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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: -41.10512, 172.10389. 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
- Various to 2 hr return
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Kahurangi National Park / Karamea area
- 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
Enjoy beautiful nīkau forest on these easy walks from Kōhaihai Campsite.
This DOC directory entry covers Kōhaihai area short walks in Tasman, within Kahurangi National Park / Karamea 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: Various to 2 hr return
- 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.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
Scotts Beach
Time: 2 hr returnDistance: 7 km return
Take this walk for a good taste of the Heaphy Track’s coastal section. Cross the suspension bridge over the Kōhaihai River and continue over the Kōhaihai Bluff to the first palm-fringed beach. A short side track at the top of the bluff leads to a spectacular viewpoint.
Return the same way.
Nikau Walk
Time: 35 min returnDistance: 1.3 km return
Take a leisurely stroll through forest featuring nīkau palms, creeping kiekie and graceful kātote/tree ferns. After crossing the Kōhaihai suspension bridge, take the right branch of the track that leads through groves of nīkau palms before emerging on to the main part of the track.
Turn left here to complete the loop back to Kōhaihai via the suspension bridge, or return the same way, through the nīkau palms.
Kōhaihai Lookout Track
Time: 10 min returnDistance: 200 m return
The track climbs a hill behind the shelter at the picnic area to a lookout point, providing a coastal panorama.
Getting there
These walks start from Kōhaihai Campsite, at the end of the Karamea-Kōhaihai Road, 16 km north of Karamea.
Know before you go
We strongly recommend that people do not swim along the Heaphy coastline, including at Scotts Beach and Kōhaihai River mouth, due to extreme tidal currents and rips.
If you wish to swim, the better option is the lagoon in the Kōhaihai River, upstream from the river mouth. Stay well back from the neck of the lagoon, where it narrows and exits into the sea. Be very careful when there are high tides or big waves.
The track near the Kōhaihai suspension bridge can sometimes be flooded or have waves wash over it during storms, floods or high tides.
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.
