An epic full guide to dog friendly hikes in canterbury

Since the moment I moved to New Zealand it has amazed me how many people get out hiking.  Whether it’s a bush walk, half day up a mountain or what surprised me most, setting off for a multi-day trek it’s a very popular pastime of Kiwis.   Perhaps now, because I’m immersed in the hiking world it feels like everybody and their dog get their boots on.

Maybe not every dog though because looking around there aren’t quite as many dog friendly hikes not just in Canterbury but the country as a whole. There are however reasons for this.

First and foremost, protecting New Zealand’s vulnerable wildlife is of top priority. Most of the bird populations that can fly are on the decline let alone our winged friends who actually can’t.  When I first came over it was weird to me since I come from a country where dogs most definitely would be more scared of wildlife than the other way around.

I don’t have my own dog here in New Zealand. So you may wonder why I am writing about dog friendly hikes but I have had dogs my entire life and it was only because of the change in our lifestyle moving to New Zealand that we decided a dog was not right for us. Ironically, we have two cats instead. I don’t know who would be more ticked off to turn them into hikers, my cats or DOC so instead, I babysit or join my friends and their pooches.

It seems that the mid part of Canterbury, the Selwyn and Waimakariri districts have the most dog-friendly hikes with a few others dotted around Canterbury. There is good variety within the districts too with a range of bushwalks, easy day hikes and more challenging ones.

I’ve done my best to compile a list of dog friendly hikes in Canterbury. If I’ve missed any, let me know!

Korowai/Torlesse Tussocksland park

From the Big Ben to the Torlesse Range, this area is considered the Korowai/Torlesse Tussocklands park covering around 21,000 hectares! There are 3 dog friendly hikes in this area, Trig M, Mt Lyndon and Foggy Peak.

Trig M

1251m | 391 m gain | 6.4 km return | 2.5 to 3 hour return

This track is the easiest of the three and starts from a layby on SH73. It’s on the left-hand side if you’re traveling from Christchurch way. If you’ve reached Lake Lyndon you’ve gone too far and if you’ve come from the other way and get to the top of Porter’s pass, you’ve also gone too far. There is a sign at the trailhead so if you’re on the lookout you should be able to see it.

Considered an easy/beginner hike in Canterbury and one of the easier dog friendly hikes, this is an awesome one to do if you’re just getting into hiking with your dog or are short on time. Return time is about 2.5 hours and apart from the very beginning being a steep 40-minute walk or so, the track becomes more undulating allowing for good recovery time after any uphill sections.

The path is well-formed and is exposed the entire way. It does see good sunlight even in the wintertime so it’s a good option when there’s a bit of snow and you still want to get out.

This track can also be accessed from the start of Porters pass via ‘Coach Stream’. However, this track crosses public land and dogs are not permitted. For more info on this track, check out the post about Trig M here!

Amenities: The closest toilets are at Lake Lyndon. No water on the track for dogs- closest is Lake Lyndon

Mt Lyndon

1489 m | 624 m gain | 5.8 km return | 3-3.5 hour return

If you’re looking for a bit of an adventure, Mt Lyndon is a good place to start. There isn’t a marked DOC path up the mountain but instead many tracks from bikers and hikers that have been before. It’s not an overly long hike but is relatively steep heading up a tussock and scree face.

The adventure is in the fact that there is no dedicated start to the track. It ‘starts’ from the Lake Lyndon lodge at the end of the lake. There is a wee creek and somewhat of a path that goes into the valley. I wouldn’t follow that to the end but instead, just look for a spot that’s easiest to navigate through a bit of bush and head up. With the help of a Topo 50 app, you can see what direction you need to go. As long as you head up, you really can’t go wrong.

The track after about an hour maybe even a bit less comes to a ridge with amazing views over Lake Lyndon. It’s relatively steep going but doesn’t last long. This is a good spot to turn around if you’re not up to the full climb to the summit which is about another hour.

The road to the lodge is off of SH73, goes around half of the lake and has a sign that says ‘all weather road only’. You can certainly go down in a car and it’s generally not closed off around the lake. Just drive carefully as it’s a gravel road and not regularly maintained.

