Mount Richmond Forest Park is the large mountainous DOC forest park that covers the ranges between Marlborough and Nelson, providing some of the best multi-day tramping in the top of the South Island. The park has a network of standard DOC huts — including the 8-bunk Richmond Saddle Hut (at the saddle west of 1,760 m Mt Richmond), the 5-bunk Old Man Hut (built 1966 by NZ Forest Service, upgraded 1997, at 1,140 m), the 6-bunk Mt Fell Hut (just below the bushline at 1,602 m), and Lake Chalice Hut at the eastern end of Lake Chalice. All require Standard Hut Tickets in the honesty boxes.
Practical Information
| Location | Ranges between Marlborough and Nelson — large DOC forest park |
| Use | Multi-day tramping, day walks, backcountry hunting |
| Key huts | Richmond Saddle Hut (8 bunks), Old Man Hut (5 bunks), Mt Fell Hut (6 bunks), Lake Chalice Hut, Red Hills Hut |
| Hut category | Standard DOC huts — Standard Hut Ticket per night in honesty box |
| Mt Richmond summit | 1,760 m |
| Mt Fell summit | 1,602 m |
| Key tracks | Old Man Hut Circuit, Hacket Track, Alpine Route, Mt Richmond Routes, Lake Chalice Hut tracks |
| Best for | Experienced trampers — backcountry conditions, alpine exposure |
| Cost | Hut tickets per night per person (blue adult, yellow youth) |
About the Park
Mount Richmond Forest Park covers the high country between the Wairau Plains and the Nelson region, including the Richmond Range and Bryant Range. It’s prime backcountry territory — beech forest in the valleys giving way to alpine herbfields above the bushline, exposed ridges, and numerous tussock-covered tops over 1,500 metres. The park supports a network of DOC-managed huts that allow multi-day tramping circuits as well as single-night out-and-backs from the road ends.
Main Huts
Richmond Saddle Hut sits in the saddle west of Mt Richmond (1,760 m), at the head of Armchair Stream and east of Grass Knob (1,495 m). It’s a standard 8-bunk hut, the main access point for trampers attempting Mt Richmond itself.
Old Man Hut sits in a large grassy clearing at 1,140 m between Old Man Peak and Mt Rintoul. The hut was built in 1966 by the New Zealand Forest Service and upgraded in 1997 — a standard 5-bunk hut. It anchors the Old Man Hut Circuit, one of the better-known multi-day loops in the park.
Mt Fell Hut is a standard 6-bunk hut positioned 1 km south of the Mt Fell summit (1,602 m), just below the bushline on the edge of an alpine meadow. The location gives it some of the best mountain views of any hut in the park.
Lake Chalice Hut sits near the eastern end of Lake Chalice — reached by a benched tramping track that drops down to the lake. The setting beside a remote alpine lake makes it one of the most distinctive huts in the park.
Hut System
All the main huts in Mount Richmond Forest Park are standard DOC huts, operated on the honesty-box ticket system. Trampers buy Standard Hut Tickets in advance — blue tickets for adults, yellow for youth — and deposit one ticket per person per night in the honesty box at each hut. Tickets are sold through DOC visitor centres and online.
Where to Learn More
DOC — Mount Richmond Forest Park — official DOC area page listing all huts, tracks, current alerts and access points. Authoritative source for park information.
DOC — Old Man Hut Circuit — official page for the headline multi-day circuit in the park, with full track description, distances, hut bookings and current conditions.
DOC — Old Man Hut — individual hut page with photos, capacity, facilities and current status — example pattern for all the huts in the park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Mount Richmond Forest Park?
In the ranges between Marlborough and Nelson — Richmond and Bryant Ranges. Multiple road-end access points from both sides.
How many huts are in the park?
The park has a network of standard DOC huts. Key ones are Richmond Saddle Hut (8 bunks), Old Man Hut (5 bunks), Mt Fell Hut (6 bunks), Lake Chalice Hut, and Red Hills Hut.
How do hut bookings work?
Standard hut tickets are required — one per person per night, deposited in the honesty box at each hut. Tickets are blue for adults, yellow for youth, and sold through DOC visitor centres and online.
How high is Mt Richmond?
1,760 metres.
How high is Mt Fell?
1,602 metres.
Is the Old Man Hut Circuit suitable for beginners?
No — it’s a backcountry multi-day route with alpine exposure. Experienced trampers only. Check DOC for full track conditions and difficulty.
When was Old Man Hut built?
1966, by the New Zealand Forest Service, and upgraded in 1997.
For more Marlborough walking options see Blenheim walking tracks.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
