Hanmer Springs River Reserve, Hanmer Springs
Overnight Campervan Parking
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Hanmer Springs River Reserve, Hanmer Springs
Freedom camping is only permitted in the signposted area.
Freedom camping is prohibited elsewhere in the reserve.
No more than 10 vehicles at any time.
Details
| Feature | Value | Info |
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Organisation |
Hurunui District CouncilCouncil organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Hanmer Springs |
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Categories |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Freedom Camping
Nearby
Reviews
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5.0/5
Great spot for a couple of nights to bring your dog.
10 spots available on the fence line & great river walk which you can go exploring. Clean toilets & park bench, would highly recommend!
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4.5/5
By the road but very quiet .
Room for 10 pitches . Extremely clean toilet . Take the little road on the left (direction north heading to Hamner Springs) just after you cross the bridge and before the yellow sign GET LOST . Don’t be confused by the other campervan site on the opposite side of the bridge . This is for NZMCA ( New Zealand Motor CaravanAssociation)members . The site is by hammer river with one picnic table and an amazing view of the snow capped mountain range .
B![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(252,219,123)" /><path d="m 150 612 Q 132 168 -312 150 Q 132 132 150 -312 Q 168 132 612 150 Q 168 168 150 612 z" fill="rgb(13,151,45)" /><path d="m 150 488 Q 75 225 -188 150 Q 75 75 150 -188 Q 225 75 488 150 Q 225 225 150 488 z" fill="rgb(242,104,210)" /><path d="m 150 166 Q 78 222 134 150 Q 78 78 150 134 Q 222 78 166 150 Q 222 222 150 166 z" fill="rgb(3,36,132)" /></svg>)
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4.5/5
After making the decision to avoid Arthur's Pass due to a dump of snow, we stopped here overnight before crossing to the West via Lewis Pass.
What a great little spot! The advice from a previous reviewer to look out for the "Get Lost" sign made it easier to find. It filled up just on dark and everyone hunkered down for the night.
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5.0/5
Really nice campsites.
Suprised to arrive and toilets be there and ready to use. Really clean. View stunning!!!
J![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(214,140,224)" /><path d="m 150 637 Q 52 248 -337 150 Q 52 52 150 -337 Q 248 52 637 150 Q 248 248 150 637 z" fill="rgb(37,175,199)" /><path d="m 150 335 Q 78 222 -35 150 Q 78 78 150 -35 Q 222 78 335 150 Q 222 222 150 335 z" fill="rgb(218,80,56)" /><path d="m 150 267 Q 119 181 33 150 Q 119 119 150 33 Q 181 119 267 150 Q 181 181 150 267 z" fill="rgb(41,115,31)" /></svg>)
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4.5/5
A little gem with a beautiful swimming hole.
Has limited capacity for overnight - need to get there early. Polite but firm Ranger checks each night. Campers very respectful. Toilet block gets daily clean. The dusty road problematic especially when windy. No shade for designated camp sites but beside river beautiful. A lovely relaxing calm atmosphere.
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4.0/5
If going north on 7a turn left at the yellow sign that says GET LOST.
It will take you back the way you came and to the river. Was hard to find but a nice quiet site for 10 but others parked on the grass. Toilets were good.
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4.0/5
A bit muddy, but fine for a night.
Tricky to see the tuning after dark when driving from Hanmer Slrings as the driveway in steep and dark.
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2.5/5
Lovely view, river, and fall colors.
Enjoy it from inside the vehicle because holy shit the sandflies are swarming here.
I arrived around 16:30 on a Tuesday and was the 9th one here.
May 2023.
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3.5/5
Beautiful spot, with a nice view.
It was very windy though, not sure if it's always like that. Toilets are very clean.
A![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(62,21,162)" /><path d="m 150 524 Q 48 252 -224 150 Q 48 48 150 -224 Q 252 48 524 150 Q 252 252 150 524 z" fill="rgb(114,169,125)" /><path d="m 150 436 Q 260 40 -136 150 Q 260 260 150 -136 Q 40 260 436 150 Q 40 40 150 436 z" fill="rgb(141,86,130)" /><path d="m 150 198 Q 67 233 102 150 Q 67 67 150 102 Q 233 67 198 150 Q 233 233 150 198 z" fill="rgb(193,234,93)" /></svg>)
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5.0/5
Near the village, near the main road, next to little river.
Bit muddy. Only 10 spots! Clean toilets (flush) and water bin. Beautiful views (when not cloudy ;))
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5.0/5
Nice wee spot next to a creek.
