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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: -39.28980, 175.84358. 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
- Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time
- 10 - 12 hr
- Track grade
- Expert
- Location
- Kaimanawa Forest Park
- 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
This route, bordering New Zealand Defence Force land, heads from the Desert Road through to the Otamateanui Stream and Rangitikei River confluence.
This DOC directory entry covers Southern Access Corridor in Central North Island, within Kaimanawa Forest 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: Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time: 10 - 12 hr
- DOC grade: Expert
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.
- Deer control operation at Kaimanawa Remote Experience Zone; First published on 29 September 2026.
Dog access
Dogs with a DOC permit only. Contact closest DOC office to get a permit. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
The route is poled as far as the bushline above Otamateanui Stream. A marked track descends through the beech forest steeply into Otamateanui Stream.
Note: Most of this route follows the army land boundary, so keep to this route for your own safety.
Getting there
42 km south of Tūrangi, near the Desert Road summit on SH1, a car park and signpost indicate the start of the access corridor.
Know before you go
This is a remote wilderness experience; when planning a trip in this area, read Kaimanawa Forest Park: know before you go.
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.
