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Key facts
- Distance
- 1.6 km loop
- Walking time
- 30 min
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Catchpool Valley & Ōrongorongo Valley / Remutaka Forest Park
- Seasonal restrictions
- The gate to Catchpool valley is open: 6 am – 8 pm from 28 September until 7 April 6 am – 6 pm from 8 April until 27 September
- 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 through a nikau grove and podocarp/broadleaf forest.
This DOC directory entry covers Catchpool Loop Walk in Wellington, within Catchpool Valley & Ōrongorongo Valley / Remutaka 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: 1.6 km loop
- Walking time: 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.
Seasonal restrictions
The gate to Catchpool valley is open: 6 am – 8 pm from 28 September until 7 April 6 am – 6 pm from 8 April until 27 September
Dog access
Dogs on a leash only. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
This pleasant and easy walk begins below the carpark area, just beyond the bridge across Catchpool Stream. It leads upstream through a nikau grove and mature podocarp/broadleaf forest to another bridge and the Ōrongorongo Track.
The loop is completed by returning down the Orongorongo Track.
Getting there
Catchpool valley is 12 km south of Wainuiomata. Follow the Coast Road for 10 km to the Remutaka Forest Park entrance, then follow the Catchpool valley road for 2 km to the car park and information area.
If the water is flowing over the ford on the road, park before the ford and use the Nga Taonga Nature Walk to reach the car park.
From the car park go to the downhill side, across the lawn and across the footbridge, to the start of the loop.
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.
