Lake Wardell is a small lake with a freedom campsite amongst pine trees 2 km along State Highway 8 southwest of Lake Pukaki. There is a signpost, but it is easy to overlook.
The site is quite pretty and also borders the Pukaki Canal. From the canal, you can also easily access Pukaki Flats, a popular and easy section of the Alps2Ocean Cycle Trail that links Lake Pukaki to Twizel.
A little further southwest of Lake Wardell, accessed from the Pukaki Canal road, is Lake Poaka and campsite.
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