Moke Lake Campground

Moke Lake sits in a high tussock basin in the hills behind Queenstown, ringed by schist ridges that go gold at sunrise. The Department of Conservation runs the campground on open grass by the lake. Expect basic facilities: long-drop toilets and not much else. There’s no powered hookup and no shop. Bring your own drinking water or treat what you pull from the lake. Summer weekends and holidays fill it fast, and the water is cold enough to make you rethink swimming.

Access is by unsealed road. It’s a washboardy, narrow gravel track, passable in a regular vehicle if you take it slow, but it can get icy and muddy in winter. Cell signal is patchy. Check the DOC site before you roll in for current fees, booking rules, and any fire restrictions. Rules and prices change, so verify ahead. It makes a good base for the Skippers Canyon run: stock up in Queenstown, camp here, and head out in the morning. Pack out everything you bring in.

Have a dirty day.

Tussock-basin lake camp above Queenstown.