Nelson Lakes NP: At the Mt Robert Carpark

 Gateway to adventures in Nelson Lakes NP

One of the places I visited on my recent trip to Nelson Lakes NP was the carpark on Mt Robert. The carpark is the starting point for many trips in the central section of Nelson Lakes as it gives access to both the Travers and Sabine Valleys. 

View of Mt Robert from the West Bay jetty

You get to the carpark along Mt Robert Road a secondary road from West Bay right up to the carpark on a ridge. The first part off SH63 is sealed but past the Buller River it is a gravel road. You pass by the West Bay Jetty, West Bay Campsite and the Buller River enroute. 

Mt Robert road near Westbay Campsite

The Mt Robert carpark sits at nearly 900 meters a.s.l so it has magnificent views out over Lake Rotoiti, the St Arnaud Range and St Arnaud Settlement. 

Lake Rotoiti from the Mt Robert Carpark

I have been here many, many times over the years but let me show you what you will find if you venture up to the carpark. 

At the Mt Robert Carpark:

The Mt Robert carpark is here for trampers, hunters and climbers...there are no houses or farms up this road so it was built and maintained by DOC just to get people closer to the mountains. It sits at nearly 900 meters so it has taken away a lot of the hard graft you would need to do to get onto Mt Robert. 

Bruner Peninsula from the Mt Robert Carpark

Mt Robert Road runs up to the carpark

The main draw here is the Robert Ridge Route to Lake Angelus and the start/finish of the Travers-Sabine Circuit. There are other tracks leading from here but those two would account for a good 80% of all the people who visit. 

St Arnaud is behind Brunner Peninsula

The top level of the carpark has space for about 40 vehicles and along both sides of the narrow ridge top.  This is where various tracks start and it should offer space except in the very busy Christmas-New Years period when it will be full every day. 

Mt Robert Carpark, Nelson Lakes NP

Mt Robert Carpark, Nelson Lakes NP

There is also a secondary overflow carpark down near the end of Paddy's Track and this will hold about another 50 vehicles. The two are only separated by about 400 meters of road so are within easy walking distance of each other. 

Spillover carpark near Paddys Track, Mt Robert

Closer look at the Paddy's Track carpark

There are awesome views down over this end of Lake Rotoiti from the carpark with a clear line of view from the edge right down to the lake below. You can also see across to the distant St Arnaud Range running down the northern edge of the lake. 

St Arnaud Range to north of Lake Rotoiti

There is a toilet and a small day shelter located at the Mt Robert carpark. The shelter is open on all sides but provides a dry location to sit out of inclement weather while you wait for a transport to collect you. There is no camping allowed here with big fines for anyone found sleeping in the shelter or carpark. 

Mt Robert Carpark Shelter...day use only!!!

Mt Robert Carpark shelter back in January 2022

At the top end of the carpark are the trail heads...uphill for Pinchgut Track and the Robert Ridge Route and to the right (or south) for Speargrass Hut and the Sabine Valley. 

Trailheads at top of Mt Robert Carpark

Mt Robert Carpark can be full in summer

The shelter is a great idea...not big enough to allow people to sleep in it but large enough to provide protection for about a dozen people in wet weather. It has seats on three sides to allow you to move out of the wind and the seat on the southern side has a window looking down onto mature Red Beech forest. 

Mt Robert Carpark: seating on north side

A fence separates Mt Robert Carpark from the shelter

The toilet is close by so this would be an ideal spot to wait for transport or rest up before the walk down Mt Robert Road and into St Arnaud. Just be aware that there is no water source here...the closest water is from a stream 400 meters down the Speargrass Track. 

Mt Robert Carpark...south side of shelter

Mt Robert Carpark Shelter...the most protected side

There was a strong wind blowing the day I was here so the best side of the shelter to sit in was on the more enclosed southern side of the structure. 

Bench seat inside Mt Robert Carpark Shelter

Western view from the Mt Robert Carpark Shelter

I had lunch while I was at the Day Shelter...I made coffee and ate a sandwich I brought at the General store down in St Arnaud. I was using my oldest piece of tramping equipment which is my 32 year old Kovea canister stove. I brought this when I was in the New Zealand Army and have been using it ever since. 

Heating water for a coffee at Mt Robert Carpark Shelter

I sat out of the wind on the southern side of the shelter and brewed up. The Kovea Hiker is a good stove...you should check them out my vlogs on the You Tube channel if you want to see the stove running. 

My Kovea still gets a bit of field use as it is a fine bit of kit and I am quite attached to it. The last trip was with my sister on the Able Tasman Coast Track back in April. She walked that track with a couple of her nursing friends...I gave her instructions not too lose it!!!

...Kovea Hiker stove and Toaks Ti pot...

Drinking my coffee at Mt Robert Carpark Shelter

After visiting the Mt Robert carpark I was heading back down to West Bay to have a look at the DOC campsite there. There are a number of campsites up here at Lake Rotoiti with Kerr Bay the main one open right through the year. The ones between West Bay and the Buller River are only open from December to April so they are available soon. 

Red Beech forest near Mt Robert Carpark Shelter

I had a look at the track heads at the top end of the carpark before leaving. From here you can go south along the Speargrass Track or uphill on the Pinchgut Track. 

Going south gives access to Speargrass Hut, Lake Angelus, Lake Rotoroa, Sabine Valley, Blue Lake and the Waiau Pass. You can also sidle around to the D'Urville and Matukituki Valleys in the less visited part of the National Park. 

Mt Robert Carpark...trail heads

If you head uphill you can walk the Pinchgut Track, Mt Robert Circuit, the Ski Basin Route, Robert Ridge Track, Lake Angelus, and side tracks to both the Travers and Sabine Valleys. This is truly one of the main backcountry crossroads in New Zealand. From here lies a lifetime of adventures. 

Start of the Pinchgut Track on Mt Robert

On a fine day you can see right up the gap in the mountains between the Richmond Range and Raglan Range. Blenheim lies at the end of this gap and this was the route traffic had to take after the Kaikoura Earthquakes closed SH 1. I often head home this way when I visit Nelson Lakes NP as an alternate to Lewis Pass...

Looking down onto Lake Rotoiti from Mt Robert

If you ever find yourself in St Arnaud and the Mt Robert Road is open you should drive up to the carpark. There is plenty to see and do from here and if like me you love Nelson Lakes you will soon come to know it well as you tick off its may splendors...

Access: The Mt Robert Carpark can be accessed along the Mt Robert Road from West Bay on Lake Rotoiti. Turn off SH 63 approximately one kilometer before St Arnaud and follow the narrow gravel road to the top. The Mt Robert Road can close for snow or if a heavy rain storm is expected. 

Miscellaneous: This is a high alpine environment at times above 900 meters asl. Be prepared for all conditions. There is a small day shelter at the carpark and a toilet but no close water source. Mt Robert carpark is often targeted by vandals/thieves so lock away all valuables.

YouTube: Mt Robert Carpark

                  Mt Robert Circuit: a photomontage