Lake Mahinapua Campsite
Mahinapua Scenic Reserve
103 Rankers Reviews
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Lake Mahinapua Campsite
Camp beside Lake Māhinapua within forest surroundings. A popular overnight and day stop. Enjoy water sports in the lake.
Historically Lake Mahinapua was a main access waterway up and down the coast using paddle steamers.
Fees
Adult (18+ years): $15 per night
Child (5–17 years): $7.50 per night
Infant (0–4 years): free
Passes
The DOC Campsite Pass can be used at this campsite.
Bookings
Bookings are open for the 2023/24 season.
Book Lake Mahinapua Campsite online.
A $10 service fee applies to phone and in-person booking. This is a limited service – book online first. An in-person booking is dependent on there being space available.
Your booking will be for a site, which will be allocated or selected on arrival.
Getting there
10 km south of Hokitika, turn off SH6 into Lake Mahinapua Access Road, opposite the hotel. 300 m to roadend.
DOC Campsite Pricing
Lake Māhinapua Campsite is categorised as a DOC Standard Campsite. The following pricing indicates usual pricing. Prices vary for some campsites and may include seasonal pricing. Visit the DOC website for exact pricing.
DOC Standard Campsite
Standard campsites have a more limited range of facilities and services than Serviced campsites. These campsites have toilets, a water supply that could be treated or untreated tap water, or from a stream or lake, and vehicle or boat access. Bring your own soap for washing hands. Untreated water should be boiled before use to ensure it's safe. Wood BBQs and fireplaces, cold showers, picnic tables, a cooking shelter and rubbish bins may be provided; this will vary from site to site.
| Feature | Value | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Unpowered Site | Adult | $10.00 to $15.00 per night |
| Unpowered Site | Child | $5.00 to $7.50 per night |
| Unpowered Site | Infant | $0.00 per night |
Adults are 18+ years, children are 5-17 years, infants are 0-4 years.
Details
| Feature | Value | Info |
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Organisation |
DOC West CoastCentral government organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Hokitika |
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Basic Camping
Google Maps
Reviews
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Nice and quiet location -
Plenty of space to spread out
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Clean toilets reported
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Easy to find level site
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Toilets can be disgusting -
Cold showers available only
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Non-potable water
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Nice place, large grassy area next to the lake.
Hardi Doehler -
A large open campsite not far off the highway.
Susan Boyton -
Amazing entrance to this place.
deborah cooper -
Another "don't miss" campsite!
Jakob Kofoed -
Very good!
Bridget Brebner
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Nice and quiet place.
Plenty of parking on the grass. Clean toilets. Possibility to use cold shower and wash dishes there. Phone signal only near toilets. We spent two nights here when it was raining and had no problem driving away. They only accept online bookings, you can't make a reservation on site like in some other DOC campsites.
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A large open campsite not far off the highway.
It’s easy to find a level site. There are all access toilets and shower cubicles. The showers are cold but there is a rope and pulley system for hanging your own shower bladder. There is a shelter with sinks for washing up and water pointsbut the water is non potable. Due to ongoing thefts you cannot pay cash upon arrival. This does not stop you doing the right thing and paying online or via a QR code advertised onsite. Without your contribution these sites won’t exist.
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I don't know why there are so many good reviews, maybe I had bad luck.
Toilets were absolutely disgusting, worst I've seen in 3 weeks (freedom) camping. No cleaning/maintenance in winter? Yes, the spot is beautifully situated, but hard to find a somewhat leveled spot and with a lot of rain it's hard to find a spot at all because it's very muddy and there are huge potholes in the grass and you dont want to get stuck. There is no potable water tap. There is a semi-sheltered place to wash dishes.
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Awesome spot, lots of friendly wekas and plenty of space to spread out.
Solar shower rope hoists in the bathrooms are a bonus and loved the new shelter with sinks for dishes too!
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One of our favourites campsites of the trip, plenty of space and a really chilled out vibe.
Didn’t try the solar shower, so can’t advise if that works.
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Lovely spot with almost everything you need, clean toilets, showers, sinks, some shelter, even a recycling station.
Well positioned close to Hokitika and on a very cute lake and not too many sandflies
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Beautiful camp next to Lake Mahinapua.
Clean flush toilets, cooking/dishes shelter with multiple sinks, rubbish and recycling station, even a solar shower! (Though probably a lucky dip to get a hot shower when it's busy!).
Lake is lovely for a kayak and morning sunrise. Nice bush walks around camp.
Weka, falcons and glowworms top it off to make this a definite 10!