Cristal clear water to dip in. Spacious clean flushing toilets. Nice views on the mountaintops. Few bugs, morgen you can’f handle with your spray. Only 10 spaces so don’t come late!
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4.0/5
Not a bad spot.
Slots are a bit narrow and on dirt ground, but there’s a pretty stream nearby, and toilets with running water.
Off the main road so pretty quiet. You’ll have sheep for neighbors.
10 spots, it was full by 8pm.
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5.0/5
Super clean toilets, right next to little baby lambs!
Beautiful spot and not noisy. Get there early ish as only 10 spots ☀️
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5.0/5
Beautiful self contained only camp with amazing views.
Access road is a couple of hundred metres north of the bridge. New toilets.
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5.0/5
Fantastic spot right next to a lovely river with a gorgeous view of the mountains.
10 spaces. Clean flushing toilet
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5.0/5
Great spot for a couple of nights to bring your dog.
10 spots available on the fence line & great river walk which you can go exploring. Clean toilets & park bench, would highly recommend!
S -
4.5/5
By the road but very quiet .
Room for 10 pitches . Extremely clean toilet . Take the little road on the left (direction north heading to Hamner Springs) just after you cross the bridge and before the yellow sign GET LOST . Don’t be confused by the other campervan site on the opposite side of the bridge . This is for NZMCA ( New Zealand Motor CaravanAssociation)members . The site is by hammer river with one picnic table and an amazing view of the snow capped mountain range .
B -
4.5/5
After making the decision to avoid Arthur's Pass due to a dump of snow, we stopped here overnight before crossing to the West via Lewis Pass.
What a great little spot! The advice from a previous reviewer to look out for the "Get Lost" sign made it easier to find. It filled up just on dark and everyone hunkered down for the night.
G -
5.0/5
Really nice campsites.
Suprised to arrive and toilets be there and ready to use. Really clean. View stunning!!!
J -
4.5/5
A little gem with a beautiful swimming hole.
Has limited capacity for overnight - need to get there early. Polite but firm Ranger checks each night. Campers very respectful. Toilet block gets daily clean. The dusty road problematic especially when windy. No shade for designated camp sites but beside river beautiful. A lovely relaxing calm atmosphere.
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4.0/5
If going north on 7a turn left at the yellow sign that says GET LOST.
It will take you back the way you came and to the river. Was hard to find but a nice quiet site for 10 but others parked on the grass. Toilets were good.
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4.0/5
A bit muddy, but fine for a night.
Tricky to see the tuning after dark when driving from Hanmer Slrings as the driveway in steep and dark.
H -
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2.5/5
Lovely view, river, and fall colors.
Enjoy it from inside the vehicle because holy shit the sandflies are swarming here.
I arrived around 16:30 on a Tuesday and was the 9th one here.
May 2023.
e -
3.5/5
Beautiful spot, with a nice view.
It was very windy though, not sure if it's always like that. Toilets are very clean.
A -
1.0/5
Full at 1620 with 14 big caravans on a Monday night.
Left rather than risk it. Looked nice though.
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5.0/5
Near the village, near the main road, next to little river.
Bit muddy. Only 10 spots! Clean toilets (flush) and water bin. Beautiful views (when not cloudy ;))
K -
5.0/5
Nice wee spot next to a creek.
Cristal clear water to dip in. Spacious clean flushing toilets. Nice views on the mountaintops. Few bugs, morgen you can’f handle with your spray. Only 10 spaces so don’t come late!
AH -
4.0/5
Not a bad spot.
Slots are a bit narrow and on dirt ground, but there’s a pretty stream nearby, and toilets with running water.
Off the main road so pretty quiet. You’ll have sheep for neighbors.
10 spots, it was full by 8pm.
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0.5/5
This is a very unsatisfactory hard to understand reserve as there are 10 advertised CERTIFIED SELF CONTAINED sites which every where else means you have to be in a vehicle that has a CSC but here you
can put up a tent in front of the area specifically notified as a CSC site.
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5.0/5
Super clean toilets, right next to little baby lambs!
Beautiful spot and not noisy. Get there early ish as only 10 spots ☀️
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5.0/5
Beautiful self contained only camp with amazing views.
Access road is a couple of hundred metres north of the bridge. New toilets.
MP -
5.0/5
Fantastic spot right next to a lovely river with a gorgeous view of the mountains.
10 spaces. Clean flushing toilet
K