John Tait Hut

Image: Sharlene Laskey | DOC

John Tait Hut

Located in Nelson Lakes National Park in the Nelson/Tasman region

Introduction

This is a serviced 27-bunk hut in the Nelson Lakes area.

Hut overview

Category

  • Category
Serviced

Bookings

  • Bookings

Bookings not required - first come, first served

Facilities

  • Heating
  • Mattresses
  • Toilets - non-flush
  • Water from tap - not treated, boil before use
27 bunk beds

About this hut

Heritage

John Tait (1901 -1982), was president of the Nelson Tramping Club from 1948. He climbed Mt Travers during a summer holiday with his family and saw the need for a shelter well up the Travers Valley.

He led a volunteer effort to raise funds and to construct the original hut, which opened in 1951. This was five years before Nelson Lakes was gazetted to become a National Park. The original hut was decommissioned in 1978 and a new hut was built on the current site, which offers great views from the valley floor to Mt Travers and Mt Cupola.

Getting there

Tracks to the hut

Location

NZTopo50 map sheet: BS24
Grid/NZTM2000 coordinates: E1580812, N5352927

Altitude: 800 m above sea level

Fees

Hut fees
  • 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 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.

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.

Read more about hut tickets and passes 

Contacts

Rotoiti / Nelson Lakes Office
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
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
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