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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: -41.10697, 172.65656. 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
- 5 km one way return via same track
- Walking time
- 2 hr one way
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Cobb Valley / Kahurangi National Park
- Seasonal restrictions
- 4WD is recommended on the access road into the Cobb valley (Cobb Dam Road) in winter, due to ice and/or snow.
- 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
Walk up to Sylvester Hut as day walk or overnight tramp with children - enjoy great views from the hut and explore a series of lakes on the open tops behind the hut.
This DOC directory entry covers Sylvester Hut Track in Tasman, within Cobb Valley / Kahurangi 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: 5 km one way return via same track
- Walking time: 2 hr one way
- 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.
- Predator control in Cobb area of Kahurangi National Park; First published on 15 May 2026. Last reviewed on 1 July 2026.
Seasonal restrictions
4WD is recommended on the access road into the Cobb valley (Cobb Dam Road) in winter, due to ice and/or snow.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
The walking track zigzags up through beech forest and levels as it approaches the open tops. There are a number of lakes, all glacial in origin, within easy and not-so-easy reach of Sylvester Hut.
There are no markers beyond Lake Sylvester.
Getting there
The track starts on Cobb Dam Road, near the Cobb Dam, on route from Upper Takaka to the Cobb Reservoir. The narrow road is unsealed from the powerhouse - care is required and 4WD is recommended in winter due to ice and or snow.
On-demand transport services are available to or from the Cobb - contact the DOC office for details.
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.
