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Location & access
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route. Check the official route directions before travel.
Official location informationLocation source
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route.
Reference point: -40.87539, 175.23029. WGS84 coordinates retained at the official service's returned precision; decimal resolution is not survey accuracy. Source positional accuracy is not specified.
DOC Maps walking and tramping reference point (WGS84), exact official-page GUID / Department of Conservation. Checked 2026-10-12.
Key facts
- Distance
- 3.5 km loop
- Walking time
- 50 min
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Ōtaki Forks area / Tararua Forest Park
- Dog access
- Dogs allowed. Keep dog under control at all times. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Checked against official sources on 8 October 2026. Rules and conditions are set by Department of Conservation — confirm with them before you go.
Route overview
This is an easy loop track near Ōtaki. This track is part of Te Araroa Trail.
This DOC directory entry covers Arcus Loop Track in Wellington, within Ōtaki Forks area / Tararua Forest Park. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 3.5 km loop
- Walking time: 50 min
- DOC grade: Easy
Access and alerts
Source checked 2026-10-08. This page is a dated snapshot, not a live track-status report. Check current DOC route information immediately before travelling. An absence of listed alerts does not establish that a route is open.
- Predator control Tararua Forest Park; First published on 3 March 2026. Last reviewed on 21 May 2026.
Dog access
Dogs allowed. Keep dog under control at all times. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
This track is part of Te Araroa Trail.
The Arcus Loop commemorates the Arcus family who farmed the Ōtaki Forks locality from the 1930s.
The walk begins on Boielle Flat and crosses the Waiotauru River footbridge, then works its way across the river terraces and gullies as it climbs to join the Field Track. There are good views of the campground and river.
Getting there
Ōtaki Forks is 19 km inland from Ōtaki township – approximately 1 hr 30 min drive from Wellington or Palmerston North. The easiest turnoff from SH1 is at Ōtaki Gorge Road, just south of the SH1 bridge over the Ōtaki River.
Sources and reuse
Route descriptions and practical information reproduced from the Department of Conservation, Crown copyright, under CC BY 4.0, subject to DOC's copyright policy. Formatting has been adapted, including flattening page sections; follow the original DOC page for maps, section-specific layout, current notices and linked documents. Outdoor Next is independent and is not endorsed by DOC.
The accompanying photograph is a licensed general hiking illustration, not a photograph of this route.
