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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: -42.11440, 171.35433. 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
- 7 km return via same track
- Walking time
- 1 hr 30 min
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Paparoa 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
The Pororari River Track is the pedestrian entry/exit for the Paparoa Great Walk. It follows a spectacular limestone gorge.
This DOC directory entry covers Pororari River Track in West Coast, within Paparoa 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: 7 km return via same track
- Walking time: 1 hr 30 min
- 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
The track is the pedestrian entry/exit for the Paparoa Great Walk. It follows a spectacular limestone gorge with two main features – a river with huge rocks set amongst deep pools, and beautiful forest featuring subtle changes from subtropical to temperate.
A 15-minute gentle stroll from the car park brings you to a seat and a lookout, with spectacular views of the river gorge and its magnificent limestone cliffs. From this point on, the track narrows and the gradients become a little steeper. This area is subject to rockfalls so don't linger in this section. The track will continue for another 2.5 km until it meets the Inland Pack Track.
Five minutes beyond this junction, following beside the river, the track leads to a suspension bridge – an ideal place for a rest and a photo stop before retracing your steps back to the car park.
For the more adventurous, the Paparoa Great Walk continues upstream of the Pororari suspension bridge with the Paparoa hut a further 3-4 hrs up the track.
Getting there
Start from the car park by the Pororari River bridge, 1 km north of the Paparoa National Park Visitor Centre on SH6.
Know before you go
Hunters may be within the area of the lower and upper sections of the Pororari River track - take care.
Heavy rain will cause the lower and upper section of the track to possibly become impassable. Before you go into the area check the Paparoa National Park weather forecast – NIWA website.
Bullock Creek Road can often flood. Do not go into the area via this road during heavy rain.
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.