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A lovely lake with the back drop of the mountains.The camp site is back a little from the lake a large grassy area with plenty of choice where to park.
Clean and tidy toilets, solar shower and shelter for kitchen area.
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Very few campers (July 2020) Grounds well maintained tho choose site carefully because of wet conditions.
Clean flush toilets w/paper, small outside shelter area with cold water and sink. Beautiful lake views and walks through the bush.
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Excellent doc campsite.
Included in the campervan pass and has really good facilities. Flushing toilets, with soap and tp. Even a solar shower but we didn't use so not sure how well it worked. They also have rubbish and recycling bins. One of the best equipped DOC sites we stayed in at this price.
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This is a gorgeous campsite, right on the shores of the lake.
The amenities were clean with flushing toilets. Lovely big communal undercover areas. Mowed grassy and flat camping areas. DOC Campsite, so cost $13 per person, per night.
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We stAyed at this DOC site after reading reviews.
Not a massive site, but enough space for choice of spots. Lake itself is nice with mountain backdrop. 10mins from Hokitika. Limited toilet facilities only.
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Nice and quiet place.
Plenty of parking on the grass. Clean toilets. Possibility to use cold shower and wash dishes there. Phone signal only near toilets. We spent two nights here when it was raining and had no problem driving away. They only accept online bookings, you can't make a reservation on site like in some other DOC campsites.
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A large open campsite not far off the highway.
It’s easy to find a level site. There are all access toilets and shower cubicles. The showers are cold but there is a rope and pulley system for hanging your own shower bladder. There is a shelter with sinks for washing up and water pointsbut the water is non potable. Due to ongoing thefts you cannot pay cash upon arrival. This does not stop you doing the right thing and paying online or via a QR code advertised onsite. Without your contribution these sites won’t exist.
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I don't know why there are so many good reviews, maybe I had bad luck.
Toilets were absolutely disgusting, worst I've seen in 3 weeks (freedom) camping. No cleaning/maintenance in winter? Yes, the spot is beautifully situated, but hard to find a somewhat leveled spot and with a lot of rain it's hard to find a spot at all because it's very muddy and there are huge potholes in the grass and you dont want to get stuck. There is no potable water tap. There is a semi-sheltered place to wash dishes.
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Awesome spot, lots of friendly wekas and plenty of space to spread out.
Solar shower rope hoists in the bathrooms are a bonus and loved the new shelter with sinks for dishes too!
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Lovely spot with almost everything you need, clean toilets, showers, sinks, some shelter, even a recycling station.
Well positioned close to Hokitika and on a very cute lake and not too many sandflies
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One of our favourites campsites of the trip, plenty of space and a really chilled out vibe.
Didn’t try the solar shower, so can’t advise if that works.
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Beautiful camp next to Lake Mahinapua.
Clean flush toilets, cooking/dishes shelter with multiple sinks, rubbish and recycling station, even a solar shower! (Though probably a lucky dip to get a hot shower when it's busy!).
Lake is lovely for a kayak and morning sunrise. Nice bush walks around camp.
Weka, falcons and glowworms top it off to make this a definite 10!
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A lovely lake with the back drop of the mountains.The camp site is back a little from the lake a large grassy area with plenty of choice where to park.
Clean and tidy toilets, solar shower and shelter for kitchen area.
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Very few campers (July 2020) Grounds well maintained tho choose site carefully because of wet conditions.
Clean flush toilets w/paper, small outside shelter area with cold water and sink. Beautiful lake views and walks through the bush.
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This is a gorgeous campsite, right on the shores of the lake.
The amenities were clean with flushing toilets. Lovely big communal undercover areas. Mowed grassy and flat camping areas. DOC Campsite, so cost $13 per person, per night.
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Excellent doc campsite.
Included in the campervan pass and has really good facilities. Flushing toilets, with soap and tp. Even a solar shower but we didn't use so not sure how well it worked. They also have rubbish and recycling bins. One of the best equipped DOC sites we stayed in at this price.
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We stAyed at this DOC site after reading reviews.
Not a massive site, but enough space for choice of spots. Lake itself is nice with mountain backdrop. 10mins from Hokitika. Limited toilet facilities only.
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Pretty basic campsite but all we needed with our self-contained van.
Flushing toilets! Water! A beautiful walk to the lake. Bugs galore, but they were at every campsite we stayed at.
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An amazing campsite if you are lucky enough to be here on a fine early morning!!
Took probably the best photos of our trip as the lake was dark and glass and acted like an enormous mirror. 10/10 would stay again.