Blue Lake Hut
Serviced hutNelson Lakes National Park, Nelson/TasmanDOC data as at 20 September 2026
About this place
This is a serviced 16-bunk hut in the Nelson Lakes area.
Know before you go
Respect the pure lake water by not touching it
Rotomairewhenua/Blue Lake and Rotopōhueroa/Lake Constance hold high cultural significance to Māori, particularly Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō iwi. The lakes are tapu (sacred) and restrictions are placed on these lakes to uphold their mauri (life force) and purity. Show respect by not touching the water. Do not swim, wash, take water or put any equipment into these lakes.
Keep lakes free of lindavia (lake snow)
The invasive alga lindavia is present in Lakes Rotoiti and Rotoroa. It causes lake snow – a sticky mucus that hangs below the surface of the water. U se a biosecurity cleaning station at Coldwater Hut, Lakehead Hut and Sabine Hut to disinfect any boots, socks, clothing, towels or drink bottles that are wet or damp from lake or river water. Do not touch the water in Rotomairewhenua/Blue Lake and Rotopōhueroa/Lake Constance. You may swim and fill drink bottles in the Sabine River below the outlet of Rotomairewhenua/Blue Lake. Find out more on how to stop the spread
Source: DOC Te Papa Atawhai.
Trip options
Walking times computed leg by leg from DOC track descriptions, from car-accessible trailheads.
2 options · 3 to 7 nights
St Arnaud
Walking in
22 hr 30 min (via Lakehead Hut/Coldwater Hut, John Tait Hut, Upper Travers Hut, West Sabine Hut)
Walking out
22 hr 30 min to St Arnaud (via Lakehead Hut/Coldwater Hut, John Tait Hut, Upper Travers Hut, West Sabine Hut)
Walking in
22 hr 30 min (via Lakehead Hut/Coldwater Hut, John Tait Hut, Upper Travers Hut, West Sabine Hut)
Walking out
25 hr to Boyle settlement (via Waiau Hut, Anne Hut)
Source: DOC Te Papa Atawhai track descriptions.
Fees and bookings
1 May - 30 September
1 October - 30 April
Weekdays
Weekends
1 December - 29 February
Weekdays
Weekends
Backcountry Hut Passes Passes are valid for use in this hut from 1 May to 30 September. Passes Before you go, buy Hut Tickets for each night's stay. Put this in the honesty box at the hut. Or buy a Backcountry Hut Pass or Campsite Pass. About hut tickets and passes About campsite passes Retailers that sell hut tickets and passes Te Araroa – The Trail Pass Te Araroa Trail Pass
Bookings are open for stays up to 30 June 2027. If no availability shows online for your dates, the hut is fully booked. No spaces are kept for visitors arriving without a booking. Phone and in‑person bookings made at a visitor centre incur a $10 service fee. Same‑day bookings are available online until 8 pm if spaces remain. Book Blue Lake Hut online
Source: DOC Te Papa Atawhai.
Getting there
- Topo map
- Topo50 sheet BS24
- Grid reference
- E1571514, N5343732
Source: DOC Te Papa Atawhai.
On these tracks
Source: DOC Te Papa Atawhai.
Contact
Nelson Lakes National Park Visitor Centre
Regional DOC service centre.
Nearby stops
West Sabine Hut
Serviced • 30 bunks • Nelson/Tasman • 6 km
Heating • Mattresses • Toilets - non-flush
Upper Travers Hut
Serviced • 24 bunks • Nelson/Tasman • 8.8 km
Heating • Mattresses • Toilets - non-flush
John Tait Hut
Serviced • 25 bunks • Nelson/Tasman • 13.1 km
Heating • Mattresses • Toilets - non-flush
Waiau Hut
Standard • 6 bunks • Canterbury • 13.6 km
Heating • Mattresses • Toilets - non-flush
Sabine Hut
Serviced • 32 bunks • Nelson/Tasman • 17.5 km
Heating • Mattresses • Toilets - non-flush
All details
- Facilities
- HeatingMattressesToilets - non-flushWater from tap - not treatedboil before useWater supply
- Bookable
- Yes
- Category
- Serviced
- Location
- Nelson Lakes National Park
- Fireplace
- Yes
- Mattress
- Yes
- Capacity
- 16
- Toilets
- Yes
- Drinking water
- untreated
- Reservations
- No
- Fee
- Yes
- Website
- This place on doc.govt.nz
- Source data
- View source data
Map and tracks
Track lines: DOC Te Papa Atawhai. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.42.05795° S, 172.65573° E
Something not right?
Closed, moved, wrong facts, or you know something we do not. Change only what you know is wrong or missing; a person checks it before it goes live. Or email us about this place.
Sources
- OpenStreetMap Huts · ODbL (Open Database License)Contains information from OpenStreetMap, made available under the ODbL.
- DOC Huts (API) · CC BY 4.0Crown Copyright: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai. Data sourced from the DOC Developer Portal (api.doc.govt.nz).
- DOC Huts · CC BY 4.0Data sourced from the Department of Conservation (DOC), New Zealand.