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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: -46.97102, 168.17431. 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
- 1 hr
- Track grade
- Easiest
- Location
- Glory Cove Scenic Reserve / Stewart Island/Rakiura
- 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
Walk a loop track in Glory Cove Scenic Reserve on Stewart Island/Rakura.
This DOC directory entry covers Ocean Beach tracks in Southland, within Glory Cove Scenic Reserve / Stewart Island/Rakiura. 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: 1 hr
- 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
From the wharf on the Paterson inlet side of the reserve there is a one hour loop track which crosses the sandy peninsula to the southern end of Ocean Beach. Sea lions are sometimes on the beach – stay at least 20 metres away from them.
If you walk north along the beach you will find the track which takes you back to the wharf.
Getting there
On Stewart Island/Rakiura, it is located on the southernmost part of the Neck; a narrow peninsula of land which protects the entrance to Paterson Inlet/Whaka a Te Wera.
In Oban you can hire a water-taxi to take you from Golden Bay wharf to Glory Cove Scenic Reserve.
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.
