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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: -43.24394, 172.08005. 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
- 4.9 km one way
- Walking time
- 4 hr
- Track grade
- Advanced
- Location
- Oxford Forest Conservation Area
- 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
Mt Oxford Track takes you from Coopers Creek car park to the summit of Mt Oxford with good views of the Canterbury Plains and into Lees Valley.
This DOC directory entry covers Mt Oxford Track in Canterbury, within Oxford Forest Conservation 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: 4.9 km one way
- Walking time: 4 hr
- 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.
Dog access
Dogs on a leash only. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
From the car park, cross Coopers Creek and follow the marked track to the bridge over the east branch of Coopers Creek. Climb gradually through scattered pockets of beech forest, and then more steeply through snow tussock.
From the summit of Mt Oxford (1364 m) there are good views of the Canterbury Plains and into Lees Valley.
An alternate descent returns to the car park at View Hill, or you can loop back to Coopers Creek car park via Ryde Falls Track (7-8 hr round trip).
Getting there
2 km south of Oxford, turn off SH72 (Inland Scenic Route) onto Woodside Road. Follow this for 7 km, then turn into Mountain Road and continue to Coopers Creek car park at the end.
Know before you go
NZTopo50 map sheet: BW22
Weather forecast
Mount Oxford weather forecast – NIWA website
Wasp warning
Wasp populations reach high numbers from January to April – wear light-coloured clothing and carry antihistamine cream/tablets as a precaution.
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.
