Lake Camp
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Lake Camp
Lake Camp is situated in a wide tussock covered mountain valley surrounded by high, generally snow covered, mountain peaks at the headwaters of the Ashburton River close to opposite to the Lake Clearwater township.
The road to Lake Clearwater is well signposted from Mount Somers on State Highway 72. This road take you directly to the small settlement of Lake Clearwater, You can find lake Camp across the highway.
This is a freedom camping spot for self-contained vehicles.
Details
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Organisation |
Ashburton District CouncilCouncil organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Methven |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Freedom Camping
Nearby
Reviews
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4.5/5
Freecamp on the grass on the side on the lake.
The view is gorgeous in the morning.
Trash/recycling bins! Toilets clean but stinky.
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5.0/5
My new favourite camp site!
I stayed here 5 nights, self contained, until the weather drove me out. I was sad to leave. The area is just breathtakingly beautiful. This is a great base to explore the region
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5.0/5
Freedom camping at its best!
Stunning views! Even has a new block of three long drop toilets with tiled floors, sensor lighting, ventilation, and hand sanitiser. The lake has a large amount of ice currently (July 2024), but the temperature is warm as long as you're in the sun - cools down quickly in the shade. Take levellers as there is slight slope in two directions and a few ruts at this time of year (although the ground is still solid). Can also camp at other end of the lake down on the lake edge. Toilets at that end are on the road in but still not too far to walk (slightly uphill)
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5.0/5
Le plus beau Free Camp depuis que je suis en New Zélande.
Vraiment esprit van life avec une vue de ouf sur le lac et les environs
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5.0/5
Good campsite, nice view and beautifull area.
This campsite is open to everyone (SC and not SC, sign on the entrance). Its free and located directly on the left when you enter the small village. There is an other campsite next to Lake Clearwater for 10$.
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5.0/5
Beautiful large space by the lake, easy for a swim and trees for shelter from any wind and sun.
Toilets were really good, looked like they’d barely been used. The site is huge and had maybe 8 vehicles on it, everyone at least 15m from each other. Be careful if it’s very wet, I can see some spots getting boggy. It’s a good 20+ min drive on a poorly maintained gravel road but a beautiful spot! Almost the middle of nowhere
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5.0/5
Beautiful peacefull campingsite and 3 very clean toilets, the best campingsite!
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4.5/5
Nice spot!
The view is beautiful near the Mount Sunday or Edoras (The Lord of the Rings). Non flush toilets are in the site and are clean. I recommend it!
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5.0/5
Beautiful spot.
There are new toilets here now so tent camping is allowed. Boats and skirts on this lake, very nice spots amongst the trees on lake edge
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4.5/5
Nice drive in on gravel roads.
We were there between Christmas and New Years.
Bit of a challenge to find a flat quiet place. This place is popular! We found a small patch of grass close to the boat ramp right on the lake. Quiet enough at night. Would stay here again.
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5.0/5
Stayed one night here, smooth dirt road on way in.
Long drop toilet very clean and modern with toilet paper and sanitizer.
Great views as you are parked right next to the lake.
First time using our van since getting a self containment certificate. Can't fault this place for a free site.
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4.5/5
Freecamp on the grass on the side on the lake.
The view is gorgeous in the morning.
Trash/recycling bins! Toilets clean but stinky.
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5.0/5
My new favourite camp site!
I stayed here 5 nights, self contained, until the weather drove me out. I was sad to leave. The area is just breathtakingly beautiful. This is a great base to explore the region
-
5.0/5
Freedom camping at its best!
Stunning views! Even has a new block of three long drop toilets with tiled floors, sensor lighting, ventilation, and hand sanitiser. The lake has a large amount of ice currently (July 2024), but the temperature is warm as long as you're in the sun - cools down quickly in the shade. Take levellers as there is slight slope in two directions and a few ruts at this time of year (although the ground is still solid). Can also camp at other end of the lake down on the lake edge. Toilets at that end are on the road in but still not too far to walk (slightly uphill)
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5.0/5
Le plus beau Free Camp depuis que je suis en New Zélande.
Vraiment esprit van life avec une vue de ouf sur le lac et les environs
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5.0/5
Good campsite, nice view and beautifull area.
This campsite is open to everyone (SC and not SC, sign on the entrance). Its free and located directly on the left when you enter the small village. There is an other campsite next to Lake Clearwater for 10$.
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5.0/5
Beautiful large space by the lake, easy for a swim and trees for shelter from any wind and sun.
Toilets were really good, looked like they’d barely been used. The site is huge and had maybe 8 vehicles on it, everyone at least 15m from each other. Be careful if it’s very wet, I can see some spots getting boggy. It’s a good 20+ min drive on a poorly maintained gravel road but a beautiful spot! Almost the middle of nowhere
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5.0/5
Beautiful peacefull campingsite and 3 very clean toilets, the best campingsite!
