Bealey Spur Hut

Bealey Spur Hut is a basic Department of Conservation six-bunk hut in Arthur’s Pass National Park (Canterbury). It’s a historic musterers’ hut linked to high-country sheep farming, built in 1925, and it’s known as Top Hut. Use is straightforward: it’s free to stay and bookings aren’t required—use is first come, first served.

Inside, expect a very simple setup: an open fire with a flat tin chimney, sleeping is on beds with sacking, and there are no mattresses. Tank water is available and a pit toilet sits nearby. It’s set in a beech-forest clearing and is used as a basic backcountry overnight option—often more comfortable to camp nearby if you want less hut-style sleeping.

Official website