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Key facts
- Distance
- 3.8 km loop
- Walking time
- 1 hr 30 min
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Blenheim area
- Dog access
- No dogs. 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
A loop track in Pukatea/Whites Bay with views of Cook Strait.
This DOC directory entry covers Black Jack Track in Marlborough, within Blenheim 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: 3.8 km loop
- Walking time: 1 hr 30 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.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
From Whites Bay, the track climbs to a superb viewpoint on the edge of a bluff where Te Whanganui/Port Underwood, Cook Strait and Cape Campbell can be seen. Children need to be closely supervised here. Return the same way or complete a longer, loop option by winding slowly down through regenerating forest.
The bridge at the start of the track has been removed. Take care crossing the creek, its waterflow is changeable. There are several slips – all are passable with care.
Mountain biking
Grade: 3/Intermediate, 4/AdvancedDistance: 1.9 km section of Black Jack TrackTime: 20 min approximately
Mountain bikers are allowed to use part of the Black Jack Track to access the Mount Robertson Loop Track. You must only travel uphill on the left hand branch (looking up the hill from the Whites Bay end) of the track.
Getting there
Follow SH1 to Tuamarina (9 km north of Blenheim or 20 km south of Picton). Turn off and head east via Hunter, Pembers and Rarangi Roads to Rarangi, before climbing steeply over rugged hills to where a short side road leads down to the cable station.
Whites Bay is 15 km from Tuamarina. Alternative access involves a 41 km drive from Picton along the historic and spectacular but winding and unsealed Port Underwood Road.
Know before you go
Hot, dry conditions and strong, cold winds are common in this area.
Open fires are not permitted at any of the East Coast reserves and only portable stoves should be used for cooking.
Watch out for wasps, especially in late summer and autumn.
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.
