Teetotal Campsite
Nelson Lakes National Park
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Teetotal Campsite
Use this campsite as a base to explore nearby Nelson Lakes National Park.
This is an easily accessible campsite just west of the village of St Arnaud and close to the Nelson Lakes National Park. Right alongside the main road.
Alongside an alpine creek with several walking tracks. There's a nearby man-made pool that freezes over and becomes an ice-skating pond.
It offers excellent mountain biking through summer and is connected to St Arnaud by a 1.2 km dual walking and mountain biking track.
During summer:
Pay at the Rotoiti/Nelson Lakes Visitor Centre in St Arnaud from 8 am – 4:30 pm, or pay the camp host who is onsite mornings and evenings. Credit/bank card payment is available in both cases.
During winter:
Pay at the Rotoiti/Nelson lakes Visitor Centre or use the self-registration kiosk.
DOC Campsite Pricing
Teetotal 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 |
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| 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 |
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Organisation |
DOC Nelson/TasmanCentral government organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ St Arnaud |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
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Basic Camping
Reviews
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2.0/5
Location good for hiking Mount Robert the next morning but otherwise just an area of gravel with 2 smelly long-drops
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3.0/5
We stayed here as the other DOC sites on the lake edge were all booked and this one you just arrive and claim a spot.
Basically a gravel carpark in the bush with a long drop toilet. However, it is still only a few minutes from the lake and worked well for us. It did get very busy in the evening so arrive early to get a good spot. Also bring bug spray!!
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4.0/5
Ce lieu mériterait d'être un free camp, beaucoup de places et des toilettes propres et proches des emplacements
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3.5/5
Not bad but quite pricey for the facilities you get.
Long drop toilet and no drinking water available.
Lots of flies!
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4.5/5
Amazing spot to spend a night.
Really beautiful and the bird song was incredible. $10 per person. Water is available but non-potable and I believe there are toilets (didn't check this out). It's not a very large area, so suggest getting in earlier rather than later. Lovely walk through the hills starts at the side of the camp area. It's technically a mountain bike track so take care, but lots of space on the path and a few locals apparently walk the track regularly.
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3.0/5
Fine campsite, just a park with long drop toilets.
The position is good but not amazing and doesnt have anything to justify the price, been to much better free DOC sites
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4.0/5
Drop toilet but clean.
Well sheltered from road. $8 per person for night. Tap for water
Decent freedom spot
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5.0/5
It is just as everyone else says.
Simple and this perfect. Stayed last night. Empty as it is winter. Woke to see the skating lake icining over and pretty frost all around. If you camper van is winterized this is a lovely quiet spot to stay in winter. Easy access to Mt Robert's walks and the delights of St Arnaud.
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3.5/5
Nice, simple, quiet and well kept campground, good for all vehicles which is useful if you’re not self contained!
2 long drops - same old, nothing special but all good. $8pppn paid into an honesty box, good location for access to walks around Nelson lakes! Would return.
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5.0/5
What a place.
Loved our time here. Long drop toilet but clean. Near Rd but no an issue. Beautiful short and longer walks.
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4.5/5
Have been revisiting some old haunts.
Teetotal was a great wee find. Clean toilets, good parking/turning and a friendly park ranger/camp host in the evening. Simple, uncomplicated self contained camping.
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2.0/5
Location good for hiking Mount Robert the next morning but otherwise just an area of gravel with 2 smelly long-drops
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3.0/5
We stayed here as the other DOC sites on the lake edge were all booked and this one you just arrive and claim a spot.
Basically a gravel carpark in the bush with a long drop toilet. However, it is still only a few minutes from the lake and worked well for us. It did get very busy in the evening so arrive early to get a good spot. Also bring bug spray!!
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4.0/5
Ce lieu mériterait d'être un free camp, beaucoup de places et des toilettes propres et proches des emplacements
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3.5/5
Not bad but quite pricey for the facilities you get.
Long drop toilet and no drinking water available.
Lots of flies!
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3.0/5
Fine campsite, just a park with long drop toilets.
The position is good but not amazing and doesnt have anything to justify the price, been to much better free DOC sites
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4.5/5
Amazing spot to spend a night.
Really beautiful and the bird song was incredible. $10 per person. Water is available but non-potable and I believe there are toilets (didn't check this out). It's not a very large area, so suggest getting in earlier rather than later. Lovely walk through the hills starts at the side of the camp area. It's technically a mountain bike track so take care, but lots of space on the path and a few locals apparently walk the track regularly.
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4.0/5
Drop toilet but clean.
Well sheltered from road. $8 per person for night. Tap for water
Decent freedom spot
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5.0/5
It is just as everyone else says.
Simple and this perfect. Stayed last night. Empty as it is winter. Woke to see the skating lake icining over and pretty frost all around. If you camper van is winterized this is a lovely quiet spot to stay in winter. Easy access to Mt Robert's walks and the delights of St Arnaud.
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3.5/5
Nice, simple, quiet and well kept campground, good for all vehicles which is useful if you’re not self contained!
2 long drops - same old, nothing special but all good. $8pppn paid into an honesty box, good location for access to walks around Nelson lakes! Would return.
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5.0/5
What a place.
Loved our time here. Long drop toilet but clean. Near Rd but no an issue. Beautiful short and longer walks.
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4.5/5
Have been revisiting some old haunts.
Teetotal was a great wee find. Clean toilets, good parking/turning and a friendly park ranger/camp host in the evening. Simple, uncomplicated self contained camping.
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4.0/5
Considering the short drive and how much cheaper it is than Kerr bay.
This campground is a good choice and if you need a shower just go get a token from the visitor’s centre and have a shower at Kerr bay
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4.0/5
I was surprised to find that it’s actually quite sunny in the afternoon in winter until 5pm (early August).
Lots of bird song, thanks to good predator control. Not much traffic so fairly quiet. Half hour walk into town via a MTB track and back via the ‘Moraine Track beside the highway. Almost as good as Kerr Bay but less than half the price!
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4.0/5
We spent the day at Kerr Bay Campsite, super nice, retired here as our campsite pass was included.
2 long drop toilets with sanitizer. No fresh drinking water so boil/bring your own. Nice spot, would be nicer in winter with the ice skating pond. Saw an eel in that pond so check it out anyway. MTB trails looked the goods.
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3.0/5
Good spot for stopping overnight.
Toilet and gravel car park. Nothing special but gets the job done :)
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3.5/5
Not quite where the map has it marked but easy enough to find thanks to signs; cross a gravel area through a hedge opening.
Pleasant DOC reps and okay toilets. Great spot before visiting Lake Rotoiti in the morning. Quite a few bees around in the morning though.
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4.5/5
The location is not where this app has it marked, although very close so just look out for the signs!
Beautiful and relatively sandfly free, it’s just a quick drive to Lake Rotoiti for sunrise. The water needs to be filtered to drink, but the toilets are clean and the noise from the main road doesn’t affect the camp site much.
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3.0/5
I wonder where this is..
the location on the map is thick bush.. no info regarding camping, no access.. a little further towards St Arnaud, there is a small road to the left that leads to a gravel parking with room for a few campervans and a sign telling this is for SC only. No info on payment, no facilities, just a gravel area with a simple sign. The place the listing and that other review mentioned soundes pretty nice and I am sure this is not it (the view is nice though and secluded from the main road)
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3.5/5
I give it a 7 for access.
Both to the main road and then nearby access to the plethora of walks dotted around this area. Good for car campers. Free with the Conservation Campsite Pass - bonus. I first visited here 20 years ago to have a crack at ice skating. So you get the drift, it's shaded and cold in the cooler months. Good sun for at least 6 months of the year though.
