9 Best Walks in Westport© NZPocketGuide.com
9 Best Walks in Westport

10 Best Walks in Westport

© NZPocketGuide.com

Walks and Hikes in Westport

Those who venture to the northern regions of the West Coast will find some of the best short hikes and day walks on the West Coast! Westport makes a great base for exploring dramatic coastal scenery and mining heritage areas along the nearby hiking trails. Take a short drive to one of the popular day walks, like Cape Foulwind or Charming Creek, or find a myriad of trails accessible from town giving you a great excuse to stretch your legs. So be inspired for your next Westport outing with this list of walks in Westport!

While you’re here, you might also be interested in 10 West Coast Must-Do sand 5 Westport Must-Dos.

1. Cape Foulwind Walk & Seal Colony (15-40 Minutes One Way)

Visit New Zealand’s most accessible seal colony and enjoy the coastal views along the Cape Foulwind Walkway. From the Tauranga Bay car park, walk up a boardwalk to a seal colony playing (or most likely sleeping) on the rocks below a viewing platform. The walk continues to the Cape Foulwind Lighthouse taking up to 40 minutes. The walkway can also be walked in the opposite direction from the car park at the end of Lighthouse Road. Return the same way.

Location: Tauranga Bay or Lighthouse Road, 14km (9 miles) west of Westport.

NZPocketGuide.com© NZPocketGuide.com

2. Charming Creek Walkway (2 Hours One Way)

Walk through a dramatic forested gorge with many impressive waterfalls and mining relics on this old railway line. Charming Creek Walkway is a real adventure with lots to see so complete the whole track or return the same way anytime. The track can be walked or cycled.

Location: Charming Creek Road, Seddonville, 56km (35 miles) north of Westport.

NZPocketGuide.com© NZPocketGuide.com

3. Lake Rochfort (2-3 Hours Return)

Enjoy a walk in the forest on an old power station site. The Lake Rochfort Walk incorporates coast and lake views.

Location: Off State Highway 67 on Powerhouse Road, 10km (6 miles) east of Westport.

NZPocketGuide.com© NZPocketGuide.com

4. Kawatiri Beach Reserve (30 Minutes One Way)

Walk among coastal forest and along the beach on the Kawatiri Beach Reserve trails. There are multiple access points to the walks making it as short as you like. Extend the walk by joining with the Kawatiri River Trails on the junction of North Tiphead, Coates Street and Craddock Drive.

Location: Beach Drive, the junction of North Tiphead, Coates Street or Craddock Drive.

NZPocketGuide.com© NZPocketGuide.com

5. Denniston Plateau (1-12 Hours One Way)

With more than 50km (31 miles) of walking trails, there’s something for everyone at the Denniston Plateau, even mountain bikers. The Brakehead Walk (40 minutes one way) leads to a viewpoint to see a feat of engineering, the Denniston Incline. The Denniston Bridle Path (5 hours return) is a popular option taking in spectacular views and relics of the Denniston mining area. Learn more about the Denniston Plateau in our 10 Interesting Historical Places on the West Coast.

Location: Denniston, 25km (15.5 miles) east of Westport.

Mattinbgn on Wikipedia© Mattinbgn on Wikipedia

6. Constant & Joyce Bays (15-minute Loop)

A great example of the wild coastline of the West Coast, the Constant & Joyce Bays Walk is a short and easy walk. Look out at coastal formations, blowholes and rugged cliffs.

Location: Off State Highway 67, 27km (17 miles) south of Westport.

NZPocketGuide.com© NZPocketGuide.com

7. Tiropahi Tram Track (3-5 Hours Loop)

Follow an old bush tramway past historic milling sites and spectacular limestone bluffs on the Tiropahi Tram Track. Part of the track follows a picturesque river and requires one river crossing.

Location: Off State Highway 67, 27km (17 miles) south of Westport.

TRAILSOURCE.COM on Flickr© TRAILSOURCE.COM on Flickr

8. Millennium Track (20 Minutes One Way)

A short and easy trail accessible from town, The Millenium Track goes through attractive native forest along the edge of the Buller River.

Location: West end of The Esplanade and from the Westport Domain.

NZPocketGuide.com© NZPocketGuide.com

9. Bucklands Peak Track (5 Hours One Way)

Hike into the tremendous alpine landscape of the Lower Buller Gorge on your way to the Bucklands Peak Hut. The track is a marked route which is best done by hikers with backcountry experience.

Location: Off State Highway 6, 6km (4 miles) from Westport.

Pixabay© Pixabay

10. Kawatiri Coastal Trail (30 Minutes+)

The latest addition to Westport’s walking tracks, the Kawatiri Coastal Trail is a 55km (34-mile) trail linking Westport to Charleston. While not complete at the time of writing (2021), a 5km (3.1-mile) section between Westport’s Buller Bridge and Carters Beach is open to the public. This section takes walkers through unique and diverse ecology where spotting weka (a flightless bird) is not uncommon. This page will be updated as more information about the trail becomes available.

Location: Access is from the Buller Bridge Reserve on the corner of The Esplanade and State Highway 6, Westport, and from Marine Parade, Carters Beach.

9 Best Walks in Westport© Carters27 on Wikipedia (Public Domain)

Author

Laura S.

This article has been reviewed and published by Laura, the editor-in-chief and co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. Laura is a first-class honours journalism graduate and a travel journalist with expertise in New Zealand and South Pacific tourism for over 10 years. She also runs travel guides for five of the top destinations in the South Pacific and is the co-host of over 250 episodes of the NZ Travel Show on YouTube.

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