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  • Castle Hill, New Zealand

    Top Spots in and near Castle Hill

    • Castle Hill, New Zealand

      Climb Mt. Cloudsley

      5.0
      8.7 mi / 3937 ft gain
      Park at the Hogsback Trailhead in Castle Hill Village. Follow the Hogsback trail by staying to the right at both upcoming "Y" intersections. Once you reach the bush edge, Long Spur and Mt Cloudsley come into view. Break off from the trail aiming for the toe of Long Spur. Then climb along the cres...
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    • Castle Hill, New Zealand

      Hike Mt. Cheeseman

      9.9 mi / 4265.1 ft gain
      Follow the Hogsback Track until you reach the clearing just after the Waterfall Creek crossing. Hike through the clearing towards the toe of Mt Cheeseman's east ridge.Work your way up the ridge by linking a network of tussock slopes, ledges, scree slopes snow patches and crumbly rock. Eventually ...
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    • Castle Hill, New Zealand

      Hike and Climb at Castle Hill

      3.5
      2 mi
      Follow the footpath from the car park. You will quickly arrive at Castle Hill, famous for it's incredible array of giant limestone formations. There is no official path so you are free to wander the maze of rocks. Look for arches and even signs of ancient Maori inhabitants. Its fun to climb among...
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    • Craigieburn Forest Park, New Zealand

      Ride the Craigieburn Mountain Bike Trails

      24.9 mi / 3937 ft gain
      Being a cloudy and gray day in Christchurch, we decided to pack the bikes up and drive the 100kms on SH73 up to the Craigieburn Forest Park. There are several entrances to the tracks. You can either park up in the Castle Hill Village and enter the Hogs Back Track from there, or park in the Broken...
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    • Springfield, New Zealand

      Hike the Trig M Trail

      4.0
      2.1 mi / 1509.2 ft gain
      The hiking trail first ascends a hillside to about 1,500 meters. It then follows the crest of a ridge in a southwest direction until you reach the "trig", a marker used in geographical survey. The maintained track ends here but hikers wanting more can continue traveling cross country to Rabbit Hi...
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    • Springfield, New Zealand

      Hike Foggy Peak and Castle Hill Peak

      5.0
      8.1 mi / 3280.8 ft gain
      Park in the gravel roadside parking area at the highpoint of Porters Pass. Follow the faint use path up the lower scree slopes of Foggy Peak northward towards the summit. Upon reaching the summit of Foggy Peak the alpine traverse to Castle Hill Peak becomes obvious. The hike between the two peaks...
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    • Craigieburn Forest Park, New Zealand

      Hike to Hamilton Peak's Summit

      7.5 mi / 3280.8 ft gain
      Park at the Craggyburn Valley Trailhead for a longer, more scenic hike, or continue driving to the Ski Field Parking at the road's end.The trail follows the true right bank of Craggieburn Valley as it climbs through a thick and scenic beech forest. After an hour it reaches the bush edge just shor...
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    • Springfield, New Zealand

      Hike to Foggy Peak Summit

      5.0
      2 mi / 3280.8 ft gain
      The Foggy Peak trail is an unmarked path leading from the carpark at the top of Porters Pass to the summit of Foggy Peak. The clouds can get very low here so be sure to bring a GPS or be knowledgeable in the mountains. From the carpark just duck under the fence and head on up to the top. The way ...
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    • Bealey, New Zealand

      Hike Lagoon Saddle

      5 mi / 1200 ft gain
      Round trip about 5 hours including stops to enjoy the views and take pictures, it was a perfect day hike in the full sun compared to the rest of the park. The track starts out by heading uphill, and it doesn’t really stop until you get to the saddle. The first hour of the track is all through bee...
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    • Lake Coleridge, New Zealand

      Hike Peak Hill

      5.0
      4 mi / 2066.9 ft gain
      Rising about 600 meters from the Canterbury Plains, Peak Hill offers everything New Zealand is famous for: a steep climb to get your heart pumping, views of a gorgeous lake (Coleridge), ever-changing weather, views of the Alps, and views of wide, braided rivers. It is well worth sticking with the...
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    • Bealey, New Zealand

      Hike Arthur's Pass' Bealey Spur

      4.5
      7.5 mi / 1720 ft gain
      This moderately difficult climb affords amazing views of the Waimakariri River Valley as well as Bruce Stream. It is not an incredibly difficult hike, although in winter and early spring there will be snow and ice on the ground, making it more challenging. There are few vertical cliff faces, and ...
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    • Arthur's Pass, New Zealand

      Overnight at the Barker Hut

      5.0
      29.8 mi / 3018.4 ft gain
      Begin at Klondyke Corner if the Waimakariri is low or at the O'Malley's Track if the river is too high to ford safely. After walking through the Waimakariri River to the Carrington Hut and on up the White River Valley you’ll reach this tiny red hut that stands out in its precarious position as a ...
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    • Arthur's Pass, New Zealand

      Backpack to Carrington Hut

      11 mi / 350 ft gain
      With peaks rising thousands of meters on every side of you and a wide-open valley to tramp in, the hike to Carrington Hut does feel quite like you're walking in a movie set. After walking a day up the Waimakariri Valley you'll reach this 36-bunk DOC hut, which requires a DOC hut pass to stay the ...
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    • Arthur's Pass, New Zealand

      Hike to Summit of Mount Bealey

      5.0
      5 mi / 3608.9 ft gain
      The hike to Mount Bealey starts in the town of Arthurs Pass at 750m above sea level. Take the road back towards Christchurch from the centre of the village and you'll cross a river, take the first right and head up Mount Bealey Road until you see a car park on the right hand side.From here the hi...
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    • Arthur's Pass, New Zealand

      Backpack to the Waimak Falls Hut

      13 mi / 2000 ft gain
      Begin this two night (one night option) tramping trip from the Bealey Bridge over the Waimakariri River – approximately 8 kilometers south of Arthur’s Pass. If river levels are low and you prefer cutting through the river valley itself – crossing the Waimak at need – begin at Klondyke Corner. A s...
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    • Arthur's Pass, New Zealand

      Winter Mountaineering in Arthur's Pass

      Several mountaineering routes start right off the road in Arthur's Pass making it a great alpine training ground with nearly endless opportunities. Many of the routes are just hiking routes in summer, but in winter snow piles up to transform them into steep, exposed and exciting climbs. I will ou...
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    Guides, Insights and Stories from Castle Hill

    A Park Ranger's Pick: 5 Under-The-Radar Adventures In New Zealand

    A Park Ranger's Pick: 5 Under-The-Radar Adventures In New Zealand

    Crystal Brindle

    The Ultimate Road Trip Through New Zealand

    The Ultimate Road Trip Through New Zealand

    Scott Nichols

    14 Amazing Backpacking Trips in New Zealand

    14 Amazing Backpacking Trips in New Zealand

    The Outbound Collective

    A Beginner's Guide to Packrafting

    A Beginner's Guide to Packrafting

    Rachel Bertsch

    Is Your Surfing Habit Getting You into Trouble with Your Significant Other?

    Is Your Surfing Habit Getting You into Trouble with Your Significant Other?

    Affuera Vida