Source: Department of Conservation, data as of 11 August 2026. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data credits
Canterbury at a glance
| DOC campsites | 22 |
|---|---|
| Most sites | Peel Forest Campground (81) |
| Most campsites in | Arthur's Pass National Park 4, Lake Sumner Forest Park 3, Craigieburn Forest Park 2 |
| Marked closed in the data | 1 |
| Free campsites | 6 |
| Campsites with a fee | 15 |
| Adult nightly rates listed | $10 to $23 |
| Bookable online through DOC | 14 |
| Campsite categories | Standard campsite 15, Basic campsite 6, Serviced campsite 1 |
| Campervan access | 18 |
| Access not listed by DOC | 2 |
| Dogs allowed in some form | 8 |
| Flush toilets | 5 |
| Treated tap water | 1 |
| Showers (hot or cold) | 1 |
| Campfires permitted (fire season rules apply) | 6 |
| Powered sites | 34 |
| Unpowered sites | 499 |
| Landscape | Rivers and lakes 10, Forest 9 |
| DOC huts in the region | 180 |
Camping with DOC in Canterbury
Canterbury has 22 DOC campsites, and this is a network you can drive to. Campervan access is listed for 18 of them, and Temple Campsite and Mistletoe Flats Campsite list car access only. Loch Katrine Campsite in Lake Sumner Forest Park has no access mode recorded, and Orari Campsite in the Geraldine area is marked closed, so check both before you plan a night there.
Paid sites charge adults $10 to $23 a night, and $10 is the usual figure: Wooded Gully Campsite in Mount Thomas Forest Conservation Area, Waihī Gorge, Otaio Gorge, Mt Nimrod and Lake Middleton all ask $10. The 6 free campsites are all basic ones with non-flush toilets, including Ahuriri Bridge Campsite near Omarama, Quailburn Campsite in Ahuriri Conservation Park, and Temple and Round Bush campsites in Ruataniwha Conservation Park. Of the 22, 14 can be booked online through DOC; the rest are first come.
Arthur's Pass National Park holds 4 campsites, ranging from free to $18. Andrews Shelter Campsite is free, Hawdon Shelter costs $10, Klondyke Corner $15 and Avalanche Creek Shelter $18. Avalanche Creek Shelter is the only campsite in the region that lists treated tap water, and it also has flush toilets and a cooking shelter. Lake Sumner Forest Park adds Lake Taylor and Boyle at $10 each, and Craigieburn Forest Park has Lake Pearson (Moana Rua) and Mistletoe Flats at $15.
Peel Forest Campground, in Peel Forest Park Scenic Reserve, is the outlier. It is the region's only serviced campsite and its largest, with 81 sites, and the only one with powered sites or hot showers; adults pay $20 to $23. Elsewhere, plan on non-flush toilets at most sites (flush toilets are listed at 5) and untreated tap or stream water, so carry a way to treat it. Campfires are permitted at 6 campsites, subject to fire season rules, and 8 allow dogs in some form. The region also has 180 DOC huts for trips further in.
Campsites
| Name | Type | Access and facilities | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peel Forest CampgroundPeel Forest Park Scenic Reserve | Serviced campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Powered sites, Hot showers, Flush toilets, Cooking shelter | Adult $20 to $23 per night |
| Wooded Gully CampsiteMount Thomas Forest Conservation Area | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Flush toilets, Wheelchair access, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| Klondyke Corner CampsiteArthur's Pass National Park | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Cooking shelter, Wheelchair access, Untreated tap water | Adult $15 per night |
| Waihī Gorge CampsiteGeraldine area | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Flush toilets, Campfires, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| Ahuriri Bridge CampsiteOmarama area | Basic campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Non-flush toilets, Stream water | Free |
| Avalanche Creek Shelter CampsiteArthur's Pass National Park | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Flush toilets, Treated tap water, Cooking shelter, Wheelchair access | Adult $18 per night |
| Hawdon Shelter CampsiteArthur's Pass National Park | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Cooking shelter, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| Loch Katrine CampsiteLake Sumner Forest Park | Basic campsite | Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Free |
| Temple CampsiteRuataniwha Conservation Park | Basic campsite | Car, Cooking shelter, Campfires, Non-flush toilets, Stream water | Free |
| Pioneer Park CampsitePioneer Park Conservation Area | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Campfires, Wheelchair access, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| Andrews Shelter CampsiteArthur's Pass National Park | Basic campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Cooking shelter, Non-flush toilets, Stream water | Free |
| Lake Pearson (Moana Rua) CampsiteCraigieburn Forest Park | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Non-flush toilets | Adult $15 per night |
| Round Bush CampsiteRuataniwha Conservation Park | Basic campsite | Boat, Campervan, Car, Caravan, Boat ramp, Non-flush toilets, Stream water | Free |
| Lake Taylor CampsiteLake Sumner Forest Park | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Cooking shelter, Wheelchair access, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| Otaio Gorge CampsiteHunters Hills area | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Flush toilets, Campfires, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| Quailburn CampsiteAhuriri Conservation Park | Basic campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Non-flush toilets, Stream water | Free |
| Boyle CampsiteLake Sumner Forest Park | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Wheelchair access, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| Deer Valley CampsiteLewis Pass Scenic Reserve | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Wheelchair access, Non-flush toilets, Stream water | Adult $10 per night |
| Mistletoe Flats CampsiteCraigieburn Forest Park | Standard campsite | Car, Cooking shelter, Wheelchair access, Untreated tap water | Adult $15 per night |
| Mt Nimrod CampsiteHunters Hills area | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Caravan, Campfires, Non-flush toilets, Untreated tap water | Adult $10 per night |
| Lake Middleton CampsiteTwizel area | Standard campsite | Campervan, Car, Cooking shelter, Campfires, Non-flush toilets, Stream water | Adult $10 per night |
| Orari CampsiteGeraldine area · Marked closed | Standard campsite | Fee not listed |
Check before you go
Fees, closures and access change. The DOC page for each place, current DOC alerts and signs on site take priority over this summary.
The full map is in KiwiCamping
All 22 campsites on one map
KiwiCamping shows every DOC campsite in Canterbury on the map with fees, facilities and DOC alerts, and puts the ones you pick into a trip with distances and dates. Bookable holiday parks, stays and tours are free in the app. DOC campsites, huts, dump stations and the guides open with the Pass.