Blue Lake Hut
Located in Nelson Lakes National Park in the Nelson/Tasman region
Introduction
This is a serviced 16-bunk hut in the Nelson Lakes area.Facilities
- Heating
- Mattresses
- Toilets - non-flush
- Water from tap - not treated, boil before use
Seasonal restrictions
No firewood supplied from May to September.
Gather dead wood from surrounding forests. Do not fell or break branches off live trees.
Image gallery
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Blue Lake Hut Image: Charles Quirk | Creative Commons
![Blue Lake Hut.]( "Blue Lake Hut.")
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Blue Lake, coming back from Rotopōhueroa/Lake Constance Image: Charles Quirk | Creative Commons
![Blue Lake.]( "Blue Lake.")
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Blue Lake Hut Image: Gabi Czoma | DOC
![Blue Lake Hut.]( "Blue Lake Hut.")
Fees
Hut fees
1 October – 30 April
- Adult (18+ years): $20 per night
- Youth (11–17 years): $10 per night
- Child/Infant: (0–10 years): free
Before you go, buy 1 Serviced Hut Ticket (green) and 1 Standard Hut Ticket (blue) for adults, or 4 Standard Hut Tickets for both adults and youth for each night's stay. Put these in the honesty box at the hut.
1 May – 30 September
- Adult (18+ years): $15 per night
- Youth (11–17 years): $7.50 per night
- Child/Infant: (0–10 years): free
Before you go, buy 1 Serviced Hut Ticket (green) 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.
Fees to camp at the hut
- Adult (18+ years): $5 per night
- Youth (11–17 years): $2.50 per night
- Child/Infant (0–10 years): free
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.
Backcountry Hut Passes can only be used in this hut from 1 May to 30 September. Passes cannot be used from 1 October to 30 April.
- West Sabine Hut: 3.5 hrs
- George Lyon (Ella) Hut: 6 hrs
- Waiau Hut: 10 to 12 hrs via Lewis Pass – Waiau Pass Track – Blue Lake Route
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:
- Sabine Hut to the West Sabine Hut 5 hours
- West Sabine Hut to Blue Lake Hut 3.5 hours. Return the same way.
If you wish to access Blue Lake from St Arnaud, plan a minimum of four days return.
Tracks to this hut
Location
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.
COVID-19 vaccination policy
Eligible people aged 12 years three months and over must be fully vaccinated to use DOC accommodation. See COVID-19 vaccination policy.
Contacts
| 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 | |