Kootenay. 
Know before you go
Advisories
Review the detailed guides under visit responsibly for more information on staying safe and preserving our natural spaces.
Visit responsibly
Follow these guides to ensure your activities are safe, respectful, and ecologically friendly:
Maps and location
Getting there
This park is located in the southern interior, on Hwy 6. It is 18 km southeast of Nakusp and 26 km northwest of New Denver, a 15 or 20 minute drive.
Camping
Frontcountry camping
The small campground is located on a point of land at the south-west end of Summit Lake. It contains 35 vehicle-accessible sites, with a paved, circular, one way traffic road. A park gate is located just past the day-use parking lot.
Seven of the sites are double sites. There are no pull-through sites, tent pads or tent sites. The sites are shady and small, in an intimate setting along the lake front or with in the cedar hemlock forest. Extra vehicles must pay the extra vehicle fee and can be parked in the day-use parking lot located near the park entrance.
A pay phone is nearby at the pump house found in the centre of the campground. Services are offered between May and September. The closest store is in Nakusp, 18 km west on Highway 6.
Reservations are accepted and first come, first served campsites are also available. Visitors without reservations can select any site with out a reserved sign and staff will come to collect fees.
| Vehicle-accessible camping fee | $26 per party per night |
| BC seniors’ rate (day after Labour Day to June 14 only) | $13 per senior party per night |
For information on the BC seniors’ rate, see the camping fees page.
Frontcountry campgrounds
Things to do
This park has a short, graveled walking trail from the campground to the day-use and picnic area. For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil structure.
The beach is 100 metres long with a shale and pebble type surface. Warm water attracts swimmers and makes this a very popular swimming area. There is no roped-off swimming area.
There are no lifeguards on duty in BC Parks.
There are opportunities for canoeing or kayaking in this park. Paddlers can access the lake from either the boat launch or the lake front campsites. Many users leave their canoe and kayak on the beach.
There are opportunities for canoeing or kayaking in this park. Paddlers can access the lake from either the boat launch or the lake front campsites. Many users leave their canoe and kayak on the beach.
Park visitors can enjoy summer or winter fishing for rainbow and cutthroat trout. Check the BC Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis for quotas and restrictions.
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC has a fun, hands on, Learn to Fish Program that teaches basic angling skills to youth under 16 years old. Ask the park operator for information.
Pets and domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in beach areas or park buildings. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement. There is no off leash area in this park. Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to potential for problems with wildlife.
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 Summit Lake Park. E-bikes are restricted to park roads and areas where motorized use is permitted.
Facilities
Accessibility information is available for this park.
Registered campers can use the single wide, all gravel boat launch located in the campground at campsite #29. This boat launch accommodates car top boats. Boat trailers must be parked at the users campsite or at the day-use parking lot. Visitors can leave their boats on the shore in front of their campsites. A public boat launch is located 1km south of the park.
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.
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.
Cold well water is available for cooking and drinking. Three water taps are located in the campground with one water tap in the day-use and picnic area. Taps are shut off during the off-season.
Summit Lake group picnic area
Upon entering the park, turn right to access the day-use parking lot. A short walk will lead you to the lake, day-use and picnic area. You will find a 100 metres long pebble beach and a small grassy area with 6 tables. A pit toilet and water tap is nearby. There are no fire pits or barbeque stands.
In the campground by campsite #1, is a grassy field with an open picnic shelter equipped which has four picnic tables. It does not have any cooking facilities. There is a water tap with potable water.
Group picnicking is open during the main camping season and reservations are available for the picnic shelter through the BC Parks reservations system. The Group picnicking fee is $50 per group.
One pit and three flush toilets are located throughout the campground. The day-use area has one pit toilet.
About this park
The park was established in 1964. The campground was constructed in 1999 to allow outdoor recreation opportunities and to diversify local community tourism attractions. Summit Lake Park lies in the Ktunaxa/Kinbasket, Okanagan and Shuswap first nation traditional territories.
The park features important migration and breeding habitat for western toads, particularly on the northern end of the lake. These primarily nocturnal and terrestrial amphibians frequent the park, usually in late summer when tadpoles undergo metamorphism. In addition to the western toad habitat, a variety of ecosystems associated with wetlands and riparian areas are adjacent to the park. The flowers, trees and shrubs are part of the parks natural heritage. Please do not damage or remove them.
All animals in the park are protected under the Park and Wildlife Acts. Please care for them by not disturbing their habitat and by observing them from a distance. Also, the islands near the campground present excellent nesting opportunities for shorebirds and provide perching refuge for eagles, hawks and kingfishers. If you choose to explore these areas, please be very careful where you step and leave your dog back at camp. The forests and rocky slopes north of the park offer suitable habit for grizzly bear, mountain goat and cougar. Park users should always be aware of wildlife in the park environment. For more information on staying safe, visit the wildlife safety page.
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.
Contact
| Reservations, changes, and cancellations | Our call centre is open from 7 am to 7 pm Pacific Time. There is a $5 fee for reservations, changes, or cancellations made by phone.
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| Park operator | This park is operated by West Kootenay Park Management Inc. |
| General questions and feedback for BC Parks | We answer emails weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm Pacific Time. |
