Lees Creek Hut

Flown onto site in 1993, Lees Creek Hut was formerly known as Sandfly Creek Hut.

Fees

• Adult (18+ years): $15 per night
• Youth (5–17 years): $7.50 per night
• Child/Infant (0–4 years): free

Before you go, buy Hut Tickets for each night's stay. Put these in the honesty box at the hut. Or buy a Backcountry Hut Pass that gives unlimited use at most Standard and Serviced huts for a 12 month period.

Booking and paying | Backcountry Hut Tickets | Retailers that sell hut tickets and passes

Travel east out of St Arnaud toward Blenheim for 8.4 km. Turn right onto Wairau-Hanmer Springs Hydro Rd. Signage at this turn will say ‘Rainbow Skifield’.

Continue down this road for 27 km until the Homestead. Here a summertime road toll applies. This is payable in cash. Check the prices on the Rainbow Station website.

Do not park on Rainbow Road. Park your car below the power lines opposite where the track begins.

At this point, cross the Wairau River using the swing bridge to the true right. Follow the track up Lee’s Creek and eventually cross to the true left using another swing bridge.

The track travels through the bush, across numerous small streams and through some open grass areas. It is approximately 8.7 km from the car park to the hut.

There are some sections that have recently had some damage from storms. You may need to move carefully through these technical sections.

Location

NZTopo50 map sheet: BS25
Grid/NZTM2000 coordinates: E1597906, N5356524

Altitude: 1,010 m

In the summer months the stream can dry up so it’s best to collect water well downstream of the hut.