Otaio Gorge Campsite
Gordons Valley
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Otaio Gorge Campsite
Camp at a scenic reserve beside forest; swim in the Otaio River.
The Otaio Gorge Camping Ground is situated in a scenic reserve beside the forest and swim in the river. There are basic facilities here including picnic tables. Enjoy.
A nice drive from 15km west from Pleasant Point.
Notices
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Backline Road access to Otaio Gorge Campsite closed
Backline Road between Colliers Road and the Otaio Gorge Scenic Reserve is closed indefinitely due to an increasing slip. The reserve and the campsite are still open.
Access is available to the scenic reserve. There is a detour available via Colliers Road and Blue Cliffs School Road.
First published on 27 July 2023. Last reviewed on 4 December 2024.
DOC Campsite Pricing
Otaio Gorge 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 |
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| 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 CanterburyCentral government organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Timaru |
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Basic Camping
Reviews
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4.0/5
A really good campsite with everything you need and you expect from DoC: flush toilet, sufficient space, 2 fireplaces, flat ground, maintained grass.
You can swim in the gorge. Beware: popular during (summer) days with locals, so many day guests, especially families; farm vehicles race by, creating dust clouds. The swimming portion of the gorge is tiny. No sandflies or mosquitoes
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4.0/5
Nice paddock next to a stream, two swings, non-drinking tap water, flush toilets, campfire.
$8pp self registration. Good vibes.
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4.0/5
Great spot for our first night of our holiday!
Paid site but was reasonable for what you got. Running (cold) water and flushing toilets were great and meant that we could have a wash after a couple of days of travelling! There was a gorgeous river just a short 5 mins walk from the campsite that you could explore, which was shallow enough to paddle in. It was quite busy with a few families (I think it was the summer holidays) which was a bit of a downside but everyone was friendly and not too noisy considering the number of children! A bit of a drive on a rough track but that meant the setting was beautiful. All in all a great stay! :)
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3.0/5
Wonderfully isolated but quite a drive to get to.
Quite pretty nature but can definitely find better in NZ. Flush toilet had a few cobwebs inside so not great for arachnophobes. All around decent.
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4.5/5
Beautiful setting.
Green fields, even in the height of summer, and a river that you can swim in. Clean toilets, good value for money and a small shelter if you need.
The site itself is an open paddock, so you might struggle with privacy during busier times.
While we were there the choice spots were taken up by seemingly long term campervan residents who had set up fairly spacious arrangements for themselves and gone so far as to set up gardens and verandas. They were friendly and welcoming, but again this might be an issue in busier times.
Definitely worth a visit, and especially a swim :)
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4.5/5
Nice green ground with next to a river bridge.
When we reached it, it was raining. Little shelter (2 people can stand under) with 3 flush toilets. Nice mountain view.
It's 25km inland from the main highway (if you drive from Dunedin).
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5.0/5
This camping ground is well worth the drive from the main road.
We stayed on a Tuesday night after a long weekend, and had the place all to ourselves. Unfortunately whoever had stayed there over the long weekend had decided to leave their rubbish behind, but at least they'd left the fire pit well stocked with wood. Make sure you have a good supply of water because there is none available at the site. A peaceful secluded spot with a gentle creek alongside it, lots of native birds, and surrounded by farmland. We fell in love with the place instantly, so we removed the rubbish ourselves and settled in for what was easily a highlight of our trip. Highly recommended.