This track again is exposed the entire way. We hiked it when there was still a bit of snow at the top and on the surrounding mountains which was pretty magical! Just make sure to bring some layers as it can get chilly up there!

Amenities: The closest toilets are at Lake Lyndon. No water on the track for dogs- closest is Lake Lyndon

Foggy Peak

1741 m | 800 m gain | 4 km return | 3-3.5 hour return

For a good heart-pumping workout and the hardest of dog friendly hikes in the area, Foggy Peak is it. It’s short but very steep climbing 800 meters in 2 km! The path is marked about a 1/3 of the way up but again there is a definite path from hikers before.

I won’t lie, it is a bit of a relentless slog up but luckily it doesn’t last too long and the views really are worth it. It’s a good track to choose if you’ve done quite a bit of hiking, you and your dog are fit and you want a ‘quick’ but challenging day hike.

Starting from the top of Porters pass there is a layby that you can park at. In good weather and on the weekends you can expect to see this quite full and there is a surprisingly large amount of dogs going up! It’s also a great one to practice your scree run skills as it’s much easier to come down on the scree face than the hard-packed shingle path.

The rocks are a bit bigger though and in some places jagged on the scree side so just take extra care for your pup! You don’t have to come down the scree side. I did it for the first time and it’s actually much easier and more comfortable than it looks. You’ll just want to stay where the rocks are a bit looser.

Amenities: The closest toilets are at Lake Lyndon. No water on the track for dogs- closest is Lake Lyndon

Craigieburn forest park

Craigieburn Forest Park is all that’s included between the Waimakariri River and the Wilberforce River. There are many tall mountains in the area and most with bases full of beech forest. Although there are heaps of tracks in the area, there are only a few dog friendly hikes, Helicopter Hill and Camp Saddle track. Be aware though that these tracks are shared with mountain bikers except in winter.

Helicopter Hill

1256m |450 m gain | 5.2 km return | 2 to 2.5 hour return

This track is another beginner hike that is a great one to start off on. It’s not overly long or technical but has a variety of terrain and awesome views into the Castle Hill Basin.

Starting off at the Mistletoe flat campground on the Mistletoe track, the path climbs gradually through the forest on a well-formed path for about 10 minutes or so before it gets steeper but very manageable. The path leads to a track junction after 2.11 km where you turn off to get to the summit.

It’s only 500 meters from the junction to the summit over a rocky ridgeline. The summit is covered in tussocks and is a lovely spot for lunch.

Amenities: Toilets at the start in the campground. There is a creek at the beginning of the track for dogs to drink from but no water later on.

Camp saddle track

1490 m | 510 m gain | 7 km return | 3 to 3.5 hour return

The camp saddle track is a further up the mountain and is a great option if you’re looking for a bit more of a challenge as this one is longer and steeper than Helicopter hill.

If you’re there in the off-season, being not winter, the track ‘starts’ at the locked gate on the Broken River Skifield. It’s the furthest point you can travel up the Broken River skifield road and it’s a 1 km walk up the road to the actual trailhead of the Camp saddle track.

The track starts in Beech forest marked with orange arrows and climbs steadily before coming out into the open scree tops showing awesome views of the Craigieburn range and into the Castle Hill Basin.

Steep in places but not technical to navigate. The tops are exposed so it would not be fun in the wind. It can be a choice for winter if there isn’t too much snow as there is a higher risk of avalanches in that area.

Amenities: Toilets at the start in the campground. There is a creek at the beginning of the track for dogs to drink from but no water later on

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Oxford Conservation area

Almost half the size of the Korowai/Torlesse Tussocklands park, the Oxford conservation area has the tallest mountain in the Canterbury foothills. There are many dog friendly hikes to choose from and it is not far from Christchurch.

Ryde Falls

Ryde Falls, a five-tired waterfall is the most popular track in the Oxford Conservation area and sees a lot of doggos pass by on it! The track can start from two different ends so it depends on how long you want to walk for the day.

