Nelson Lakes National Park huts

A newish hut, insulated and cosy, perched on the edge of twin tarns at the top of a mountain with views over to Sunset Saddle and Maniniaro/Angelus Peak (2,075 m).

Build a reasonably sized hut, and people will come. Perhaps. The Begley Hut hutbook tells another story.

Short walk, ie, 5 minutes to the remarkable, unforgettable, Blue Lake where you can see for yourself the clearest freshwater in the universe.

Classic SF 70 hut, of the original NZ Forest Service variety.

Beyond Jacobs Ladder a significant river flat was once inhabited by gold miners.

Congratulate yourself if you get to this hut as it had no visitors noted in the hut book for the entire 2018 calendar year, and also none from a four-year period from 2002 – 2006.

Bushline Hut is perched on Mt Robert at the bushline. It overlooks Lake Rotoiti and St Arnaud, and that’s a fine view.

Removed on 22 March 2022.

Coldwater Hut is a vastly superior alternative to the nearby Lakehead Hut.

Like many huts of the time the major determinant of the layout was the location of the chimney, hence the positioning of the windows and bunks in a less desirable aspect. Despite all this, it exhibits some charm.

At 1390 m altitude, one of the highest huts around, but the surrounding wrap of the mountains, the steep south face of Mt Hopeless and the gnarly climb to Mt Cupola, make it all worthwhile.

An older-style hut that hunters and fisherpeople favour on Lake Rotorua.

Historic station hut complete with 80 year old graffiti from some original government deer cullers.

Chances are you won’t be disturbed if you stay here.

George Lyon Hut is the last of the unmodified National Parks big huts built in the early 1970s and renamed to remember the contribution of the first Park Ranger to the development of the huts and park in general.

One of the cutest huts around, plywood lined, double bunks, the rushing of the creek close by . . .

Great setting for a valley floor hut, close to the Travers River with the scenic mountain backdrop of the, err, Travers Range.

The proximity to the road means plenty of use, overuse during the busy times, both by those on the Travers-Sabine circuit, and those venturing not so far, overnighters.

Great little bivvy, ie, not much more than shelter, on a slope in a tussocky clearing near the treeline.

One of the recent breed of DOC huts, Morgans Hut replaces the original National Park structure that was in serious danger of removal by flood.

Yeah, the hut is great, but with any more than two inhabitants you would prefer to be close friends. Four or more? Just hope it ain’t raining.

A number of variable campsites present themselves in Nardoo Creek, mostly north of the major bend in the river, ie, where you enter the forest and the track climbs high above the creek when heading up to the hut.

Nardoo Hut is one of the best tiny huts in Nelson Lakes National Park. The siting is outstanding with big bluffs in proximity, twin tarns at the doorstep, and a great view up the basin.

Surprisingly sheltered due to the configuration of the landscape. Except when it’s not.

The Paske Hut is a standard SF 70 New Zealand Forest Service Hut from 1968, in fairly original condition, with an open fireplace and a towering chimney.

On the Travers-Sabine circuit this serviced hut has a great outlook to Lake Rotoroa.

Speargrass Hut is a cosy, double-glazed, well-insulated hut in a grassy clearing, with a big verandah for contemplating the view.

Sited at the east end of a large clearing adjacent to the beech forest.

Huts don’t come much smaller than this, ie, take care when cooking to provide ventilation or you may just stay here.

Nestled in a most picturesque location just under the climb to Travers Pass.

It’s a great spot, but it could do with a dunny dropped in.

One of the huts for the Travers-Sabine circuit that is hard for many on the track to avoid staying at. Upper Travers to Sabine would be a big day, well, unless you head up to Blue Lake.