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Canterbury · Hiking

Pukaki Boulders Track: Walking Guide, Time & Access

A walker seen from behind carrying a grey and orange backpack, with hills in the background.

Illustrative photograph. General backpacking illustration; location unverified. This is not a photograph of the named route or evidence of its terrain, condition or difficulty.

Photo: Cody Black / Unsplash License / Details

Pukaki Boulders Track in Canterbury: A short walk to the Pukaki Boulders.

Last checked 8 October 2026 · Department of Conservation

By Outdoor Next Editorial standards

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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 information
Location source

DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route.

Reference point: -44.14704, 170.11224. 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
200 m one way
Walking time
10 min one way
Track grade
Easiest
Location
Lake Pukaki area
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 short walk to the Pukaki Boulders.

This DOC directory entry covers Pukaki Boulders Track in Canterbury, within Lake Pukaki 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: 200 m one way
  • Walking time: 10 min one way
  • 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

A short track leads to the Pukaki Boulders. These large boulders are glacial erratics deposited by the huge glacier that dominated the area over 12,000 years ago.

Getting there

Access is along the Aoraki/Mt Cook Road (SH80), approximately 5 km from the SH8 turnoff. A signpost and stile are on the Lake Pukaki side of the highway.

Know before you go

Map: NZTopo50 BZ15 Twizel, BZ16 Dover Pass

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.

Sources & official links

  1. 1.Pukaki Boulders Track: official route information— Department of Conservation
  2. 2.DOC walking and tramping directory— Department of Conservation

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