Lodging · Arthur's Pass National Park
A remote two-bunk shelter for experienced backcountry parties.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Arthur's Pass Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Arthur's Pass National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Poulter Bivvy is a basic two-bunk shelter in the Poulter Valley, at about 918 m. It is a specialist backcountry destination, not a quick roadside stop: there is no DOC track to it, so this is for parties who can plan and navigate their own route.
The hut is free and first come, first served, with no booking. The two bunks may already be occupied. A pit latrine is mapped, but no potable water supply is listed. A nearby water body is reported, though there is no verified drinking-water supply, so do not count on treated water at the hut.
The route has unbridged river and side-stream crossings. DOC says not to cross floodwater or a river where you cannot find a safe entry and exit; turn back or wait for levels to drop if you are unsure.
The current bivvy was built in late 2007 to replace an older shelter at the site. It is a different destination from the separately named Poulter Hut, so check the exact name and location when planning.
Wildlife
982 sightingsKeaMost seen around noonSighting map
39 sightingsNew Zealand FalconMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
190 sightingsBlue DuckMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
20 sightingsKākāMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
15 sightingsWekaMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
15 sightingsParadise ShelduckMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Arthur's Pass. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
Lodging · 3 km awayKoropuku HutA four-bunk hut reached after a serious backcountry approach.
Lodging · 3.9 km awayMinchin BivvyA remote two-bunk stop before Minchin Pass.
Sight · 4 km awayLake MinchinA pleasant one-hour lake walk from remote Poulter Hut.
Lodging · 4.2 km awayWorsley BivvyFour bunks in a remote A-frame that takes real route planning.
Lodging · 4.6 km awayTownsend HutA remote four-bunk hut above the upper Taramakau.
Lodging · 5 km awayPoulter HutA 10-bunk hut on the expert, multi-day Minchin Pass Route.
Sight · 5.4 km awayOtehake Hot SpringsA remote soak for experienced river crossers
Lodging · 6.8 km awayOtehake HutA six-bunk hut on an expert river-crossing route.Parkwolf’s Arthur's Pass ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
