Cobb Valley Track: Walking Guide, Time & Access

Route overview

Walk up the valley beside the Cobb River to Fenella Hut. There are several huts along the way and plenty of options for swimming, picnicking and fishing.

This DOC directory entry covers Cobb Valley Track in Tasman, within Cobb Valley / Kahurangi 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: 13 km one way
• Walking time: 4–5 hr one way
• 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.

• Predator control in Cobb area of Kahurangi National Park; First published on 15 May 2026. Last reviewed on 1 July 2026.

Seasonal restrictions

4WD is recommended on the access road into the Cobb valley (Cobb Dam Road) in winter, due to ice and/or snow.

Dog access

No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.

Description

A well defined tramping track leads from the road end at Trilobite Hut up the valley, alongside the Cobb River, to Fenella Hut.

Trilobite Hut to Chaffey Hut

Time: 1 hr 30 minDistance: 5 km

Follow the walking track from Trilobite Hut up the Cobb valley for 1 hour 30 minutes to reach the restored historic Chaffey Hut. This is a good option for kids.

Chaffey Hut to Cobb Hut

Time: 2 hr 30 minDistance: 6 km

The tramping track continues up the valley floor, passing the restored Tent Camp. It takes about 2 hours 30 minutes to get to Cobb Hut.

Side trip: Lake Cobb and Round Lake

From Cobb Hut it is a 30-minute walk to Lake Cobb, with Round Lake a further hour beyond that.

Cobb Hut to Fenella Hut

Time: 30 minDistance: 1 km

Beyond Cobb Hut, the track climbs for about 30 minutes to a series of glacier-worn rocky steps to Fenella Hut.

Fenella Hut was built as a memorial to Fenella Druce who was killed in 1977 when the Three Johns Hut was blown over a bluff in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.

Beyond Fenella

Marked and unmarked routes branch off in all directions from here. To the north lies the Douglas Range and a day trip to Kakapo Peak (1783 m) or a 4-day journey to Boulder Lake; to the west is the Tasman Wilderness Area and eastward the Lockett Range, an adventurous return route to the Cobb Dam via Lake Sylvester.

Getting there

The track starts at the head of the Cobb Reservoir. Turn off SH 60 at Upper Tākaka. Follow Cobb Valley Road, then Cobb Dam Road to the end (28 km).

The road is unsealed from the Cobb Power House. The road is narrow, has steep drop offs and can be difficult passing another vehicle – care is required and 4WD is recommended in winter due to ice and or snow.

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.