Plan Summit Lake Park near Nakusp with lakeside camping, swimming, paddling, trout fishing, short trails, western toad migration, pet rules, and no trail e-bikes.
Summit Lake Park is a six-hectare Kootenay campground on Highway 6, 18 kilometres southeast of Nakusp and 26 kilometres northwest of New Denver. BC Parks describes a clear mountain lake with camping, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, swimming, and a Selkirk Mountains backdrop.
The park is also known for western toads that emerge from the lake and migrate toward nearby forest.
Why Visit Summit Lake Park
Summit Lake is a compact lakeside base for a simple Kootenay camping trip. The lake has a 100-metre shale and pebble beach with warm water and no roped-off swimming area. Paddlers can access the lake from the boat launch or lakefront campsites, and anglers fish in summer or winter for rainbow and cutthroat trout.
BC Parks also highlights mountain goats on rocky outcroppings, birds over the lake, wetlands and riparian ecosystems, and important western toad breeding and migration habitat at the northern end of the lake.
Things To Do
Camp, swim without lifeguards, canoe, kayak, fish with the proper licence, walk the short gravel trail between campground and day-use area, picnic, watch wildlife, and cycle only on roadways.
Planning Notes
Stay on designated trails because shortcutting damages plants and soil. Keep pets leashed and out of beach areas and buildings; there is no off-leash area. E-bikes are not allowed on trails and are restricted to park roads and motorized-use areas. During toad migration, slow down, watch your footing and vehicle movement, and give amphibians space. Reserve camping in busy periods and keep the beach quiet after dark.