Clements Clearing Campsite
Kaimanawa Forest Park
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
Clements Clearing Campsite
A basic but large campsite in the Tūrangi/Taupō area. Good place to base yourself to explore the area.
Clements Clearing is a large basic camping ground right at the base of the Kaimanawa Ranges and a great base to go on a hunting or tramping mission.
Basic campsites have very limited facilities so you need to be fully self-sufficient. There are basic toilets and water may be from a water tank that is untreated, stream or lake. Untreated water should be boiled before use to ensure it's safe.
25 non-powered/tent sites. Bookings not required - first come, first served.
Fires permitted in designated fire places and only if there is no fire ban check rules and firebans with relevant DOC office.
Dogs with a DOC permit only. Contact the relevant DOC office for a permit.
No horses.
How to get there:
27 km east of Taupō, turn right off SH 5 into Taharua Rd
Follow for 9.5 km, then turn right into Clements Mill Rd.
Gravel road.
Notices
-
Damage on Clements Mill Road
Clements Mill Road in the Kaimanawa Forest Park has received water damage from recent weather events.
There are currently some large potholes and water ruts - road users should take care.
First published on 17 October 2025. Last reviewed on 27 November 2025.
DOC Campsite Pricing
Clements Clearing Campsite is categorised as a DOC Basic Campsite. The following pricing indicates usual pricing.
DOC Basic Campsite
Basic campsites have very limited facilities so you need to be fully self-sufficient. There are basic toilets and water may be from a water tank that is untreated, stream or lake. Untreated water should be boiled before use to ensure it's safe. Access may be by road or boat.
| Feature | Value | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Unpowered Site | Adult | $0.00 per night |
| Unpowered Site | Child | $0.00 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 Central North IslandCentral government organisation |
|
|
Location |
North Island ▷ Taupo Region ▷ Turangi |
|
|
Categories |
|
|
|
Directions To Coordinates |
||
|
Coordinates |
Basic Camping
Google Maps
Reviews
-
-
Beautiful remote location -
Great for self-contained vehicles
-
Clean campsite
-
Amazing night sounds (like Kiwi calls)
-
Limited water supply -
No phone signal
-
Firewood scarce
-
This place is SUPER rustic but amazing.
Cassie -
Long drive on rocky single track road.
Katie Fleck -
Perfect for self contained vehicles.
Chloe -
It's a beautiful place within a great forest.
Thomas Moller
-
Great place for our first night away in a camper trailer with two adults, two toddlers, a tween and dog.
Absolutely hosed down all night but was still comfortable in our little set up. Our site was actually pretty clean. Long drops available throughout as well as purpose built fire pits. Firewood is scarce so take your own. I’m sure it’ll be a great place in summer.
-
Perfect for self contained vehicles.
Quite remote, we too had our doubts that it existed but follow the road until you see it in your right. Took about half an hour from the turn off. There was no one there when we visited in July. Could hear the Kiwi’s at night which was awesome.
-
Well, the location on this app (as at 4th Jan 2022) is not correct.
[EDIT 15-01-22 Location now correct!]
You need to continue about 10km from the Sika Lodge down Clements road before you find the clearing.
Glad we found it but took us a fair bit of driving.
Once you're there, there's plenty space, but no water and a long drop toilet (has to be expected)
You'll be well off grid as you won't get any phone signal until you're back out on SH5.
Otherwise pleasant, would go again just for that 'get away from it all' experience.
-
This place is SUPER rustic but amazing.
A friend and I did a camping road trip around North Island and this place sticks out in my mind as one of the highlights. The toilet was wasp infested but we made do. There is no water but little fireplaces and it is VERY quiet and other campers are extremely nice. I WANT to go back again. My friend and I had some wine and cheese and relaxed in nature on our chairs and had a good experience. We brought everything we could have wanted with us. The road is riddled with pot holes and there’s no good signage but you know you’ve found it when you stumble upon it.
-
It's a beautiful place within a great forest.
If you want be isolated from the rest of civilisation it's the perfect place.
- there is no signposted from DOC
- one huge area and a lot of small isolated areas
- aproximate 15km from start of clements road gravel part or 30min
- we can't find water supply
- 1 toilet
- a lot of fire pits
- could see 3 picnic bench
-
Really long and windy one track gravel road before you get to this camp - looked quite scary - old caravans etc think it is for hunters - would not recommend this site.
-
To get there you have to drive further on the gravel road than you think but then you get there.
Large campsite, two toilets (clean) nice spot,
-
Great place for our first night away in a camper trailer with two adults, two toddlers, a tween and dog.
Absolutely hosed down all night but was still comfortable in our little set up. Our site was actually pretty clean. Long drops available throughout as well as purpose built fire pits. Firewood is scarce so take your own. I’m sure it’ll be a great place in summer.
-
Perfect for self contained vehicles.
Quite remote, we too had our doubts that it existed but follow the road until you see it in your right. Took about half an hour from the turn off. There was no one there when we visited in July. Could hear the Kiwi’s at night which was awesome.
-
Well, the location on this app (as at 4th Jan 2022) is not correct.
[EDIT 15-01-22 Location now correct!]
You need to continue about 10km from the Sika Lodge down Clements road before you find the clearing.
Glad we found it but took us a fair bit of driving.
Once you're there, there's plenty space, but no water and a long drop toilet (has to be expected)
You'll be well off grid as you won't get any phone signal until you're back out on SH5.
Otherwise pleasant, would go again just for that 'get away from it all' experience.
-
This place is SUPER rustic but amazing.
A friend and I did a camping road trip around North Island and this place sticks out in my mind as one of the highlights. The toilet was wasp infested but we made do. There is no water but little fireplaces and it is VERY quiet and other campers are extremely nice. I WANT to go back again. My friend and I had some wine and cheese and relaxed in nature on our chairs and had a good experience. We brought everything we could have wanted with us. The road is riddled with pot holes and there’s no good signage but you know you’ve found it when you stumble upon it.
-
It's a beautiful place within a great forest.
If you want be isolated from the rest of civilisation it's the perfect place.
- there is no signposted from DOC
- one huge area and a lot of small isolated areas
- aproximate 15km from start of clements road gravel part or 30min
- we can't find water supply
- 1 toilet
- a lot of fire pits
- could see 3 picnic bench
-
Really long and windy one track gravel road before you get to this camp - looked quite scary - old caravans etc think it is for hunters - would not recommend this site.
-
Long drive on rocky single track road.
Extra dark, covered by trees. Not a great atmosphere, unpleasant toilet.
-
-
To get there you have to drive further on the gravel road than you think but then you get there.
Large campsite, two toilets (clean) nice spot,