The one end is at View Hill car park. The road in does have a few fords to cross which are easy to go through if there hasn’t been much rain. There are also some gates to open and shut. Be sure to leave gates how you find them as it is likely stock is roaming about.

From the View Hill car park, Ryde Falls is a 2-hour walk in over 3 km. It’s an easy undulating track to the falls and is a great beginner hike in Canterbury. The track can get quite muddy so naturally, your dog will love it!

You can also start from Coopers Creek car park. The track is much the same, undulating, fairly easy, muddy in some spots but is a bit longer taking 3 hours one way over 7 km.

Amenities: Toilets at the view hill car park and Coopers Creek. Water at the creek for dogs before the falls and at the falls.

Mt Oxford

1364 m |1010 m gain | 12.6 km return | 4.5-5 hour return

For a real workout, head up Mt Oxford for a challenging day hike. Although it’s not an overly tall mountain at 1346 meters, it is the tallest in the Canterbury foothills and has a tough ascent over just over 1000 meters.

The most direct path starts at Coopers Creek car park. The first 25 minutes is nice and easy walking on a 4WD track before it steadily climbs through the forest to a short ridgeline then up to the summit. The track is rocky and steep, sometimes muddy and doesn’t level out in too many places. This track takes between 2.5 to 3 hours to get to the summit over 6.3 km.

You can also start from View Hill car park. The ascent isn’t quite as much, closer to around 800 meters but the track is longer, about 7.5 km. I’d say they would be relatively even in difficulty.

There is also the option to make it a loop track just be prepared for a long day of walking. I started at Coopers creek taking the Mt Oxford track to the summit. I came down the ridge on the View Hill Mt Oxford track then over the Ryde Falls track back to Coopers Creek. I bypassed the falls taking the link track. This ended up being just over a 20 km day and a 7.5 hour hike. It was long and boy was I tired! Odie kept up perfectly fine but definitely slept well that night!

Check out the DOC brochure for the variations of the tracks.

Amenities: Toilets at the view hill car park and Coopers Creek. No water on the track for dogs.

Mt Thomas Conservation area

The Mt Thomas Conservation area covers both the Mt Thomas tracks area and Mt Richardson.

Amenities: Toilets at the start at the Wooded Gully picnic area. No good water spots for dogs on the tracks. except for in the gully on the Wooded Gully track.

GLENTUI LOOP TRACk

| 2.46 km | 1 hour

The Glentui loop track is the easiest of all the tracks but you should still expect a bit of elevation and some short steep sections. It’s recommended to walk counterclockwise and is in the bush the entire time. There is the option to link onto the ‘bypass track’ which leads up to Mt Richardson making it a longer and much more difficult walk.

Mt Richardson

1047 m | 667m gain |8 km return | 4 to 4.5 hour return – Mt Richardson track

1047 m | 667m gain | 9 km loop | 5 to 6 hour – Mt Richardson track- blowhard track-bypass track

For a step up from the Glentui track, Mt Richardson is great for anyone with moderate fitness. Again, it’s possible to form a loop track instead of a there and back. The Mt Richardson track is about 4 km to the summit from the Glentui car park taking 2-3 hours one way. From there you can go back down the same way or continue on the Blowhard track (approximately 1.5 hours) and then descend down the bypass track (about 1 hour).

Mt Richardson is an easier day hike than Mt Oxford but I would say pretty comparable to Mt Thomas.

Wooded gully track

This track starts at the Wooded Gully car park and is a way to get up to the summit of Mt Thomas. However, if you’re not in for the steep climb up there you can also link onto the Red Pine track making a shorter walk. Total time is about 3 hours return over 5 km if you did the smaller loop.

Walking the entire length of the Wooded gully track up to the ridgeline of Mt Thomas, is 2.5- 3 hours one way over 5.3 km. It’s a lovely walk but certainly steep in some places. It also climbs through the forest only to go down into the gully and back up again which to me is one of those character-building moments.

