Notable lake · Southland, Southland
Lake Hector
Lake Hector is a lake in Southland, Southland.
Lake Hector: crowds and conditions
Typical pattern: moderate; weekends busier. Been there recently? Post today’s status and it shows here for the next traveller.
Status options for this lake: Full / gates open · Low water level · Entry closed.
Best time to visit Lake Hector
Season: August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open.
Busiest days: Weekends and long holidays.
Crowd: Moderate; weekends busier.
Typical week: Mon light · Tue light · Wed light · Thu light · Fri light · Sat busy · Sun busy.
How to reach Lake Hector — distance from nearby cities
Coordinates: -45.98215, 166.51540. Road distances are estimates; the road-trip planner uses real routes and adds stops worth the detour.
Places to visit near Lake Hector
- Chalky Inlet · beach · Southland · ~10 km · Must-see
- Te Waituna / West Cape · beach · Southland · ~14 km · Must-see
- Rakituma / Preservation Inlet · beach · Southland · ~24 km · Must-see
- Tawhitiwhiti-roro / Puysegur Point · beach · Southland · ~26 km · Must-see
- Mount Sparrman · viewpoint · Southland · ~28 km · Must-see
- Te Tapuwae o Hua (Long Sound) Marine Reserve · sanctuary · Southland · ~30 km · Must-see
- Taumoana (Five Finger Peninsula) Marine Reserve · sanctuary · Southland · ~42 km · Must-see
- Mount Edgecumbe · viewpoint · Southland · ~46 km · Must-see
- Moana Uta (Wet Jacket Arm) Marine Reserve · sanctuary · Southland · ~58 km · Must-see
- Breaksea Sound · beach · Southland · ~67 km · Must-see
- Lake Thomas · lake · Southland · ~1 km
- Grainger Falls · waterfall · Southland · ~2 km
- Breaker Point · beach · Southland · ~2 km
- Ransom Point · beach · Southland · ~4 km
- Fisherman Bay · beach · Southland · ~4 km
- Tapuwae / Landing Bay · beach · Southland · ~4 km
- Shoal Point · beach · Southland · ~5 km
- Lake Esau · lake · Southland · ~5 km
Other lakes, dams & reservoirs near Lake Hector
- Lake Manapouri · lake · Southland · ~113 km · Must-see
- Lake Thomas · lake · Southland · ~1 km
- Lake Esau · lake · Southland · ~5 km
- Lake Dobson · lake · Southland · ~5 km
- Lake Caesar · lake · Southland · ~6 km
- Lake Rimmer · lake · Southland · ~10 km
- Lake Fraser · lake · Southland · ~13 km
- Lake Macarthur · lake · Southland · ~13 km
- Lake Forster · lake · Southland · ~26 km
- Lake Cadman · lake · Southland · ~26 km
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · © GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) · Wikidata (CC0)
Frequently asked
Is Lake Hector full? Are the gates open?
No visitor has reported the water level status for Lake Hector yet. Typical pattern: moderate; weekends busier. Busiest: Weekends and long holidays.
What is the best time to visit Lake Hector?
August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open. Moderate; weekends busier.
What are the places to visit near Lake Hector?
Nearby: Chalky Inlet (beach, 10 km), Te Waituna / West Cape (beach, 14 km), Rakituma / Preservation Inlet (beach, 24 km), Tawhitiwhiti-roro / Puysegur Point (beach, 26 km), Mount Sparrman (viewpoint, 28 km), Te Tapuwae o Hua (Long Sound) Marine Reserve (sanctuary, 30 km).
Is Lake Hector worth visiting?
Lake Hector is listed as a notable lake in Southland on Spotwander.