Peregrine Loop Track: Walking Guide, Time & Access

Route overview

The Peregrine Loop Track is a walking and mountain biking track with excellent views of Kawarau Gorge and goldmining heritage sites.

This DOC directory entry covers Peregrine Loop Track in Otago, within Arrowtown 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: 2.7 km loop
• Walking time: 1 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

Dogs on a leash only. Other pets on conservation land rules.

Description

The Peregrine loop track is best started from the Peregrine Winery and can be tackled in either direction. As the track heads away from the Peregrine Winery it traverses river terraces where traces of historic gold workings can be observed. It then descends steeply towards the lower river terraces for some time, before climbing back to the higher top terrace and looping back to the winery carpark.

As the track meanders along the upper and lower river terraces, many points of interest are highlighted along the way by interpretation signs. Take the time to stop and learn of the history, landscape and ecology of this interesting site.

Along the way the track crosses 11 arched timber bridges to protect archaeological sites dating from the earliest days of Otago's mining era. This includes a collapsed mining tunnel and several large tailraces. Two steel truss bridges cross the deep chasm of Camp Creek on the eastern end.

Getting there

Start the track from Peregrine Winery, just outside Gibbston on SH6.

Know before you go

What to expect

• steep uphill and downhill sections

• tight corners

• good signposting though patchy cell phone reception

• walkers (including dog-walkers) and bikers sharing the track

• hot and dry weather in summer; cold temperatures and chance of ice in winter.

Skills/experience needed

Peregrine Loop Track is a Grade 4–5 advanced mountain biking track with exposed sections and tight switchbacks. If you are not comfortable riding an advanced trail, stay on the wider Grade 2 sections of the Queenstown Trail.

Plan and prepare

If you are riding the track, choose a mountain bike or gravel bike rather than a road bike.

Watch children closely, as there are several steep drops and exposed sections close to the track edge.

Pack water, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a sunhat (for walkers) or a helmet visor (for bikers) in summer. In winter, carry plenty of warm and waterproof clothing, and footwear with good grip – it gets very cold and potentially icy in winter.

You can combine this trail with other nearby bike trails for a longer ride. It is connected to, but not part of, the Queenstown Trail Great Ride. Visit the site for more information and trail updates.

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.