John Tait Hut
Located in Nelson Lakes National Park in the Nelson/Tasman region
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Introduction
This is a serviced 27-bunk hut in the Nelson Lakes area.Facilities
- Heating
- Mattresses
- Toilets - non-flush
- Water from tap - not treated, boil before use
Seasonal restrictions
This hut is located below an avalanche path. Do not use the hut during winter storms or when the snow reaches the valley floor.
No firewood supplied from May to September. Gather dead wood from surrounding forests. Do not fell or break branches off live trees.
Heritage
John Tait (1901 to 1982), was president of the Nelson Tramping Club from 1948. He climbed Mt Travers during a summer holiday with his family and saw the need for a shelter well up the Travers Valley.
He led a volunteer effort to raise funds and to construct the original hut, which opened in 1951. This was five years before Nelson Lakes was gazetted to become a national park. The original hut was decommissioned in 1978 and a new hut was built on the current site, which offers great views from the valley floor to Mt Travers and Mt Cupola.
Fees
- Adult (18+ years): $25 per night
- Youth (5–17 years): $12.50 per night
- Child/Infant (0–4 years): free
Backcountry Hut Passes
Passes are valid for use in this hut from 1 May to 30 September. Passes won't be accepted from 1 October to 30 April. However it is valid to use for camping within 200 metres of the huts all year round.
Fees to camp at the hut
Fees to camp at this hut are paid using hut tickets.
- Adult (18+ years): $10 per night
- Youth (5–17 years): $5 per night
- Child/Infant (0–4years): free
Before you go, buy 1 Standard Hut Ticket (blue for adults, red for youth) for each night's stay. Put this in the honesty box at the hut.
About hut tickets and passes | Retailers that sell hut tickets and passes
Campers may use hut water supply and toilets.
Te Araroa – the Trail Pass
Registered Te Araroa Trail walkers should purchase the Trail Pass for Te Araroa.
Bookings
Bookings are open for stays up to 30 June 2025.
All bookings are first-come first-served. We do not have waiting lists for bookings for future seasons or facilities that are already booked-out.
Bookings are required all year.
A $10 service fee applies to phone and in-person booking. This is a limited service – book online first. An in-person booking is dependent on there being space available.
- Upper Travers Hut: 3 hr
- Cuploa Hut: 2 hr 30 min
Tracks to this hut
Location
NZTopo50 map sheet: BS24
Grid/NZTM2000 coordinates: E1580812, N5352927
Altitude: 800 m above sea level
There is avalanche danger at this hut
This hut is located below an avalanche path. It is not safe to stay in this hut during winter storms that may load the upper slopes with sufficient snow to reach the hut, or when snow is down to the valley floor. It would be possible for the hut to be hit by avalanche debris in these conditions.
Alternative hut options are Upper Travers Hut (2 hours 30 min from John Tait Hut), Coldwater Hut and Lakehead Hut (both 4 hours 30 min from John Tait Hut). There is also the option to camp in the lower valley, away from avalanche danger. Identified avalanche paths are signposted.
Keep alpine lakes and tarns free of lindavia (lake snow)
The invasive alga lindavia is present in Lakes Rotoiti and Rotoroa. It causes lake snow – a sticky mucus that hangs below the surface of the water.
Make sure all your gear is completely dry for 48 hours before swimming or taking water from any alpine lake or tarn, including Rotomaninitua/Lake Angelus.
Use a biosecurity cleaning station at Coldwater Hut, Lakehead Hut and Sabine Hut to disinfect any boots, socks, clothing, towels or drink bottles that are wet or damp from lake or river water.
Do not touch the water in Rotomairewhenua/Blue Lake and Rotopōhueroa/Lake Constance.
Be extra careful if you’ve recently swum or filled a drink bottle from Lakes Rotoiti or Rotoroa.
Contacts
| Nelson Lakes National Park Visitor Centre | |
|---|---|
| Phone | +64 3 521 1806 |
| nelsonlakesvc@doc.govt.nz | |
| Address | View Road St Arnaud 7072 |
| Hours | Visitor centre hours and services |
| Whakatū/Nelson Visitor Centre | |
|---|---|
| Phone | +64 3 546 9339 |
| nelsonvc@doc.govt.nz | |
| Address | Millers Acre/Taha o te Awa 1/37 Halifax Street Nelson 7010 |
| Hours | Visitor centre hours and services |