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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: -43.18543, 172.01312. 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
- Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time
- 2 days
- Track grade
- Advanced
- Location
- Oxford Forest Conservation Area
- Dog access
- Dogs on a leash only. 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
Walk to Black Hill Hut on one of these tracks or combine them to make a circuit.
This DOC directory entry covers Black Hill Hut tracks in Canterbury, within Oxford Forest Conservation Area. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time: 2 days
- DOC grade: Advanced
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.
Dog access
Dogs on a leash only. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
These tracks can be combined with the Wharfedale Track to create a loop from Lees Valley.
Lees Valley Road to Black Hill Hut (Black Hill Track)
Time: 3 hr from Townshend Track
From the end of Townshend Track, climb a beech-covered ridgeline to Black Hill Hut.
From Wharfedale Hut, it's 20–30 min to Black Hill Track.
Getting to the start of the Townshend Track
From Oxford, follow Ashely Gorge Road for 6 km. Turn into Lees Valley Road and follow this for 20 km to the DOC sign.
View Hill car park to Black Hill Hut
Time: 3 hr from Wharfedale Track
Turn off the Wharfedale Track north of the saddle between the Eyre and Townshend catchments and climb steeply onto the ridge between Foster and Dobson Streams.
Getting to the start of the Wharfedale Track
4 km south of Oxford, turn off SH72 (Inland Scenic Route) onto Woodstock Road. Follow this for 10 km then turn into Ingrams Road, then into Limeworks Road, which becomes Perhams Road. An AA sign here indicates the turn-off to the start of the Wharfedale Track where the View Hill car park is located.
In times of heavy rain two fords on Perhams Road may become impassable and the road may be muddy. 4WD vehicles are advisable.
Getting there
These tracks are accessed from Oxford.
Know before you go
NZTopo50 map sheet: BW22
Wasp warning
Wasp populations reach high numbers from January to April – wear light-coloured clothing and carry antihistamine cream/tablets as a precaution.
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.