Mt Thomas

1023 m | 703 m gain | 6.2km return | 3.5 to 4 hour return – Summit track

1023 m | ~700 m gain | 9.3 km loop | 3.5 to 4 hour return – Wooded gully track- ridge- Summit track

There of course are a few ways to get to Mt Thomas all starting at the Wooded Gully car park. The most direct way is the summit track. A 6.2 km return takes between 3.5 to 4 hours. You can make a loop with the Wooded Gully track as well. It’s steep going up to the summit no matter whether you start on the Summit track or the Wooded gully track it takes about the same time, 3.5 to 4 hours.

You can also take the ridge track to the summit and come down the summit track which is about 6 hours. Again there is a great map in the DOC brochure for the area.

Mt Grey/Red beech track

Amenities: Toilets at the start at the Grey River picnic area. Water at the beginning from the Grey River.

933 m | 670 m gain | 12.2 km return | 3.5 to 4 hour return – Mt Grey track

933 m | ~650 m gain | 12.6 km return | 4 to 5 hour return – Red beech track

There are two ways you can get up to Mt Grey. You can take the Mt Grey track which climbs steadily through the forest for about 2.5 hours with a distance of just over 6 km. This is the most popular track, easiest and the one I suggest taking.

The other option is the Red beech track which is a little bit longer. It does require fording the river about halfway up. You can tell if it’s passable if there’s no water flowing at the ford by the car park/ picnic area. If there is it’ll be too dangerous to cross the river and you should take the Mt Grey track instead. If the Red Beech track is passable, you could make it a loop with the Mt Grey track.

Both of these tracks are mostly in the bush, marked the entire way and on a frequently used path.

Hakatere Conservation park

Amenities: Toilets at Lake Camp. Water mostly at the start and end of Mystery Lake track.

Lake Emma

An easy walk along the shores of Lake Emma, this is one of the only spots in the Hakatere where dogs are allowed. The lake however does have a lot of birdlife so just be aware of how your dog feels about that. You can walk to an old hut on the far side of the lake in about 40 minutes over 2 km.

Mystery lake via Potts River

1100 m | 575 m gain | 21 km return | 7-8 hour return

The track to a small sub-alpine lake called ‘Mystery lake’ is a full-day hike. Rather than being very steep it’s just long as you navigate into the high country. There are several ways to get to Mystery Lake but the only track that allows dogs is from the Potts River end rather than from Lake Clearwater or Lake Heron Road.

You’ll likely get your feet wet to start as you need to cross the river. The track is marked and is part of the Te Araroa trail. So, most of the track is easy to follow but overgrown with tussocks in some areas. It’s a long day of walking so be sure to give yourself plenty of time and don’t forget your head torch (just in case).

Hanmer Forest Park

Amenities: No toliets at the start. Water at a few streams.

Dog stream waterfall track

| 789 m gain | 9 km return | 2hour return

This track is a gentle climb through the forest to a 41-meter waterfall. This out and back track is a great alternative to Mt Isobel and a lovely dog friendly hike in Canterbury. The path is a little uneven in some spots underfoot, there are some sets of stairs and a few steep parts but overall it’s an easy hike.

Mt Isobel

1319 m | 362 m gain | 7.8 km return | 4-5 hour return- Mt Isobel track

A good day hike, the track to Mt Isobel climbs steadily through the forest for a good portion of the walk. You can get some good views through the trees from time to time of the town of Hanmer below.

There are a few ways to get to Mt Isobel but the most direct is the Mt Isobel track from Clarence Valley Road. It is an in and back track and is fairly straightforward with nothing technical. You can also get to the top from the waterfall track that starts at the Dog Stream car park.

Other options that include a little less of a climb is starting at Jacks Pass or Jollies Pass. You could walk end to end or just to the summit and out but would need a plan to be picked up. The drive up to the passes however are not the greatest and is not recommended for caravans or vehicles with low clearance. These are tracks that are not used often either, are unmarked and require navigation experience and good fitness.

Nelson trails have a great description of the tracks.

I hope this list gives you some ideas of tracks to tick off with your furry friend! If there’s any you think should be added, let me know!