Lake Chalice Hut
Lake Chalice Hut is a Department of Conservation backcountry hut in Mount Richmond Forest Park (South Marlborough area). It sleeps 8 in a standard 8-bunk setup and includes an open fire and mattresses; there’s a pit latrine for toilets, and drinking water is not provided.
For overnight use, bookings aren’t required. Fees apply: $10 per night for adults (18+), $5 per night for youth (5–17), and children/infants (0–4) are free; put a Standard Hut Ticket (blue for adults, yellow for youth) in the honesty box for each night you stay, or use a Backcountry Hut Pass for unlimited use at most Standard and Serviced huts for 12 months.
Getting to Lake Chalice Hut from the road end typically uses the Staircase Road track approach (about 1 hr / 2.6 km to the hut). From Mid Goulter Hut, it’s about 5 hr (9 km) along the true left of the river to the Goulter River headwaters, then through beech forest to the western end of Lake Chalice and around to the hut. From Old Man Hut (via Old Man), expect about 7 hr (10 km): follow the route to the signposted Old Man junction for the Lake Chalice track, up to the bare shingle-capped Chalice Knob (1530 m), then down to the eastern side of Lake Chalice about 15 minutes from the hut.