Lakehead Hut
Serviced hutNelson Lakes National Park, Nelson/TasmanDOC data as at 20 September 2026
Current advisories
No firewood at Angelus Hut
14 September 2026
There is no firewood at Angelus Hut. Visitors should be prepared to stay without heating. First published on 15 September 2026.
Windfall on Nelson Lakes tracks
30 August 2026
There is widespread storm windfall on Nelson Lakes tracks including Lakeside Track, Lakehead Track and Speargrass Track. Allow extra time to negotiate. We are working to clear these tracks. First published on 7 August 2026. Last reviewed on 31 August 2026.
Source: DOC Te Papa Atawhai alerts.
About this place
Lakehead Hut makes a good overnight tramp for families with children or new trampers. It can also be reached by water taxi.
Know before you go
Keep alpine lakes and tarns 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. Make sure all your gear is completely dry for 48 hours before swimming or taking water from any alpine lake or tarn, including Rotomaninitua/Lake Angelus. 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. Be extra careful if you’ve recently swum or filled a drink bottle from Lakes Rotoiti or Rotoroa. More ways 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 · 1 to 5 nights
St Arnaud
Walking in
3 hr
Walking out
3 hr to St Arnaud
Walking in
3 hr
Walking out
30 hr 30 min to St Arnaud via Speargrass Hut (via John Tait Hut, Upper Travers Hut, West Sabine Hut, Sabine 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 Lakehead Hut online
Source: DOC Te Papa Atawhai.
Getting there
- Topo map
- Topo50 sheet BS24
- Grid reference
- E1585212, N5364023
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
John Tait Hut
Serviced • 25 bunks • Nelson/Tasman • 11.9 km
Heating • Mattresses • Toilets - non-flush
Sabine Hut
Serviced • 32 bunks • Nelson/Tasman • 12 km
Heating • Mattresses • Toilets - non-flush
Upper Travers Hut
Serviced • 24 bunks • Nelson/Tasman • 17.2 km
Heating • Mattresses • Toilets - non-flush
West Sabine Hut
Serviced • 30 bunks • Nelson/Tasman • 18.6 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
- 26
- Toilets
- Yes
- Drinking water
- untreated
- Reservations
- required
- Fee
- Yes
- Website
- This place on doc.govt.nz
- Source data
- View source data
- road access
- Not Applicable
Map and tracks
Track lines: DOC Te Papa Atawhai. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.41.87565° S, 172.82198° 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 · CC BY 4.0Data sourced from the Department of Conservation (DOC), New Zealand.
- 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).