Peak Charles National Park is a remote national park in Western Australia, 170 km north west of Esperance.
Getting there
We visited Peak Charles National Park at the very end of September 2025, travelling from Norseman via Lake King–Norseman Road and then Peak Charles Road. Both are classified as 4WD-only, with corrugations, potholes, and sections that become impassable when wet. Still, for a 4WD track, the drive wasn’t too challenging.
Peak Charles campground
At the base of Peak Charles, we camped for two nights in a small but welcoming campground. Facilities include toilets, picnic tables, and communal fire rings. With space for only 7–8 vehicles, the sites are compact and not suitable for large caravans.
Currently, the campground is free and non-bookable, though this may change once the access road is sealed. It can fill quickly on long weekends, but we were fortunate to find a spot on arrival.
Climbing Peak Charles
Climbing Peak Charles was at the top of our agenda when we camped at the base of this striking 651‑metre granite outcrop. The hiking trail is divided into three sections: easy, moderately difficult, and extremely hard.
We began with the easy section, where half of our group decided to stop. My older son, 13‑year‑old Ariel, and I pressed on to the lookout. This part of the trail was steep and demanding, but manageable. The final ascent to the summit, however, defies classification. It is a sheer, exposed incline that requires crab‑like crawling on hands and feet.
At that point, I chose not to continue. Ariel, determined and fearless, insisted on reaching the summit alone. I watched anxiously as he disappeared behind the rock face. Moments later, his voice rang out—he had made it to the top. Pride and relief washed over me as I waited for him to descend safely. What an achievement for our boy! Here is a short reel featuring this moment.
The track to the summit measures 3.4 km, and the round trip took us more than four hours. For those with rock climbing experience and a taste for adventure, Peak Charles offers a truly rewarding challenge.
Peak Charles NP wildflowers
Calothamnus tuberosus (above left), Calytrix leschenaultii (above middle), Common Mignonette Orchid Microtis (above right).
Desert quandong Santalum acuminatum (above left), Dodonaea microzyga (above middle), Labichea species (above right).
Melaleuca species (above left), Nicotiana goodspeedii (above middle), Prostanthera serpyllifolia (above right).
Sigmoid spider (Caladenia sigmoidea) – above.
Track from Peak Charles to Lake King
Leaving Peak Charles National Park for Perth, we had several route options. Since we had already travelled the Hyden–Norseman Road, we didn’t want to repeat it. Heading down to Esperance would have added a long detour. Instead, we chose the shortest and least familiar option: the Lake King–Norseman Road.
Information about this road was scarce. When I contacted the local shires, the response was clear: the road is not maintained, not monitored, and towing is not advised. Despite this, we decided to take the risk after speaking with fellow campers at Peak Charles who had just driven it and reassured us it was passable.
To reach the Lake King–Norseman Road, we took a shortcut via a couple of 4WD tracks. These were narrow and dotted with potholes, but generally manageable. The most challenging section was where the track crossed what looked like a dry creek, leaving behind a deep washout. We had to take our time, work together, and carefully navigate our way through. Fortunately, our caravan is small and nimble—larger rigs would struggle here and likely wouldn’t make it.
Check out our short reel on this track.
And that’s us half way up Peak Charles.
What a great Place! We loved our stay at Peak Charles….on our way out we drove past this abandoned cattle water station /holding yard. Not sure if you came across it on the way you went out/in. Smiled at your sons determination. We regard ourselves as quite keen and fit but also stopped at the final ‘summit’ as it was very windy and we thought we’d play it safe by not venturing further. Thanks for this lovely post!
Glad to hear that you enjoyed reading the post. Yes, totally agree, that it is a very nice place to camp and hike/climb. I don’t think we passed abandoned cattle water station but there are also a few tracks leading to the campground, so we might have used a different one to yours.