Located in Nelson Lakes National Park in the Nelson/Tasman region
Blue Lake Hut Image: Charles Quirk | Creative Commons
Blue Lake, coming back from Rotopōhueroa/Lake Constance Image: Charles Quirk | Creative Commons
Blue Lake Hut Image: Gabi Czoma | DOC
Before you go, buy 1 Serviced Hut Ticket (green for adults, orange for youth) or 3 Standard Hut Tickets (blue for adults, yellow for youth) for each night's stay. Put these in the honesty box at the hut. Or buy a Backcountry Hut Pass for unlimited use at most Serviced and Standard huts for a 6 or 12 month period.
Read more about hut tickets and passes | Find retailers that sell hut tickets
Before you go, buy 1 Standard Hut Ticket (blue for adults, yellow for youth) for each night's stay. Put this in the honesty box at the hut. Or buy a Backcountry Hut Pass for unlimited use at most Serviced and Standard huts for a 6 or 12 month period.
Read more about hut tickets and passes | Find retailers that sell hut tickets
Blue Lake is not accessible by car or on a day walk.
The lake is located deep in the backcountry and it takes a minimum of two days backcountry tramping to visit it.
To access the lake the shortest way, take the water taxi from Lake Rotoroa Jetty to Sabine Hut. Walk from the Sabine Hut to the West Sabine Hut (5hrs) and from here to the Blue Lake Hut (3.5hrs). Return the same way.
If you wish to access Blue Lake from St Arnaud, allocate a minimum of four days return.
NZTopo50 map sheet: BS24
Grid/NZTM2000 coordinates: E1571514, N5343732
Altitude: 1,190 m above sea level
Blue Lake, known to Ngāti Apa iwi as Rotomairewhenua (the land of peaceful waters), is thought to be the clearest fresh water in the world. While only 7 m deep the clarity of the lake water can exceed 80 m which is close to the theoretically calculated clarity of distilled water.
Respect these waters and do not wash yourself, your clothes or dishes in the lake.
Rotoiti / Nelson Lakes Visitor Centre | |
Phone: | +64 3 521 1806 |
Fax: | +64 4 471 1117 |
Email: | nelsonlakesvc@doc.govt.nz |
Address: |
View Road St Arnaud |
Postal Address: |
PO Box 55 St Arnaud 7053 |
Full office details |
Whakatū / Nelson Visitor Centre | |
Phone: | +64 3 546 9339 |
Fax: | +64 4 471 1117 |
Email: | nelsonvc@doc.govt.nz |
Address: |
Millers Acre/Taha o te Awa 79 Trafalgar Street Nelson 7010 |
Postal Address: |
Private Bag 5 Nelson 7042 |
Full office details |