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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: -42.20637, 173.05930. 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 km return via same track
- Walking time
- 4 hr
- Track grade
- Intermediate
- Location
- Molesworth Recreation Reserve
- Seasonal restrictions
- Acheron Road is open 7 am – 7 pm daily from 1 October to Easter Monday or the second Sunday in April – whichever is later. Acheron Road can close without warning.
- 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 2 hour walk to the summit of Pudding Hill.
This DOC directory entry covers Pudding Hill Track in Marlborough, within Molesworth Recreation Reserve. 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 km return via same track
- Walking time: 4 hr
- DOC grade: Intermediate
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.
Seasonal restrictions
Acheron Road is open 7 am – 7 pm daily from 1 October to Easter Monday or the second Sunday in April – whichever is later. Acheron Road can close without warning.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
Pudding Hill summit is reached after a 2 hour walk. From here looking south the Acheron River winds its way towards its confluence with the Clarence River. Looking due north the Boddington Range separates Isolated Flat from the Acheron River.
The track standard is a tramping track and is marked with poles. The track is suitable for mountain biking.
If you plan walking to the summit of Pudding Hill, start your day early to allow the necessary time to take in this half day walk.
Getting there
Take the Clarence Valley Road from Hanmer Springs (via Jacks Pass Road). Turn right onto Tophouse Road, this becomes the Acheron Road. Continue for 17 km to then cross the Clarence River. The start of the track is further along Acheron Road.
Note: vehicle access to Acheron Accommodation House is not available when the Acheron Road is closed (chain across bridge).
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.
