Lake Pearson (Moana Rua) Campsite
Arthur's Pass
Check Availability
Accommodation
Maps
Camping NZ NEW
Welcome to New Zealand's most comprehensive database of freely available camping information. This is the only travel map of its kind in NZ.
Photos
Information
Lake Pearson (Moana Rua) Campsite
Camp beside a high-country lake in the Waimakariri Basin; a good base for bird watching.
A basic camping area along side Lake Pearson very popular with bird watching and fishing. Camp nestled underneath the mature willow trees, a huge gravel turning area good for large vehicles. Picnic tables scattered throughout the site.
There is a large 'Rest area' sign on the main road leading the way.
Notices
-
Lake Pearson Campsite water
There is no running water available at Lake Pearson Campsite over winter, visitors should bring all the water they need.
First published on 30 May 2024. Last reviewed on 30 August 2024.
DOC Campsite Pricing
Lake Pearson (Moana Rua) 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 |
|---|---|---|
|
Organisation |
DOC CanterburyCentral government organisation |
|
|
Location |
South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Springfield |
|
|
Categories |
|
|
|
Directions To Coordinates |
||
|
Coordinates |
||
|
Websites |
|
Basic Camping
Reviews
-
4.0/5
Good spot to stop for the night, clean long drop loos plenty of space to park up by the awesome lake Was too windy for us to get out on it but I'm sure if the weather was great it would be mint Bit
of truck noise through the night from the road
-
3.5/5
Small campsite right on the lake with good views and a toilet.
No cooking shelter. Very crowded and limited space to find any level of privacy. Some bugs. More of a place to sleep than a nice place to camp
-
5.0/5
Beautiful spot to spend the night on your way through Arthur's Pass.
The lake was refreshing, and there were surprisingly few sandflies and mosquitos!
-
-
-
4.5/5
Beautiful scenic location.
Long drop toilets bit smelly but it is what it is.
Snowed last time I was here and it was absolutely magical. This time, there were beautiful autumn colours, lots of ducks happy to be fed and swans on the lake.
-
4.0/5
Beautiful lake and views!
Right off the road for easy access. Didn’t hear much traffic while sleeping and pretty clean long drop toilets.
-
5.0/5
My favourite campsite of our trip.
Absolutely nothing fancy. In essence a car park just off Arthur's pass road. But quiet. Lots of space. 2 long drop toilets that were clean enough. On the edge of the lake which is beautiful and great views of the hills behind. Fantastic views of the night sky also.
-
5.0/5
Beautiful spot to stop!
Pull up next to the lake, open the doors and windows and admire the spectacular scenery…. Very sheltered (& we tested this in hitop during strong winds!!)
… hubbies only complaint, steak was over done !
-
3.5/5
Very beautiful lookout and cheap.
Longdrops not that clean, but okay. Just didn‘t really feel safe.
-
4.5/5
Hard to think of a more scenic campsite, parking literally 4 meters away from the water was a great experience.
Really close to Arthur's Pass which is a plus.
Giving only 9/10 just because in all honesty there are plenty of free campsites out there with the same facilities as this one so not sure how the price is justified but still, definitely wort a visit
-
1.0/5
It's already not for free i was surprised when i realized that.
Without water supply i was not happy...
-
4.0/5
Good spot to stop for the night, clean long drop loos plenty of space to park up by the awesome lake Was too windy for us to get out on it but I'm sure if the weather was great it would be mint Bit
of truck noise through the night from the road
-
3.5/5
Small campsite right on the lake with good views and a toilet.
No cooking shelter. Very crowded and limited space to find any level of privacy. Some bugs. More of a place to sleep than a nice place to camp
-
5.0/5
Beautiful spot to spend the night on your way through Arthur's Pass.
The lake was refreshing, and there were surprisingly few sandflies and mosquitos!
-
-
-
4.5/5
Beautiful scenic location.
Long drop toilets bit smelly but it is what it is.
Snowed last time I was here and it was absolutely magical. This time, there were beautiful autumn colours, lots of ducks happy to be fed and swans on the lake.
-
4.0/5
Beautiful lake and views!
Right off the road for easy access. Didn’t hear much traffic while sleeping and pretty clean long drop toilets.
-
5.0/5
My favourite campsite of our trip.
Absolutely nothing fancy. In essence a car park just off Arthur's pass road. But quiet. Lots of space. 2 long drop toilets that were clean enough. On the edge of the lake which is beautiful and great views of the hills behind. Fantastic views of the night sky also.
-
5.0/5
Beautiful spot to stop!
Pull up next to the lake, open the doors and windows and admire the spectacular scenery…. Very sheltered (& we tested this in hitop during strong winds!!)
… hubbies only complaint, steak was over done !
-
3.5/5
Very beautiful lookout and cheap.
Longdrops not that clean, but okay. Just didn‘t really feel safe.
