Each week, we highlight our fave tramping trails in New Zealand for day and multi day hikes across Nelson Tasman (and beyond!)
Location of the Week 📍 Buckland Peaks Track, Paparoa National Park
Distance: 11 km out and back
Time Required: 5 - 7 hours to reach the hut
5 - 11 hours for the full return trip depending on fitness
Elevation Gain: 1,200 metres of climbing.
Car Parking: The track starts at a car park 1.3 km down Bucklands Peak Road, which is 6.5 km south of Westport.
The Approach: Starts with an easy, flat walk crossing private farmland on an open 4WD track (walking only).
The Bush Climb: Terrain changes into a relentless, steep climb through regenerating forest and beech forest.
The Ridge: As the forest thins into subalpine scrub, the track opens to exposed tussock tops with exceptional coastal views.
Past the hut turn-off, the trail becomes an unmarked, unpoled route. If continuing onto the peaks you do not need to drop to the hut.
The unmarked route drops down from point 1175 and continues towards the true peak.
The Buckland Peaks (1325m high) have amazing granite boulders and formations. Here you have stunning views of the rugged Paparoa Range. Navigating requires good visibility, rock scrambling skills, and solid route-finding experience to safely cross the granite plateaus.
The hut has no fire so it may be chilly in colder weather.
Thanks for the photos Frances Brett!