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Key facts
- Distance
- 5 km one way
- Walking time
- 2 hr one way
- Track grade
- Advanced
- Location
- Rock and Pillar Conservation Area
- Seasonal restrictions
- Closed to vehicles 1 May – 31 October each year.
- 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 steep access track to the Western Rock and Pillar Conservation Area.
This DOC directory entry covers Western Rock and Pillar Conservation Area access Road in Otago, within Rock and Pillar Conservation 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: 5 km one way
- Walking time: 2 hr one way
- DOC grade: Advanced
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
Closed to vehicles 1 May – 31 October each year.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
Suitable for 4WD vehicles, as well as horse riding and mountain biking, this track climbs a total of 500 m of elevation, steeply at first before easing towards the top. The highest point is 1200 m above sea level and provides good views over the Maniototo Plain.
Access
There is locked access at either end of this 4WD track – one at the car park and one at the hunting block boundary. If you're accessing the block in a 4WD or on horseback, you will need to get a combination for the lock on both gates from the DOC office.
Summer access is open to horse and 4WD (1 November – 30 April). Stay on the formed track. Gate code can be obtain from the DOC office.
Winter access is open to horse only – no 4WD (1 May – 31 October). Gates code is required for horse access, contact Otepoti/Dunedin Office National Park Visitor Centre for information.
There is no public access from the Western Rock and Pillar Conservation Area to the main Rock and Pillar Conservation Area.
Getting there
Access is south of Waipiata, via Orangapai and Hamilton Diggings along Hamilton Diggings Road. The car park is 1 km past Hamilton Diggings. From here the marked 4WD track climbs for about 3 km to the hunting block boundary.
Know before you go
Weather: The Rock and Pillar Conservation Area is very exposed and subject to extreme temperatures – hot and dry in summer, freezing cold and covered in snow in winter.
Avalanches: Avalanche terrain is classified as 'simple' at the northern end of the Rock and Pillar Range and on the tops, and 'complex' on the eastern faces. If you plan to be in this area in winter or spring be avalanche alert.
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.
