By Outdoor Next Editorial standards
On this page
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: -43.16065, 172.33020. 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
- 5 hr one way
- Track grade
- Expert
- Location
- Mount Thomas 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
Visit a cute bivvy with an unusual curved roof.
This DOC directory entry covers **Bob’s Camp Bivouac Route ** in Canterbury, within Mount Thomas 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: 5 hr one way
- DOC grade: Expert
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.
- Treefall in Mount Thomas Conservation Area; First published on 28 September 2026.
Dog access
Dogs on a leash only. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
Wooded Gully picnic area to Ridge Track junction: 3 hr
From Wooded Gully Picnic Area, follow Wooded Gully Track until you reach the saddle at the head of the valley.
Turn left and follow Ridge Track until you reach the sign marking the start of Bob’s Camp Bivouac Route.
From Ridge Track junction to Bob's Camp Biv: 2 hr
From the sign follow the marked route along the ridgeline, dropping steeply into beech forest. Follow the undulating route northwest along the ridgeline until you reach a tussock clearing above Cattle Peak Stream. From here follow the poled route down to Bob's Camp Biv.
Water can be obtained from the upper tributaries of the Cattle Peak Stream east of the biv.
Getting there
From Oxford, follow Ashley Gorge Road for 13 km to Glentui. Continue on Birch Hill Road for 6 km then turn into Hayland Road and follow this for 4 km to the end.
Birch Hill Road can also be accessed from Rangiora via Loburn.
Know before you go
NZTopo50 map sheet: BW23 (Cust)
You will need to ford a small stream close to the beginning of the track when walking in a clockwise direction, as the bridge has been removed.
Wasp populations reach high numbers from January to March – 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.
