Park overview
Moberly Lake Park is situated on the southern shore of Moberly Lake which is found on the boundary between the Rocky Mountain foothills to the west and the Peace plateau to the east. The lake itself lies in a broad shallow valley of the Moberly River, about 96km from its junction with the Peace River.
Enjoy a leisurely stroll along the lakeshore and pull up a bench to watch the sunset. Stop and visit the park’s interpretation kiosk to learn about the local flora, fauna and history. While you are there, take time to listen to the loons or look overhead for bald eagles. Head down to the lake for a swim or to test your luck fishing for northern pike, lake trout and lake whitefish.
Advisories
Dates of operation
Park status:
Open
The park gate is open May 12, 2023 to September 10, 2023
- Facility type
- Vehicle-accessible camping
- Number of campsites
- Reservable frontcountry sites: 60
- Vehicle-accessible sites: 109
- Main operating season
- 2023: May 12 to September 10
- Winter season
- No services
- Booking required
- 2023: May 19 to September 4
- Winter season note
- Gate is closed during the off-season.
- Facility type
- Picnic areas
- Main operating season
- 2023: May 12 to September 10
- Winter season
- No services
- Booking required
- 2023: May 19 to September 4
Special notes
- Off-Road Vehicles (ORVs) are prohibited in this park. ORVs include ATVs, off-road motorcycles, snowmobiles and side-by-sides.
Camping
- Total number of campsites
- Total reservable frontcountry sites: 60
- Total vehicle-accessible sites: 109
Campsite reservations are accepted and first come, first served sites are also available.
All campsite reservations must be made the BC Parks reservations system. When reservations are not available all campsites function as first come, first served.
This park offers vehicle-accessible campsites. Campsite reservations are accepted and first come, first served sites are also available.
Long-stay camping
Available for long-stay camping full season. Please contact the park operator for information and to book one of these sites.
| Vehicle-accessible camping fee | $20 per party per night |
| BC seniors’ rate (day after Labour Day to June 14 only) | $10 per senior party per night |
| Long-stay camping | $90 per week |
For information on the BC seniors’ rate, see the camping fees page. Information on long-stay camping is available on the Frontcountry Camping webpage.
Facilities
Accessibility information is available for this park.
A sani-station and dump is available during the collecting season.
Campfires are allowed and campfire rings are provided at each campsite. We encourage visitors to conserve wood and protect the environment by minimizing the use of fire and using campstoves instead. Firewood can be purchased in the park or you may bring your own wood. Fees for firewood are set locally and may vary from park to park. Limited burning hours or campfire bans may be implemented.
To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please don’t gather firewood from the area around your campsite or elsewhere in the park (this is a ticketable offence under the Park Act). Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil.
This park has a day-use and picnic area. Group picnicking is available for a fee at this park. Reservations for the group site picnic area are available. Click here for reservation information.
This park only has pit toilets, no flush toilets.
Activities
There is a swimming beach and marked swimming area at this park. Keep in mind that there are no lifeguards on duty.
Canoes and kayaks are welcome. There are no rentals in the park.
Visitors can fish for Northern pike, Arctic grayling, mountain and lake whitefish, and lake trout. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. Lake trout are a species of special concern and as such have special regulations for fishing.
Pets and domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in day-use, beach areas (with the exception of the designated dog beach) or park buildings. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement. Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to the potential for problems with bears and other wildlife. Check with park staff for directions to the designated dog beach, which is located on the point beside the main day-use area.
Bicycles must keep to roadways. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
Please note that bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are not allowed on the trails within Moberly Lake Park. E-bikes are restricted to park roads and areas where motorized use is permitted. The only exception to this policy will be for authorized and identified trail maintenance bikes conducting work on behalf of BC Parks.
Located approximately 25 km northwest of Chetwynd on Highway 29. There are 3 km of paved road access.
Park and activity maps
Learn more about this park
Park details
- Date established: May 31, 1966
- Size: 99 hectares
Park contact
This park proudly operated by:
Sandstorm North Contracting
For information concerning the vehicle-accessible campground:
sandstormnorth@gmail.com
Nature and culture
History
65 million years ago, Moberly Lake was part of the shore of a great inland sea. The Rocky Mountains and Prairies did not exist and the land was inhabited with dinosaurs such as tyrannosaurus, anklyosaurus, triceratops, parasaurolophus, elasmosaurus and pteranodon.
Moberly Lake held a special meaning to the Dane-zaa First Nations people, as it was known to them as “the lake you can depend on.” It meant that the people could always return to Moberly Lake since food sources there were always plentiful and reliable.
To some of the Dane-zaa First Nations, Moberly Lake held another mystery. It was also known as “the lake with a hole through it” or “the lake with no bottom.” There is a legend that is often told of an ancient creature that surfaces from time to time a long, long time ago.
The lake was named for Harry Moberly, chief trader with the Hudson’s Bay Company. He left the Company in 1865 and settled down on the north shore of Moberly Lake until 1868. In 1870, he rejoined the Company to complete a total of 37 years of faithful service.
Conservation
Moberly Park is covered with a fairly dense stand of white spruce interspersed with trembling aspen and balsam poplar. Large cottonwoods occupy much of the low lying areas. Shrubs common to the park include wild sasparilla, prickly rose, black twinberry, currant, highbush cranberry, twinflower and dwarf red blackberry.
Wildlife
Moose and black bear are the only large animals that frequent the park. Smaller mammals like the red squirrel, snowshoe hare, muskrat and beaver are more likely to be seen. More than 25 species of birds including the common loon, bald eagle, American kestrel, spotted sandpiper, herring gull and belted kingfisher have been recorded in the park.
Moberly Lake and the Peace River district are very special areas for songbirds. The black-capped chickadee, Tennessee warbler, red-eyed vireo, red-winged blackbird, Wilson’s warbler, white crowned sparrow, purple finch, dark-eyed junco, American robin, Swainson’s thrush, yellow warbler and American redstart are just some songbirds can often be seen flitting among the willow and red-oiser dogwood that grown along the shores of the lake.
Moberly Lake is a productive lake for Northern pike, Arctic grayling, lake whitefish, lake and mountain whitefish, longnose sucker and white sucker. Please comply with all fishing regulations to help protect some of B.C.’s unique species.
Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
BC Parks honours Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land and respects the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories. This park webpage may not adequately represent the full history of this park and the connection of Indigenous Peoples to this land. We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.