By Outdoor Next Editorial standards
On this page
Key facts
- Distance
- 200 m one way
- Walking time
- 10 min
- Track grade
- Easiest
- Location
- Ross area
- Dog access
- Dogs with a DOC permit only. Contact closest DOC office to get a permit. 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
Discover old gold mining relics on this short walk in the Ross Goldfields area.
This DOC directory entry covers Ross Historic Cemetery Walk in West Coast, within Ross 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
- 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
Dogs with a DOC permit only. Contact closest DOC office to get a permit. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
This short walk starts from the top end of St James Street and is part of the Ross Goldfield Water Race Walkway. The track zigzags steeply uphill for a few minutes before entering the historic cemetery.
Here you will find many interesting headstones that portray the harshness of life in the early mining days.
Getting there
Ross township is 30 km south of Hokitika on SH6. Start this walk from Ross Goldfields Information and Heritage Centre at the end of Aylmer Street, where you can check for up-to-date track conditions.
Know before you go
Gold fossicking
Ross has an extensive gold mining history. Relics of the gold rush are apparent throughout the Historic Goldfields area.
Jones Creek, next to the Mount Greenland Road, is where you can fossick for gold. Signs on site show the area and the fossicking rules that apply.
Call in and ask at the Ross Goldfields Information and Heritage Centre for further information.
You can only fossick for gold in designated areas. Only hand-held tools are allowed. More on gold fossicking areas and rules.
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.
