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Hiking

Hokitika Gorge: a forest loop with swing-bridge views

ReGear

Plan Hokitika Gorge’s roughly 1.6 km loop and 90-minute visit: forest, viewpoints and suspension bridges, with parking, water and river-safety advice.

Turquoise river, forest and suspension bridge at Hokitika Gorge.

Hokitika Gorge combines forest walking with suspension bridges and river views. Give yourself time at the viewpoints: this is a short-distance outing that rewards a slower pace.

Quick facts

  • About 1.6 km loop; allow around 90 minutes with viewing stops.
  • Easy walking, with steps and suspension bridges beyond the first viewpoint.
  • Start: signed car park off Whitcombe Valley Road, about 30 minutes from Hokitika.
  • No dogs; no swimming in the gorge.

Getting there

Follow the signed road route from Hokitika to the gorge car park. Parking is free, with mobility spaces and accessible toilets. Take drinking water; there is no drinking-water supply at the walk.

Location and route

Hokitika Gorge location relative to Hokitika on real aerial imagery, with north up.
Hokitika Gorge mapped walking track highlighted orange on real aerial imagery, with its entrance marked and north up.

Open DOC’s track page and official map. Follow the signed route on the ground.

What the walk is like

  1. Walk about 150 m to the first viewpoint. This initial section is wheelchair accessible.
  2. Continue to the lower suspension bridge, cross it and take the short viewpoint spur.
  3. Return to the junction and follow signs towards the upper suspension bridge. Cross the gorge, then follow the forest track back to the car park.

The distance is modest, but steps, narrow bridge decks and slippery surfaces make it more involved than a flat paved path. The river can turn grey after heavy rain; the forest and bridge views are still the attraction.

What I would bring

Take a rain jacket, shoes with grip, water and a small snack. Keep children close at viewpoints and bridges, and leave room for people crossing in the other direction.

Before you go

Use the toilets before walking and save the route information offline: mobile reception is limited beyond the car park. Stay behind barriers and away from cliff edges. The cold, fast river and underwater hazards make swimming dangerous.

Check the current DOC alerts and weather before leaving. Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back.

Lake Matheson’s forest loop

Sources and photo credits

Source checks: 28 September 2026.

Maps: aerial imagery from LINZ Basemaps and its imagery contributors, CC BY 4.0; location labels and track highlights added. Track geometry: Crown copyright, Department of Conservation, DOC Tracks dataset, CC BY 4.0.

Photo: Hokitika Gorge MRD 01.jpg — Mike Dickison. CC BY 4.0. Resized for display.