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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: -43.38461, 170.16610. 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
- 3.2 km - 6.3 km return via same track
- Walking time
- 1 hr - 1 hr 40
- Track grade
- Easiest
- Location
- Franz Josef Glacier/Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere / Westland Tai Poutini National Park
- 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 short climb with rewarding views of the glacier, mountains and river flats.
This DOC directory entry covers Canavans Knob Walk in West Coast, within Franz Josef Glacier/Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere / Westland Tai Poutini National 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: 3.2 km - 6.3 km return via same track
- Walking time: 1 hr - 1 hr 40
- DOC grade: Easiest
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
The first 800 metres of track is along the river stop bank.
A short, but steady climb then takes you through rainforest to the top of this granite outcrop, where you will get commanding views of the sea and lowlands to one side, and up the Waiho River to the glacier and Southern Alps Kā Tiritiri o te Moana from the other.
The granite of Canavans Knob is much older than the schist rocks of the glacier valley across the Alpine Fault Line, and therefore it survived the scraping of glacier ice 9000 years ago.
Getting there
1.2 kilometres south of Franz Josef/Waiau turn right into a sign-posted car park and the start of the Canavans Knob Walk.
Time from car park: 1 hr returnDistance from car park: 3.2 km return
Alternatively, walk from Franz Josef across the Waiho River Bridge and turn sharp right onto a stop bank. Halfway along the stop bank follow the track marker pegs off the stop bank, across the creek and onto the next section of stop bank where you continue to the start of the Canavans Knob Walk.
Time from Franz Josef/Waiau township: 1 hr 40 min returnDistance from Franz Josef/Waiau township: 6.3 km return
Know before you go
Check the current track conditions and weather forecasts at the Westland Tai Poutini National Park Visitor Centre before starting your trip.
Always take warm and waterproof clothing as the weather can change rapidly.
Carry drinking water, insect repellent and sun protection at all times.
History and culture
The knob was named after Richard Canavan, a prominent businessman at Okarito in the height of the gold rush. Canavan walked past Franz Josef in 1872 with the then New Zealand Premier, Sir William Fox.
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.
