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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: -44.22968, 169.23269. 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
- 700 m loop
- Walking time
- 15 min
- Track grade
- Easiest
- Location
- Makarora area / Mount Aspiring 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 loop walk through native forest.
This DOC directory entry covers Makarora Bush Walk in Otago, within Makarora area / Mount Aspiring 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: 700 m loop
- Walking time: 15 min
- 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
This nature walk passes through podocarp and silver beech forest with mataī, miro, kahikatea and rimu. Another feature is a pitsaw display, illustrating this pioneering timber milling technique.
Getting there
The car park is located by the DOC office in Makarora township along the Haast Highway (SH6), 60 km north of Wanaka.
Know before you go
There are toilet facilities in Makarora township.
No visitor centre in Makarora
Contact the Awarua/Haast or Tititea/Mount Aspiring National Park visitor centres instead.
No drones
Flying a drone without a permit is strictly prohibited.
Drone use on conservation land
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.
