Kaimanawa Road Campsite
Kaimanawa Forest Park
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Kaimanawa Road Campsite
A basic campsite in the Kaimanawa Forest Park. Many forest walks start nearby.
This camping ground is at the edge of the Kaimanawa Forest Park. It is situated in a wicked setting high above the river. Heaps of tramps start from here.
Notices
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SH1 (Desert Road) closure – no access from SH1 from Monday 3 February
From Monday 3 February SH1 Tūrangi to Waiouru (the Desert Road) will be completely closed to public access. There will be no access to DOC campsites, huts or tracks.
NZTA have experienced a high number of visitors asking for access through the live work site and are no longer able to safely accommodate this.
Access is closed from Monday 3 February until around mid-March, for the following sites:
- Kaimanawa Road short walks (Kaimanawa Forest Loop, Urchin Campsite to Pillars of Hercules)
- Tree Trunk Gorge tracks
- Mt Urchin Trig Track
- Urchin Track (to Waipakihi Valley)
- Urchin to Umukarikari (U2U) track
- Umukarikari Track (to Waipakihi Hut)
- Thunderbolt Track
- Waipakihi Middle Range Route
- Historic Waihohonu Hut Track
- Urchin Campsite
- Kaimanawa Road Campsite
- Waipakihi Valley (Waipakihi Road end to Waipakihi Hut)
- Southern Access Corridor
- Tukino Access Road
- Rangipo Hut when accessing via SH1/Tukino Access Road
- Whangaehu Hut when accessing via SH1/Tukino Access Road
- Waihohonu Campsite when accessing via SH1
- Waihohonu Hut when accessing via SH1
- Oturere Campsite when accessing via SH1
- Oturere Hut when accessing via SH1
DOC Campsite Pricing
Kaimanawa Road 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 |
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| 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 |
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Organisation |
DOC Central North IslandCentral government organisation |
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Location |
North Island ▷ Taupo Region ▷ Turangi |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Basic Camping
Reviews
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4.5/5
Está buenísimo.
Espectacular lugar para hacer fuego. Baño seco estaba limpio. No hay señal, nos encantó.
Perdimos tiempo buscando la Urchaim, si buscan ir a ese sigan los carteles no la app
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4.5/5
Like this place.
Toillet OK. The main picture of this campsite belongs to the near parking ;-) You need to go a bit up the hill on gravel road in from the first intersection after the bridge :-)
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2.0/5
This is a necessity only stop over.
So many people are here just for the night before starting a hike or bike ride. Arrive early and be prepared to defend your space. We were in an already tight campsite with 4 others and our cars were all parked in by 2 rude and late arriving vans who just rolled in and parked right on top of us. Do yourself a favour if you camp here, and park right by the exit so you can get out in the morning! Late December is mayhem at this campsite!
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3.5/5
Good basic free spot in the woods.
Toilet was fine, setting nice. Close to Tongariro Crossing.
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3.5/5
A basic free campground relatively close to Tongariro National Park as you come from the north.
The campground is not very big and is in the middle of the forest, maybe a little wild, but has a toilet. No other facilities there. The path to get to it is a dirt track, so come with a prepared vehicle
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4.5/5
Free DOC campsite, very basic, only a long drop toilet, no water!
Very quiet in the middle of nowhere. We were glad we were not alone there - we would be so scared!
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4.0/5
A little bit far out, toilets also a little bit dirty.
But nice people, lots of space and beautiful forests.
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5.0/5
I give this one a 10 simply because it is accessible (sealed roads), has a toilet and, of course, it's FREE!
Also, the view isn't half bad and it's only about 20 minutes from Turangi.
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4.5/5
Está buenísimo.
Espectacular lugar para hacer fuego. Baño seco estaba limpio. No hay señal, nos encantó.
Perdimos tiempo buscando la Urchaim, si buscan ir a ese sigan los carteles no la app
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4.5/5
Like this place.
Toillet OK. The main picture of this campsite belongs to the near parking ;-) You need to go a bit up the hill on gravel road in from the first intersection after the bridge :-)
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2.0/5
This is a necessity only stop over.
So many people are here just for the night before starting a hike or bike ride. Arrive early and be prepared to defend your space. We were in an already tight campsite with 4 others and our cars were all parked in by 2 rude and late arriving vans who just rolled in and parked right on top of us. Do yourself a favour if you camp here, and park right by the exit so you can get out in the morning! Late December is mayhem at this campsite!
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2.5/5
Small carpark style campground.
Dry smelly toilets. No water supply as indicated on the app but free and well located to do the Tongariro Crossing.
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1.5/5
Not the cleanest or nicest of stays at this campsite.
It is essentially a dirty car park with quite an unsightly drop loo in it. If you have the option, go to any of the other DOC campsites in the area as they are much nicer, have better views and access to the river. Even if you have struggled to find this campsite, the other two DOC's are literally 4 minutes away and worth the extra drive!
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0.5/5
We slept here last night and must say that it is the worst place where we have been so far.
We love quiet and basic DOC campsites, but this one was really dirty, lots of rubbish everywhere and a toilet which no one used. It smells horrible. Cant recommend it at all.
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1.5/5
Yes it's a free campground, but it was very dirty when we were there, especially the toilet (late Feb).
Was essentially just a turnaround area that you could park up at. Other campers left rubbish around, not a pleasant place to stay.
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2.5/5
Basic campsite with just a long drop toilet.
Was very dirty when we've been there.
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3.5/5
Good basic free spot in the woods.
Toilet was fine, setting nice. Close to Tongariro Crossing.
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3.5/5
A basic free campground relatively close to Tongariro National Park as you come from the north.
The campground is not very big and is in the middle of the forest, maybe a little wild, but has a toilet. No other facilities there. The path to get to it is a dirt track, so come with a prepared vehicle
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4.5/5
Free DOC campsite, very basic, only a long drop toilet, no water!
Very quiet in the middle of nowhere. We were glad we were not alone there - we would be so scared!
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4.0/5
A little bit far out, toilets also a little bit dirty.
But nice people, lots of space and beautiful forests.
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1.5/5
Couldn't find it!
Followed signs which led us to Pillars of Hercules; saw a camping area and stopped there, not a lot of room, not surprising if others could find the correct site. Difficult to easy - steep and narrow around forest tracks. Free site.
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2.0/5
Free campsites were just small spaces....
place for two cars. But we were allowed to stay there.
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5.0/5
I give this one a 10 simply because it is accessible (sealed roads), has a toilet and, of course, it's FREE!
Also, the view isn't half bad and it's only about 20 minutes from Turangi.
