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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: -35.17604, 173.27241. 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
- 4 km return via same track
- Walking time
- 1 hr 30 min
- Track grade
- Expert
- Location
- Herekino Forest
- Dog access
- Dogs with a DOC permit for recreational hunting or management purposes 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
Kaitaia Walkway is closed.
This DOC directory entry covers Kaitaia Walkway in Northland, within Herekino Forest. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 4 km return via same track
- Walking time: 1 hr 30 min
- 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.
- Kaitaia Walkway closed; First published on 12 October 2021. Last reviewed on 16 September 2026.
Dog access
Dogs with a DOC permit for recreational hunting or management purposes only. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
Start by following the Kaitaia Walkway - short walk.
From there you can continue the Kaitaia Walkway on a route. The track climbs up to a saddle with a good lookout, and continues on to Veza Road.
Getting there
You can find the walkway entrance by travelling south from Kaitaia on SH 1 for about 3 km. Turn right onto Larmer Road and follow it to its end. The track is signposted.
The exit of the walkway is at Veza Road, off Diggers Valley Road.
History and culture
The Kaitaia Walkway is a tribute to local ancestors. Dug by hand during the early part of the 20th century, it was originally planned as a road in from Kaitaia to Diggers Valley. The gentle grade, even over the saddle is a tribute to the ability of the early surveyors.
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.
