Craigieburn Forest Park Park

Address: Craigieburn Forest Park, Canterbury, New Zealand

Website: https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/canterbury/places/craigieburn-forest-park/

Hours: Parkland open daily (no formal gates)

Admission: Free entry to parkland; some huts/campsites may have fees

Craigieburn Forest Park is a conservation park on New Zealand’s South Island in the Canterbury region that protects alpine terrain on the Craigieburn Range. The park is valued for its steep mountain ridges, scree slopes and alpine basins, and it provides direct access to tramping, climbing and backcountry skiing.

Recreational uses vary by season - the area is a regional focus for spring and winter ski touring and for summer tramping, scrambling and mountain-biking approaches to alpine ridges. A network of tracks and huts supports multi-day routes and backcountry access.

The park is public conservation land managed under New Zealand’s Department of Conservation framework and sits inland from the eastern Southern Alps, west of the Canterbury lowlands and Christchurch. Access is typically via local rural roads and mountain passes that lead into alpine valleys.

• Seasonal use: Used year-round for different activities - winter for backcountry skiing and summer for tramping and alpine climbs.
• Access considerations: Managed as public conservation land with tramping routes and backcountry huts; weather and winter conditions can be severe so proper equipment is required.

What to See#

• Craigieburn Range: The main alpine ridge that gives the park its name and provides the steep terrain used for backcountry routes, ridge climbs and access to nearby commercial ski fields.
• Local ski fields: A cluster of commercial ski fields and ski touring access points on and adjacent to the park popular in winter for ungroomed skiing and ski touring.
• Tracks and huts: A network of marked tracks and hut sites used for summer tramping and alpine access, maintained in part under the Department of Conservation system.

From Christchurch, drive west on State Highway 73 toward Arthur’s Pass, then follow local roads south and west into the Craigieburn area. Main access points include Castle Hill and the Craigieburn Ski Area roads; some access roads are gravel.

• If traveling from Christchurch, the drive is about 2.5-3 hours along State Highway 73 and local roads-start early for full daylight on alpine approaches.
• Check DOC for track conditions and hut bookings if planning multi-day tramps.
• Roads into some southern valleys can be gravel; a well-maintained vehicle is recommended.