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4.5/5
Nice spot!
The view is beautiful near the Mount Sunday or Edoras (The Lord of the Rings). Non flush toilets are in the site and are clean. I recommend it!
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5.0/5
Beautiful spot.
There are new toilets here now so tent camping is allowed. Boats and skirts on this lake, very nice spots amongst the trees on lake edge
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4.5/5
Nice drive in on gravel roads.
We were there between Christmas and New Years.
Bit of a challenge to find a flat quiet place. This place is popular! We found a small patch of grass close to the boat ramp right on the lake. Quiet enough at night. Would stay here again.
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5.0/5
Stayed one night here, smooth dirt road on way in.
Long drop toilet very clean and modern with toilet paper and sanitizer.
Great views as you are parked right next to the lake.
First time using our van since getting a self containment certificate. Can't fault this place for a free site.
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4.0/5
Lovely peaceful spot, very good long drop loos clean and well lit.
Careful of soft muddy ground but plenty of space. What an amazing lake for photos on a still day and check lake clearwater nearby even more stunning.
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5.0/5
Awsome place to relax,or even get out and about within the hills with many walks,the lake is so amazing and the weather is the next level calm for most part I extremely recommend to cheek this place out
...but do remember to keep it the way you find it "clean"
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4.5/5
Our first time freedom camping in NZ.
We visited Mt. Sunday which is near to this place. Only two campervan including us during our stay. View was spectacular, secluded, cold & very strong wind. Uneven ground. I can't sleep well due to the sound of wind. Nevertheless, it was the best of all freedom camping we had because of the view and not crowded.
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5.0/5
Loved camping here!
Not many others around. The gravel road there wasn’t in bad shape. The stars were beautiful reflecting on the lake at night! Very quiet and peaceful!
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5.0/5
Really nice spot not many people and near the water.
The gravel road is a bit annoying and the coordinates are wrong, just drive until you see the toilets
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4.0/5
Great freedom camping spot.
Popular with locals at weekends. Luckily we went during week day. Toilets long drop. But ok.
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5.0/5
This is on our list of best freedom campsites we've been to in the South Island.
The drive on the gravel road is do-able and completely worth the effort. Heaps of spots to have a nice private space to park with great views of the lake and surroundings. The only "downside" (if you can call it that), is that there is no mobile reception for quite a bit of the drive in & at the campsite. Absolutely no problems for us in that regard, it was great to be unplugged for 24 hours. We will definitely be back.
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4.5/5
Worth the drive in over unsealed road.
Beautiful views, big sky, quiet sheltered spot. Appreciated new toilet with night lighting.
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4.5/5
Nice spot next to the lake a few drop toilets around, large area and worth going to, only two other vans dotted around the lake
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4.5/5
Lovely site next to the lake with a view over rolling mountains and clean long drop toilets.
We were there at Easter weekend, and though there were a few family groups there it was fairly peaceful and trees broke up the areas quite well. Be prepared for dirt bike and waterskiing noise, but it was quiet in the evening. We almost spent a second night here it was so nice.
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4.5/5
Beautiful spot right on the lake, good spot to day trip and hike Mt Sunday(Edoras), new drop eco toilet.
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5.0/5
An incredible location with fantastic views of the mountains.
Right on the lake. It was quiet when we went, but there is boating on the lake. A great place to stay when visiting Mount Sunday. You definitely feel like you are camping in Rohan! Quiet at night with great views of the stars. You can take a nice swim in the lake and enjoy the beautiful surroundings!
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5.0/5
An amazing walk around the Lake Camp.
Beautiful sunset, a lot of stars in the night and a calm place to stay.
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5.0/5
Excellent place at the lake with beautiful surrounding and view towards the mountains.
Very quiet in the evening and night.
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5.0/5
One of our New Zealand driving the rugged roads to the Camp and Clearwater lakes both with overnight campervan free parking.
We hiked to Mt Sunday in the morning to explore Lord of the Rings glory.
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3.0/5
We arrived on a hot Sunday, not knowing that this place is a waterski area.
So many boats were on the lake and it was quite noisy. Due to the hot and dry weather conditions it was also extremely dusty whenever a car passed by. However, when the crowd had left it became perfectly nice and with a great view. The last 9 km on the road are very bumpy - not a nice drive on this gravel road.
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3.5/5
Agree with all other reviews by one thing.
We were there on a Saturday night and unfortunately locals spend the weekend there using jets kids and motor boats on the lake until well in to the evening and early morning. Constant roar of engines thoroughly spoilt what is a gorgeous spot. Avoid weekend overnight and you will have a great time!
Also, beware of road as 22km on gravel !
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