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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: -43.07628, 172.17286. 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
- 4-5 hr one way
- Track grade
- Advanced
- Location
- Puketeraki Forest Conservation 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
Follows Ashley River to Youngman Stream Hut.
This DOC directory entry covers Youngman Stream Track in Canterbury, within Puketeraki Forest 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: Not confirmed on the checked DOC page; see individual route sections
- Walking time: 4-5 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.
- Fallen trees on Youngman Stream Track; First published on 7 May 2026. Last reviewed on 4 August 2026.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
For about an hour follow a 4WD track through pasture land, crossing the Lillburn River until the cattle yards and marked route to Tent Gully.
Approximately 1 km after Tent Gully, the track leaves the beech forest becoming a marked route, sidling high through tussock, scrub and patches of beech before re-entering the forest and descending to ford the Ashley River about 100 metres from Youngman Stream Hut.
If river levels are low, it's possible to follow Ashely River from Tent Gully to Youngman Stream.
This track connects with Tarn Hut tracks. The Tarn Hut tracks are closed between 1 August and 30 September, and the entire month of April.
Getting there
From Oxford, follow Ashley Gorge Road for 6 km. Turn into Lees Valley Road and follow this for 29 km to a sign and locked gate that indicates the track. It is foot access only from this point. Follow this marked track for 3.5 km to a locked gate, keep to the marked track as this is private farmland.
Know before you go
NZTopo50 map sheet: BV22 (Dampier Corner)
Caution around cattle
Access to the Youngman Stream Track from Lees Valley Road is through a working cattle station.
By accessing this track you are acknowledging that you are entering a working station at your own risk. There will be general hazards related to farming and dangerous cattle may be present.
Do not disturb stock and proceed with caution. Email themuster@grasslands-llc.com for further information.
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.
