture of forest, and rock and sand beaches.

Kamaniskeg Lake is part of the Ottawa River drainage basin with the communities of Barry's Bay at its northern end, and Combermere near the southeast.

[2] The Madawaska River, known for its rapids, is the primary inflow, at the west, and outflow, from the southeast.

[5] The lake holds the wreck of the Mayflower, a paddle steamer which sank in 1912.

It is usually marked by a white floating jug, and at a depth of about 25 feet (7.6 m) to the bottom.