-
4.5/5
Hard to think of a more scenic campsite, parking literally 4 meters away from the water was a great experience.
Really close to Arthur's Pass which is a plus.
Giving only 9/10 just because in all honesty there are plenty of free campsites out there with the same facilities as this one so not sure how the price is justified but still, definitely wort a visit
-
4.0/5
Lovely place and a stunning view.
Unfortunately directly next to the street - a bit noisy and no way to clean your kitchen stuff or to wash your face properly.
-
4.5/5
Great campsite right on the water.
It was hard to find a space however the lack of insects (as another reviewer mentioned) was well worth it. It can get a little noisy with its popularity and proximity to the road when trucks go past. Two nice long drop toilets and running untreated water. Overall would definitely recommend.
-
-
5.0/5
Beautiful spot with lots of opportunity to find a private place to camp.
The lake is amazing and new toilet facilities are great. No powered boats allowed - so bring your kayak or dinghy ! Gorgeous place to spend a night
-
-
4.0/5
Stunning campsite.
Good level gravel site with ample spaces. Right on the lakefront with friendly ducks (we met the infamous hoppy!) Only 1 portaloo but was not peak season when we visited so no issue. $8 per person per site is not a lot for DOC to ask and am happy to support it. Good stopover from Arthur’s pass to Christchurch. Most ‘free’ campsites in Arthur’s pass are no longer free and have unbearable sandflies (we stopped at 3 sites before stopping here) so were very happy to pay a low cost site in exchange for no sandflies.
-
4.0/5
We loved this spot.
Quiet, flat sites and a toilet ! Cheap and we don't begrudge paying for DOC sites at this price. Shame others freeload and expect others to pay for them.
-
4.5/5
This is a gorgeous spot!
We stopped here for a break along Arthur’s Pass on the way to Hokitika and Franz Josef, and were astounded by the beauty. So when we couldn’t get through Haast because of the broken bridge we decided to sleep here on the way back through! Even with other campers it was quiet and wasn’t hard to use the toilet. Would stay again.
-
4.0/5
Good DOC spot.
Lovely lake with ducks :). No running water at all so make sure you fill up. Only one long drop toilet which was clean but maybe not quite enough for number of guests as was fairy full when we stayed. Half hour from Arthur’s pass and plenty of walks to do
-
4.0/5
Lovely location with splendid views of the lake- really close to Arthur's pass about a 25 minute drive which is ideal if you want to head over in the morning.
Long drop toilet was in great condition and well stocked with toilet paper and hand sanitiser.
Fairly busy but plenty of space.
Costs $8 per person per night not free!
-
1.0/5
It's already not for free i was surprised when i realized that.
Without water supply i was not happy...
-
4.5/5
Open again August 2018.
Beautiful location. All new fencing, bitumen and parking sites in place. Good longdrop toilet, didn't smell and had toilet paper. Now $8 per person per night. Lots of friendly ducks. Two hoppy ducks with wonky legs. Wanted to stay longer due to beautiful location. Would recommend.
-
-
3.0/5
CLOSED ON 2nd March 2018.
The location looks fantastic, can’t comment on staying there because it was closed off by large fences and gravel trucks. I can’t give it a proper rating, just a neutral 6/10 for location. I just felt a notice of closure, even temporary would help others.
-
5.0/5
Brilliant view of lake surrounded by the hills.
Can park right next to the water. Lots of ducks. Make sure you get there early since the good spots fill up fast. Good drop toilet. Popular place so expect neighbours. This is the best free camp site in NZ!
-
4.5/5
Very nice free campsite by a lake on the way to Arthur's Pass.
Lots of space, can be a bit windy but hey we're in the mountains. Clean long drop toilets. Good camping.
-
4.0/5
This is one of the most beautiful free camp sites we’ve stayed!
Great spot at the lake and surrounded by mountains. Be sure to arrive early as it fills up pretty quickly. The camp site’s description says that there should be a water point but we couldn’t find it?!
-
5.0/5
April 2017 This was the first night of our 2 week road trip around the South Island.Having clambered around the rocks at Castle Hill until late afternoon, Lake Pearson was just a short 20 mins up the road
. The wind picked up a bit through the night but we were relatively sheltered amongst the trees right on the lake's edge. We woke to a fresh dusting of snow on the peaks and were greeted by a spectacular view and friendly ducks ... and yes hoppy was a keen visitor with us, too. The site was beautiful; there were a handful of other vans and all was quiet. The long drop was clean and the hand sanitizer was a nice touch. It was the best free campsite of our trip and rated in our top 3 of all sites we stayed at.
-
4.0/5
What a great find for free!
Stayed here about 12 times over 2 months as climbing in the area. Exceptionally busy over Easter but quieter after, though always at least 10 vehicles, even when - 5°c! However, DOC do a great job with the toilet (long drop) - always stocked with toilet paper and hand sanitiser! The ducks are super friendly too, especially 'Hoppy', the one-legged mallard.
