Camping near New Plymouth

There are 28 DOC campsites within 150 km of New Plymouth, and 3 of them are free. 8 can be reached by car. The closest is John Coull Campsite, about 75 km away in a straight line.

Drive-in campsites (8)

Campsite	Distance*	Type and fee	Good to know
Whakahoro Campsite Whanganui National Park	86 km	Great Walk Great Walks prices, see DOC page	drive-in, bookable
Ohinepane Campsite Ohinepane Recreation Reserve	93 km	Great Walk Great Walks prices, see DOC page	drive-in, dogs on a leash, bookable
Mangahuia Campsite Tongariro National Park	121 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Mangawhero Campsite Tongariro National Park	123 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Pokaka Mill Campsite Tongariro Forest Conservation Area	124 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served
Whakapapa Holiday Park Tongariro National Park	127 km	Serviced $25 per adult (tent site)	drive-in, hot showers, bookable
Piropiro Campsite Pureora Forest Park	131 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served
Ngaherenga Campsite Pureora Forest Park	142 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable

Walk-in and boat-access campsites (20)

Campsite	Distance*	Type and fee	Good to know
John Coull Campsite Whanganui National Park	75 km	Great Walk Great Walks prices, see DOC page	boat access, bookable
Mangawaiiti Campsite Whanganui National Park	76 km	Great Walk Great Walks prices, see DOC page	boat access, bookable
Ohauora Campsite Whanganui National Park	77 km	Great Walk Great Walks prices, see DOC page	boat access, bookable
Mangapapa Campsite Whanganui National Park	80 km	Great Walk Great Walks prices, see DOC page	boat access, bookable
Bettjemann Campsite Whanganui National Park	81 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	walk-in, first come, first served
Hellawell's Campsite Whanganui National Park	81 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	walk-in, first come, first served
Mangapurua Campsite Whanganui National Park	81 km	Great Walk Great Walks prices, see DOC page	boat access, bookable
Johnsons Campsite Whanganui National Park	84 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	walk-in, first come, first served
Maharanui Campsite Whanganui National Park	84 km	Great Walk Great Walks prices, see DOC page	boat access, bookable
Tīeke Marae/kāinga Campsite Whanganui National Park	85 km	Great Walk Great Walks prices, see DOC page	boat access, bookable
Mangapurua Trig Campsite Whanganui National Park	88 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	walk-in, first come, first served
Mosley's Campsite Whanganui National Park	88 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	walk-in, first come, first served
Poukaria Campsite Whanganui National Park	90 km	Great Walk Great Walks prices, see DOC page	boat access, bookable
Ngaporo Campsite Whanganui National Park	92 km	Great Walk Great Walks prices, see DOC page	boat access, bookable
Atene Skyline Campsite Whanganui National Park	118 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	walk-in, first come, first served
Mangatepopo Campsite Tongariro National Park	132 km	Great Walk Great Walks prices, see DOC page	walk-in, bookable
Waihohonu Campsite Tongariro National Park	139 km	Great Walk Great Walks prices, see DOC page	walk-in, bookable
Oturere Campsite Tongariro National Park	140 km	Great Walk Great Walks prices, see DOC page	walk-in, bookable
Central Clearing Campsite Pirongia Forest Park	148 km	Basic Free	walk-in, first come, first served
Pahautea Hut Campsite Pirongia Forest Park	148 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	walk-in, bookable

*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 New Plymouth 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 New Plymouth?

From DOC's list, John Coull Campsite is the closest, about 75 km away in a straight line.

Are there free campsites near New Plymouth?

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