Walks and Hikes in Greymouth
Greymouth is a wonderful place to stretch your legs on the West Coast. Not only does the town have a wealth of walks taking in the coast, urban and forest scenery accessible from the town, but it’s only a short drive to a fantastic choice of scenic hikes. Discover relics from the mining era in Nelson Creek or the Brunner Mine, enjoy a full-day or a multi-day adventure on the Croesus Track, and more! Get inspired for your next outdoor adventure with this list of the best walks in Greymouth.
While you’re here, you might also be interested in 10 Fun Things to Do in Greymouth.
1. Greymouth Floodwall to Blaketown Tiphead (30-45 Minutes One Way)
An easy walk within Greymouth town, follow the floodwall alongside the Grey River towards the river mouth. Features of the walk include a memorial for the 300 men who died in West Coast mining disasters, historic cranes and birdwatching at the sandbar. It’s worth walking all the way to Blaketown Tiphead, otherwise known as the Southern Breakwater Viewing Platform, by crossing the Preston Road bridge. The viewpoint offers spectacular views across to Aoraki Mt Cook on a clear day. See more activities like this in the 10 Free & Cheap Things to Do in Greymouth.
Location: Start opposite the i-SITE
© Jane Nearing on Flickr2. Omutumutu Bush Walk (25-minute Loop)
Get a quick dose of forest right in the Greymouth urban area on the Omotumotu Bush Walk. This is the last substantial area of native forest remaining in Greymouth. There is a lookout over the forest to enjoy along the way.
Location: Marsden Road
© NZPocketGuide.com3. Lion’s Walk (10-minute Return)
Walk into the Rapahoe Range Scenic Reserve for excellent views of Greymouth, the coastline and the Southern Alps. It’s a steady uphill climb but short enough.
Location: Weld Street, Cobden
© amanderson2 on Flickr4. Coal Creek Falls (1-hour Return)
Take this forest track to see Coal Creek Falls. The track leads down into the Coal Creek Valley and attractive West Coast forest. The falls look particularly impressive after heavy rain – which is a common occurrence on this side of New Zealand!
Location: From Greymouth, follow State Highway 6 northeast for 8km (5 miles) to Runanga. Turn right down Seddon Street and right into Ballance Street. Park at the car park at the end of the street.
© Richard Meutstege on Flickr5. Brunner Mine Site (20-40 Minutes Return)
The Brunner Mine Memorial is the site of New Zealand’s worst industrial disaster where an explosion in the mines killed around 60 miners. Learn about the history of the mine through the interpretation panels and the remains on the archaeological site. There are a number of short walks to meander on, so allow up to 40 minutes. See more attractions like this in our 10 Interesting Historical Places on the West Coast.
Location: State Highway 7, 11km (7 miles) east of Greymouth
© NZPocketGuide.com6. Point Elizabeth Track (1h45min One Way)
Get some awesome rugged coastal views and learn about the history of the area on the Point Elizabeth Walkway. The Point Elizabeth Walkway is a well-surfaced walk running through coastal forest to a rocky lookout offering views of the Southern Alps and along the West Coast.
Location: North Beach Road, Cobden
© Andrew and Annemarie on Flickr7. Croesus Track (1-2 Days)
The Croesus Track follows an old miners’ pack track with a variety of side trips. The walk features beautiful beech forest, a swing bridge and the Ces Clark Hut (4-5 hours) where you’ll get rewarding views over Lake Brunner and the Southern Alps. From here, you can either extend your walk 45 minutes to Garden Gully for historic mining relics or an 8-hour return hike to Croesus Knob for more spectacular views. Walkers staying in the Ces Clark Hut can extend their walk the next day to Barrytown (4-5 hours).
Location: 30km (19 miles) northeast of Greymouth. Drive 1km past Blackball, follow the road to Roa mine with a signpost pointing right to the Smoke-ho car park and to the start of Croesus Track.
© Allie_Caulfield on Flickr8. Nelson Creek Walks (20-40 Minutes Return)
Near the town of Ngahere, explore the fascinating mining location of Nelson Creek. A number of walks can be found here taking you through tunnels, to see historic water races and gold panning areas. Choose from the Callaghans Track (30 minutes one way) to a lookout point over forested valleys, the Tailrace Walk (20 minutes return) to see old gold workings, and the Colls Dam Walk (40 minutes loop) with a lookout over the dam.
Location: 31km (19 miles) east of Greymouth, State Highway 7 then Nelson Creek Road.
© Pseudopanax at English Wikipedia9. King Domain Walk (1h30min Return)
Another fantastic walk accessible from Greymouth town, the King Domain Walk zig-zags to four different lookouts. Be aware that there are potholes formed in some of the surrounding limestone, so don’t stray off the track.
Location: Mount Street
© amanderson2 on Flickr10. Rakaitane Track (45-minute Loop)
Finally, for more fantastic hiking and walking trails, we recommend taking a trip to Lake Brunner and Moana. One of the highlights is the Rakaitane Track going through some stunning forest between Lake Brunner and the Arnold River. Check out 10 Hikes Around Lake Brunner for more hikes.
Location: 37km (23 miles) east of Greymouth on the Arnold Valley Road. Start from the Arnold River swingbridge, Moana.
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