Camping near Christchurch

There are 20 DOC campsites within 150 km of Christchurch, and 3 of them are free. 17 can be reached by car. The closest is Godley Head Campsite, about 15 km away in a straight line.

Drive-in campsites (17)

Campsite	Distance*	Type and fee	Good to know
Godley Head Campsite Awaroa/Godley Head	15 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, dogs on a leash, bookable
Wooded Gully Campsite Mount Thomas Forest Conservation Area	45 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, dogs on a leash, bookable
Lake Pearson (Moana Rua) Campsite Craigieburn Forest Park	85 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Mistletoe Flats Campsite Craigieburn Forest Park	85 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, dogs on a leash, bookable
Lake Taylor Campsite Lake Sumner Forest Park	90 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, dogs on a leash, bookable
Andrews Shelter Campsite Arthur's Pass National Park	91 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served
Hawdon Shelter Campsite Arthur's Pass National Park	94 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Klondyke Corner Campsite Arthur's Pass National Park	103 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Avalanche Creek Shelter Campsite Arthur's Pass National Park	109 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Boyle Campsite Lake Sumner Forest Park	115 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, dogs on a leash, bookable
Peel Forest Campground Peel Forest Park Scenic Reserve	117 km	Serviced $25 per adult (tent site)	drive-in, hot showers, bookable
Deer Valley Campsite Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve	127 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, first come, first served
Acheron Accommodation House Campsite Molesworth Recreation Reserve	129 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Waihi Gorge Campsite Geraldine area	130 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Marble Hill Campsite Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve	136 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Hans Bay - Lake Kaniere Campsite Lake Kaniere Scenic Reserve	145 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Lake Tennyson Campsite Molesworth Recreation Reserve	147 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served

Walk-in and boat-access campsites (3)

Campsite	Distance*	Type and fee	Good to know
Loch Katrine Campsite Lake Sumner Forest Park	96 km	Basic Free	dogs on a leash, first come, first served
Orari Campsite Geraldine area	127 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	bookable
Lake Daniell Campsite Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve	139 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	walk-in, first come, first served

*Straight-line distance from the city centre; the drive is longer.

Want a roof instead? Compare holiday parks on Holiday Parks NZ or stays near Christchurch on our Stays page.

Campsite list: Department of Conservation open data (CC BY 4.0), refreshed weekly. Fees are DOC’s published category fees; some campsites differ and prices can change. Always check the DOC page for alerts and closures before you go.

Plan the rest of the trip

Find a campsite by region → Packing checklist Cheap car hire

Questions

What is the closest campsite to Christchurch?

From DOC's list, Godley Head Campsite is the closest, about 15 km away in a straight line.

Are there free campsites near Christchurch?

Yes, 3 of the DOC campsites within 150 km are free basic campsites.

Do I need to book?

Many standard and serviced DOC campsites need booking, especially in summer. Basic campsites are usually first come, first served.

More camping guides: all camping guides