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Mid Greenstone Hut - AboutThe Southern Lakes New Zealand Deerstalkers Association (NZDA) are a “non for profit” organisation that manages both the Mid Greenstone hut and the Upper Caples Hut. Although run and maintained by the local NZDA, you do not need to be a member of the club to stay there. We collect a small fee which goes towards the maintenance and upkeep of the huts which is carried out by volunteers from the club. Previously a DOC hut until 2004, it was built circ.1980 and used to be one of the DOC huts available for the summer hiking season in the Greenstone Valley. However a newer and bigger hut was built on the old Sly Burn Hut Location (still marked on old maps) and the new DOC one is confusingly called the Greenstone Hut. As a result, the Southern Lakes Branch of the NZDA were given the opportunity to put in a proposal to look after the hut for private use for the club, hunters and hikers. Your fees are much appreciated as the money goes into hut maintenance and general supplies for the hut. |
FacilitiesIt’s an old DOC hut so there are:-
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Booking the Hut1. Check availability on the online availability diary, however some members do book last minute so may not be on there when you look. Unless pre-arranged, do not presume exclusive use of the hut. 2. When you have read about the hut and want to book, please complete the online booking form. 3. Completing the booking form will automatically send you a confirmation and send an email to the club secretary who will update the diary. You also receive instructions to confirm where to collect and pay for the keys. 4. Once booked, it is a good idea to download any maps and directions (see below) to the hut if you are unfamiliar with the area. If you are hunting or fishing, it is your responsibility to obtain the correct permits. We recommend you check weather and track conditions. The Department of Conservation website or local office in Queenstown or Te Anau are the best for track updates as they maintain and monitor these. Cancellations You only pay when you collect the keys, so there are no cancellation fees if you decide not to collect them and decide not to head in due to unsafe or poor weather conditions. | Key CollectionKeys are kept at a sports shop in central Queenstown “Small Planet in Shotover Street“. They are open every day: 7 days a week 9am – 6pm. Phone +64 (03) 442 6393 only exception is 25th Dec and 25th April (Anzac day). Please check during Covid-19 level 2 or 3 Small Planet kindly hold the keys and take payment on behalf of the club. You only need to pay when you collect the keys. PLEASE pay in exact cash as there are no EFTPOS or credit card facilities. Ideally bring the $50 key deposit in exact cash too as it is just held until you return the key. You only need to pay for the nights you stay at the hut however we realize you may need to collect keys in advance while staying in another hut along the way. Let us know when booking so we can keep track of the keys or you can email info@southernlakesnzda.org.nz if you need them from Te Anau or from Queenstown airport in advance (if you are helicoptering in) |
Planning your trip |
Greenstone - Caples CircuitStarting From Glenorchy End
DOC Greenstone Hut to Greenstone Carpark, 12km, 3-4hrs |
3 night itineraryStarting From Glenorchy End
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Queenstown to Car Park
Greenstone Carpark to DOC Mid Caples Hut, 
DOC Mid Caples Hut, 
NZDA Upper Caples Hut
Finding the Hut
The Mid Greenstone NZDA Hut is tucked away beside bush line not far from the Ultimate Hikes Guided Walks Lodge.
There are NO SIGNPOSTS to the hut so it is a good idea to print off the directions and or maps, especially if you are arriving after dark
Directions from Steele Creek or McKellar Hut
After literally a few metres from crossing the swing bridge at Steele Creek, there is an old track that goes uphill on the left. Take this track. It is not signposted but follows a stoat trap line. A little way along this track, the orange track markers on the trees will appear (as it is the old Greenstone Track) and after around 15 minutes will take you all the way to the hut. There are also some old white/red permolat markers on trees. These are especially helpful where slips have washed over the track.
Directions from the Glenorchy side
After about an hour after the DOC Greenstone Hut, you get to the open flats and there is a DOC sign on the right of the path saying something about “cattle and not to disturb them.” Continue along these flats – the wind blows quite hard here in the afternoons, the river is on your left. After crossing the rock slip (it’s quite a recent one with few plants growing on it and it’s right next to the river) continue for about another 10-15 mins and you get to a small boggy area with stepping stones through it, count 2 orange poles and the main path very slightly climbs up to a hump (about the height of a room) and heads nearer the bushline than it has for a while. There is another orange marker pole – this one has additional electrical tape round the orange part of it. TURN RIGHT HERE
Head up the gully to the right from this pole, cross the dried up stream. There is no obvious path at this point. Just head towards the trees and then you should see the uphill path and/or markers on the trees. The path is marked with the odd tin can lid on a tree and orange markers on the trees, climbing up quite steep at first with a tiny switch back. Keep on the edge of the tree line and follow a track to get to the hut. The last bit is all uphill but it should only take 20 mins from where you turned off the main track at the orange pole.
If you do miss the orange marker and the gully to walk up, the main track heads nearer the river, so look back and to the right and you can see the hut up the hill on the edge of the trees. Failing that, if you get to the Ultimate Hikes Guided Walks lodge, you are in Steele Creek and gone too far. See directions above to take from Steele Creek to the hut