Peel Forest Campground
Peel Forest Park Scenic Reserve
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Peel Forest Campground
Peel Forest Campground has campsites and four cabins.
The Peel Forest Camping Ground is a large campsite and bookings are required over the mid summer months. There are also several powered sites available.
This is an awesome campsite with heaps of areas that you can tuck into. Fantastic showers and a large kitchen area. There are also cabins to hire should you want a solid roof over your head. If the camp manager isn't on site you can pay at the general store/ cafe along the main road at Peel Forest.
The serviced campsite is closed over the winter - during this time the Clarke flat amenity area is opened as a self registered campsite. Clarke Flat is next to the Peel Forest camp site.
There is heaps to do in the Peel Forest area. There are easy family walks, such as the Fern and Kahikatea Walks, and for the more extreme you can climb to the top of Mt Peel. There is rafting, jet boating and fishing in the nearby Rangitata River.
Notices
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Reduced capacity at Peel Forest Campground
There are a reduced number of campsites available due to wet ground conditions.
First published on 4 April 2025. Last reviewed on 15 April 2025.
DOC Campsite Pricing
Peel Forest Campground is categorised as a DOC Serviced Campsite. The following pricing indicates usual pricing.
DOC Serviced Campsite
Serviced campsites have a wide range of facilities and services. Flush toilets, tap water that could be treated or untreated, kitchen/cooking bench, hot showers, rubbish collection and road access for all types of vehicles. Untreated water should be boiled before use to ensure it's safe. Serviced campsites may have laundry facilities, barbecues, fireplaces, cookers and picnic tables.
| Feature | Value | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Unpowered Site | Adult | $20.00 per night |
| Unpowered Site | Child | $10.00 per night |
| Unpowered Site | Infant | $0.00 per night |
| Powered Site | Adult | $23.00 per night |
| Powered Site | Child | $11.50 per night |
| Powered Site | Infant | $0.00 per night |
Adults are 18+ years, children are 5-17 years, infants are 0-4 years.
Details
| Feature | Value | Info |
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Organisation |
DOC CanterburyCentral government organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Geraldine |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Basic Camping
Reviews
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5.0/5
Great camp host, wifi, free hot showers, toilets, microwave, fridge, freezer, electric hobs, toaster and fire to keep you warm in the winter.
Solar powered, and clean. Great walks for all fitness levels locally. Will definitely go again.
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4.5/5
Thats an amazing campground.
10$/pp. Free good Wifi provided in kitchenarea. Nice kitchen with toasters, cookers and a fridge. Really nice staff, free hot shower. Washing and Dryer for 3$ each (Dryer is broken currently).
Only bad thing: mobile connection is all over 3G (Vodafon/OneNZ)
Would definitely recommend it :)
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4.0/5
Nice little campsite.
Mostly grassy spots. Shared commonroom with logfire is very cozy and clean. No staff there when we arrived but online booking worked fine.
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5.0/5
Beautiful site!
Lots of great walks near by and lots of private areas to camp. Definitely recommend!
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4.5/5
Very nice campsite, loads and loads of birds chirping all day.
Amenities are clean. I imagine in high season it can get crowded in the showers and with laundry.
The nicest camp hosts in 6 weeks camping in NZ. Kitchen facilities are good. Some hikes close by.
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5.0/5
Nicest doc campground I've stayed at!
Big kitchen for cooking. Hot showers included and coin operated laundry. Loads of beautiful walks in the area.
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5.0/5
Lots of private spaces, gorgeous birds - mid-March.
Plenty of room, nice walks round there. It got down to 3 degrees.
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5.0/5
Wonderful campingground with hot showers Closed for the winter starting from the 1st May.
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4.5/5
Lovely campsite with lovely hosts!
It was fairly quiet when I was there in late April, but there's plenty of space and some secluded areas so I reckon even in peak season it wouldn't feel too busy. The facilities were great - clean toilets and good showers, plus a nice big kitchen (as well as $5 laundry which I didn't use). There's also a handful of scenic walks nearby.
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5.0/5
Such a lovely campsite, with super friendly/helpful hosts.
The facilities were clean and well maintained! Hot showers (free!), flush toilets and a kitchen at a DOC campsite was a luxury. There was even a washer/dryer for $3 each. Really nice pitches to park your van or tent, surrounded by trees and birdsong. Highly recommended!
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5.0/5
Great and large campground.
Stayed here for one night in october, there were lots of spots left. Facilities (kitchen, toilets and showers) were well maintained and clean. Different walking tracks start from the camping or are found in the area. Very serene place, with lots of birds.
When the sky is clear, this is an amazing spot for stargazing!!!
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4.5/5
Beautiful quiet camp site with nice amneties that are clean.
Booking online was a breeze. We stayed in a hut with two bunk beds. Wise choice because there was a big storm that night which we hardly noticed in the cosy hut. The huts have heaters for winter time.
Only downside was that there is no reception, so we struggled to get hold of the person who could give us the code to open the keybox. Make sure that you organise that before arrival via email, otherwise it turns out to be quite frustrating.
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5.0/5
What a lovely place to stay!
An easy booking made online to DOC $20 for unpowered 1 person/van and worth it. Lush green grass, private nooks with bush and trees providing screens if you prefer, fantastic facilities, great access point to an abundance of hiking trails beginner to advanced. A perfect location for families with young children, plenty of space to explore. The little village down the road will take care of your supplies needs and just a gorgeous drive through farmland anyway. Highly recommend staying here!
