Tracks & Trails

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has secured another $1.92m to repair and upgrade closed sections of the region’s Great Rides network.

The Department of Conservation and Ngāti Hei are once again urging the public to respect warnings and a rāhui around the walking tracks at Coromandel Cove.

A new booking system is being put in place for Tongariro Alpine Crossing visitors, although it will be voluntary for the 2023/24 season.

Work is set to begin to upgrade a key walking and cycling route into Queenstown.

The latest section of the Clutha Gold Cycling and Walking Trail is now open to the public.

The Department of Conservation has closed a 60-metre section of the Hongi Hika track at Kerikeri due to dangers from tree fall.

Construction of a walking track spanning the length of Te Kūiti in the King Country and connecting to the Te Araroa Trail is underway.

The Department of Conservation has closed 15 tracks in the Kaimai Ranges after the detection of the pathogen that causes kauri dieback disease.

The first sod has been turned on a new hiking and cycling trail connecting Tūroa on Mt Ruapehu with Ohakune.

The Department of Conservation is upgrading one of Rakiura Stewart Island’s most popular viewing spots with a new platform and safety barrier.

The Department of Conservation is seeking assistance with identifying the riders of three quad bikes who illegally rode through and got stuck along the Wilkies Pools Track at Egmont National Park in May.

The unique floating coffee and burger stop on the popular Lake Dunstan Cycle and Walking Trail is up for sale.

Around 500 tracks and visitor sites were damaged by extreme weather over summer.

The Department of Conservation and Auckland Council are warning the public that many tracks remain closed in and around the Waitākere Ranges despite the road cordon to Muriwai being lifted.

The shared pathway around Dunedin and Otago Harbour has been named Te Aka Ōtākou, which means ‘The Otago Vine’.

Mauao Mt Maunganui is facing more temporary closures next week to protect culturally and historically-significant locations on the base track, Te Ara Tūtanga.

The first stage of Northland’s Kaihu Valley Trail has been officially opened.

The Te Āpiti – Manawatū Gorge walking track has been temporarily closed and a rāhui placed on it until 22 June.

The Department of Conservation is temporarily closing three popular walking bridges in the Wānaka area for safety reasons. 

The Canterbury Aoraki/Mount Cook Loop has been named the second-best hike in the world, according to Explore! Worldwide.

Eight Department of Conservation campsites around the Coromandel’s Kauaeranga Valley are closed this month while they undergo repairs.

Nelson City Council and Ngāti Koata are working through a plan to establish long-term recreation access across iwi-owned land popular for more cyclists and walkers.

The Department of Conservation has closed Taranaki Maunga’s Around the Mountain Circuit until further notice due to severe storm damage and constant erosion.

Bill Gilbertson has been recognised for his work and dedication to Nelson’s Great Taste Trail and access improvements to the Abel Tasman National Park.

DOC is seeking feedback on a proposal by Tuatapere Hump Track Charitable Trust for a lease, licence and easement in the Fiordland National Park and Waikoau Forest Conservation Area.

Taupō’s Craters Mountain Bike Park is likely to be closed for at least six months because it is not safe, says the region’s district council.

Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa Outdoor Access Commission is providing funding and support for further developments to Mountain Safety Council’s (MSC) Plan My Walk app.

Visitors to Wither Hills Farm Park in Marlborough are being urged to take care and be aware of fire risks.

Visitors to Department of Conservation huts, tracks and campsites on conservation land are urged to check the availability of sites before they set off on their journeys.

All conservation land is off limits to the public in Auckland, while campsites around the Coromandel have also been closed.

The final section of the Te Awa River Ride linking Hamilton and the Waikato is now in place, completing the 65-kilometre cycle, walking and scooter path.

Connector trails between Westport’s Buller Bridge and Victoria Square are due to be completed by the end of the month.

A new walkway linking the Mahia Peninsula’s eastern and western sides will open to the public on Thursday.

The Department of Conservation is keeping the 1.2 kilometre Omaha Cove Walkway north of Auckland closed for the summer due to a landslide earlier this month that damaged the track.

An almost fully-booked summer is ahead for Hollyford Wilderness Experience, and with newly-renovated accommodation, back-end investments and a win at the New Zealand Tourism Awards, there is much to get on with.

Ultimate Hikes has officially opened its 2022/23 hiking season and is marking its 30th year of operation on the popular Milford Track.

The experience could generate $161m in West Coast visitor spend over its initial 25 years.

The warning comes after two people were rescued from the Tongariro Alpine Crossing on Sunday after they became exhausted and realised the track was beyond their abilities.

The Department of Conservation has closed the Central North Island’s Arataki Track in Pureroa Forest Park due to landslip and erosion damage.

The Department of Conservation has closed the Mangapohue Natural Bridge Walk in the Waikato region due to erosion risk.

Consent is being sought from the Department of Conservation for the development of a walking and cycling trail on the southern slopes of Mt Ruapehu.

The Taranaki Crossing visitor centre is set to undergo a $2.9m redevelopment as work gets underway to improve the experience for people traversing 41 kilometres of tracks in the region.

The Paparoa Track Great Walk came through last week’s rainstorms relatively unscathed but the access road on the Blackball side is damaged.

The Hooker Valley Track in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park has been closed from its first swing bridge due to recent erosion.

Sorry, you do not have authorisation to view this page! If you would like to view the content on this page you will need to be a Tourism Ticker member. MORE »

Construction is about to get underway on a connector trail that will link the Buller Bridge with the Toki Poutangata Bridge.

Sections of Tauranga’s Mt Maunganui Mauao will be closed to the public next week as works get underway to place new wayfinding signage and cultural touchpoints across the mountain.

The first phase of the Ngā Ara Tipuna history trail in Central Hawke’s Bay is now complete.

The Department of Conservation has been granted additional capability to consider bicycle trail proposals across public conservation land in Otago.

The exact cap is still to be determined but local iwi has suggested 800, says DOC.