Norbury Lake Provincial Park: What You Need to Know + Tips & FAQs
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This guide is sponsored by Cranbrook Tourism. All content and opinions are my own.
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Looking to camp at and explore one of British Columbia’s most beautiful provincial parks?
When Daniel and I explored the Cranbrook area, we were recommend Norbury Lake Provincial Park by our friends at Cranbrook Tourism as a place to stay. We had such an amazing time camping here, even when the weather turned a little chilly! With two lakes and a dog beach, there was plenty to explore throughout the time we spent here.
Also, if you are looking to enjoy some of the East Kootenay’s best scenery, you’ll find it here. Norbury Lake Provincial Park has two lakes to enjoy–Garbutts Lake and Peckham’s Lake (Norbury Lake). This is a kayaker’s paradise and I wish we had had our kayak with us so we could take a paddle on the stunning sea-green water.
You also have the backdrop of the incredible Hughes Mountain range right there, with the famed and tall “Steeples” mountain peaks not too far away. This was another reason I loved coming back to our campsite at the end of the day. After we were done exploring, there was still so much to see!
In summary: This article will cover the information you need to know about visiting at camping at Norbury Lake Provincial Park, as well as some tips for enjoying the park, and some common FAQs.
Quick tip: If you are planning on camping in the fall, make sure you do before September 30 when the campground closes down!
How to get to Norbury Lake Provincial Park
One of the best reasons to consider camping at Norbury Lake is that it is closed to many of the other near things to do in the area like the Lakit Lookout hike, and it’s only about 25 minutes from downtown Cranbrook.
To get to Norbury Lake Provincial Park from Cranbrook, you’ll head toward Fort Steele on Highway 95. Once you reach the turn for Wardner Fort Steele Road, you’ll make a right. From there, it’s about another 10 minutes to the park.
You’ll find that the campsite and Peckham’s Lake are on other sides of the road. The campground will be on your right, while the lake and beach will be on your left. There is a trail that connects the two if you would like to explore the lakes–I’ll get into that in a little further detail below!
Amenities
This provincial park has plenty to see and do–you have access to two lakes and their beaches, and you can also boat and fish on them, as well. We visited in the fall so it was pretty quiet, though I can see it being a bustling spot during the summer months.
There are 46 sites with both RV sites and tent sites available. If you are planning on camping during the summer months, I recommend you book your spot several weeks in advance since sites do tend to fill up fast. You can book your site on the BC Parks website here.
Here are some of the amenities you can find at the campsite:
- Picnic tables
- Camping grate
- Bear-proof trash containers
- Pit toilets (without running water)
There is water available, but there were many signs saying that it was not potable. If you plan on using this water to drink, wash your dishes, or to cook with, I would recommend boiling it for several minutes before you do.
Amenities you can find within the park include:
- A non-motorized boat launch and dock
- Dog beach
- Hiking trails
- Picnic areas
Fishing is also a popular activity at this park, and Peckham’s Lake is known for having an abundant supply of Rainbow trout.
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A note on campfires
Like much of the Western United States, wildfires are very common in this area of Canada. It’s important to know how to maintain your campfire if you choose to have one. First, you are going to want to check and see if there are any fire bans in place–the campground will most likely have signs posted letting you know if this is the case, but you can also find out this information on this webpage.
Make sure that your fire stays in the provided grate, and when you are finished, douse it with about two gallons (7 liters) of water. You’ll also want to keep an eye on the fire at all times to make sure that it doesn’t jump outside the grate.
Exploring the lakes and trails
Our favorite thing to do while we were staying at Norbury Lake Provincial Park is to hit the trails with Gravy. The park is dog friendly as long as your pal is on a leash, and while you won’t work up a sweat on any of these easy trails, they’re the perfect thing to do after exploring the Cranbrook area.
One trail leads throughout the campground to Garbutts Lake. There are some private homes on the lake, so it’s important to remain respectful and keep your pet leashed up. It will take you only about 5 or 10 minutes to walk to the lake and back depending on where your campsite or car is located.
There is also a trail leading from the entrance to the campground across the street to Peckham’s Lake (or Norbury Lake). This will take you a little longer to reach if you are walking from the campground–probably about 15 minutes. This trail is less-maintained than the other, but you shouldn’t have any trouble getting from one lake to the other!
Once you are at Peckham’s Lake you’ll find picnic tables, flush toilet bathrooms, a dock, and a beach where you can launch a kayak. Since we were there during the fall months, we had the place to ourselves, but I can see it being a busier spot during the summer when the weather gets hot. The water here is an incredible blue-green!
Taking your dog to Norbury Provincial Park
Norbury Lake Provincial Park is dog friendly, but there are some rules for having your pet there. Dogs must be on a leash in the main areas of the park and at your campsite. They are also not allowed on the main beach at Peckham’s Lake, but there is a separate area that you can take them indicated by signs.
You can also bring them along on the trails as long as they are leashed up. Gravy had a blast exploring the park and getting her paws wet in Peckham’s Lake when we visited. While it was just us that time of year, you’ll also want to make sure that your dog is comfortable with other pets.
I would refrain from letting your dog drink the water if you can–parts of Canada and the United States have found Leptospirosis in their water. Better to let your pet drink filtered water!
Tips for Norbury Lake Provincial Park
Here are some tips I found helpful for our visit to Norbury Provincial Park and that might help you, as well!
- Book well in advance online: This is a popular campground during the height of the summer months, so you will want to make sure you book online several weeks in advance. The BC Parks website allows you to choose your available site. While there were some options for first-come, first-serve sites, I wouldn’t rely on this!
- Explore the nearby trails: Norbury Lake Provincial Park puts you in an excellent place to check out a number of trails including the trail to summit Fisher Peak and the Lakit Lookout hike. You’re located only about 20 minutes from these trailheads and nearby mountain biking trails too.
- Make sure your watercraft is clean: If you plan on bringing your kayak or paddleboard with you, make sure it has been thoroughly cleaned from previous adventures and that it is cleaned after your time on the lakes in the park, as well. This can help to prevent the spreading of invasive species and disease to other bodies of water.
Norbury Lake Provincial Park FAQs
Here are some frequently-asked questions on Norbury Provincial Park!
Conclusion
Norbury Lake Provincial Park was the perfect place to base ourselves when visiting Cranbrook and the surrounding area. Centered around two beautiful lakes, that meant that there was plenty to do after we had finished our hikes for the day! I loved experiencing it in the fall, and I bet it is just as magical during the prime summertime months, as well.
Have any questions about Norbury Lake Provincial Park or camping there? Let me know in the comments!