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3.5/5
Nice quiet environment - probably because it was in the shoulder season.
Clean amenities - kitchen and bathroom.
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5.0/5
A quiet spot to camp in the middle of a beautiful place.
We enjoyed the walks in the forest and loved the food and drinks at the cafe nearby, The Green Man.
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5.0/5
31Oct18.
Great big site away from it all. Powered site was $42 for 2 of us. Book online or at the store down the road. They are really helpful and friendly there.
Ok toilets and showers. Laundry still $3 each for washer and drier. Find them in the room signed “Telephone”!
A good base for some of the nearby walks.
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5.0/5
Great camp host, wifi, free hot showers, toilets, microwave, fridge, freezer, electric hobs, toaster and fire to keep you warm in the winter.
Solar powered, and clean. Great walks for all fitness levels locally. Will definitely go again.
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4.5/5
Thats an amazing campground.
10$/pp. Free good Wifi provided in kitchenarea. Nice kitchen with toasters, cookers and a fridge. Really nice staff, free hot shower. Washing and Dryer for 3$ each (Dryer is broken currently).
Only bad thing: mobile connection is all over 3G (Vodafon/OneNZ)
Would definitely recommend it :)
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4.0/5
Nice little campsite.
Mostly grassy spots. Shared commonroom with logfire is very cozy and clean. No staff there when we arrived but online booking worked fine.
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5.0/5
Beautiful site!
Lots of great walks near by and lots of private areas to camp. Definitely recommend!
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4.5/5
Very nice campsite, loads and loads of birds chirping all day.
Amenities are clean. I imagine in high season it can get crowded in the showers and with laundry.
The nicest camp hosts in 6 weeks camping in NZ. Kitchen facilities are good. Some hikes close by.
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5.0/5
Nicest doc campground I've stayed at!
Big kitchen for cooking. Hot showers included and coin operated laundry. Loads of beautiful walks in the area.
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5.0/5
Lots of private spaces, gorgeous birds - mid-March.
Plenty of room, nice walks round there. It got down to 3 degrees.
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4.5/5
Lovely campsite with lovely hosts!
It was fairly quiet when I was there in late April, but there's plenty of space and some secluded areas so I reckon even in peak season it wouldn't feel too busy. The facilities were great - clean toilets and good showers, plus a nice big kitchen (as well as $5 laundry which I didn't use). There's also a handful of scenic walks nearby.
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5.0/5
Wonderful campingground with hot showers Closed for the winter starting from the 1st May.
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5.0/5
Such a lovely campsite, with super friendly/helpful hosts.
The facilities were clean and well maintained! Hot showers (free!), flush toilets and a kitchen at a DOC campsite was a luxury. There was even a washer/dryer for $3 each. Really nice pitches to park your van or tent, surrounded by trees and birdsong. Highly recommended!
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5.0/5
Great and large campground.
Stayed here for one night in october, there were lots of spots left. Facilities (kitchen, toilets and showers) were well maintained and clean. Different walking tracks start from the camping or are found in the area. Very serene place, with lots of birds.
When the sky is clear, this is an amazing spot for stargazing!!!
-
4.5/5
Beautiful quiet camp site with nice amneties that are clean.
Booking online was a breeze. We stayed in a hut with two bunk beds. Wise choice because there was a big storm that night which we hardly noticed in the cosy hut. The huts have heaters for winter time.
Only downside was that there is no reception, so we struggled to get hold of the person who could give us the code to open the keybox. Make sure that you organise that before arrival via email, otherwise it turns out to be quite frustrating.
-
5.0/5
What a lovely place to stay!
An easy booking made online to DOC $20 for unpowered 1 person/van and worth it. Lush green grass, private nooks with bush and trees providing screens if you prefer, fantastic facilities, great access point to an abundance of hiking trails beginner to advanced. A perfect location for families with young children, plenty of space to explore. The little village down the road will take care of your supplies needs and just a gorgeous drive through farmland anyway. Highly recommend staying here!
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3.5/5
Nice quiet environment - probably because it was in the shoulder season.
Clean amenities - kitchen and bathroom.
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5.0/5
A quiet spot to camp in the middle of a beautiful place.
We enjoyed the walks in the forest and loved the food and drinks at the cafe nearby, The Green Man.
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5.0/5
31Oct18.
Great big site away from it all. Powered site was $42 for 2 of us. Book online or at the store down the road. They are really helpful and friendly there.
Ok toilets and showers. Laundry still $3 each for washer and drier. Find them in the room signed “Telephone”!
A good base for some of the nearby walks.
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3.5/5
Very quiet location with well spaced grassed campsites but bit on the expensive side.
They also charge extra $2 to pay with credit card!
Facilities basic but OK but shower timers bit annoying as they have to be reset every 30 sec but lots of free hot water. Nice walks nearby.
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4.5/5
Very nice campground in a lovely setting with waterfalls and walking tracks nearby.
Many sites to choose from; suitable for large vehicles and caravans. Decent flush toilets and hot showers (free), as well as a washer and dryer ($3 per load), and enclosed kitchen with hot plate and microwave—and a wood stove for warmth in colder months. A bit pricey at $18pp ($21pp for powered sites). Fees collected at the cafe down the road, however it was closed when we arrived, and again in the morning when we left. There isn't an honesty box at the cafe or camp, so we were unable to pay.