Top Camp Shelter (day shelter)
- Other
Day shelter on the open tops near the 25 km mark, with a small water tank whose supply is not guaranteed. Not for overnight stays: carry enough water from Lyell Saddle Hut.
Old Ghost Road · Stage 2 of 5
Lyell Saddle Hut to Ghost Lake Hut
Stage 2 of the Old Ghost Road covers 10.6 km from Lyell Saddle Hut to Ghost Lake Hut, with 694 m of ascent and 362 m of descent. The highest point is 1,346 m. Allow about 4 hours of walking, plus breaks.
10.6 kmdistance
694 mascent
362 mdescent
~4 hwalking time
moderatedifficulty
1,346 mhighest point
≈ 2.25 L
≈ 1,290 kcal
Distance, climb and elevation come from the Outest route data. Difficulty and time are estimates from distance and climb; your pace will vary with heat, pack weight and photo stops.
Where to stay
Top Camp
Ghost Lake
Ghost Lake Hut
- Rooms
- Camping
The largest trust hut, at about 1,200 m on a ridge above Ghost Lake, with 18 bunks, two private summer sleepouts (Sept–May) and one tent site, gas cookers, cookware, mattresses and an emergency phone to NZ Police. Must be booked online.
Checked online in October 2026. Places marked "not confirmed by the operator" are listed on OpenStreetMap or in tourism listings but could not be checked on an official page. The four trust huts (Lyell Saddle, Ghost Lake, Stern Valley and Specimen Point) must be booked online before you start; Goat Creek and Mōkihinui Forks are free DOC huts that cannot be booked.
Help and services on this stage
Emergency: call 111. Huts have an emergency phone. Carry a PLB. Emergency & health guide
Nearest hospital
- Buller Health – Te Rau Kawakawa (Westport) · Westport · 24/7 emergency
+6437889277 · Map - Te Nīkau Grey Hospital & Health Centre – Emergency Department · Greymouth · 24/7 emergency
+6437697400 · Map
Health centres
- Murchison Hospital & Health Centre · Murchison · opening hours only
+6435231120 · Map
Pharmacies, ATMs, shops and stops: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Hospitals and health centres checked online.
Walk Lyell Saddle Hut to Ghost Lake Hut with Outest
The full stage works offline in Outest, with the route, elevation, water and village points, and a trail guide you can ask about conditions and the next place to sleep.