Paparoa Track

A modern Great Walk on the South Island’s West Coast, crossing alpine tops and deep rainforest valleys on a purpose-built track.

Time to Hike: Most walkers do it in 2-3 days, typically as a one-way crossing between trailheads.

Best Time to Go: The main walking season is warmer months, but conditions can change quickly on the tops and heavy rain is common on the West Coast.

Getting there: Most start near Blackball at the Smoke-ho car park (about 4 km north of town) and finish at Punakaiki. Public transport is limited, so many people arrange shuttles or a car shuffle.

Costs: Expect costs to be dominated by Department of Conservation hut bookings (and any shuttle), with pricing and availability varying by season.

Difficulty: Hard. It is well-formed Great Walk track, but the distance and exposed alpine ridgelines (over 1,000 m near the high points) make it a serious undertaking in poor weather.

The Paparoa Track is a 55.7 km shared tramping and mountain-biking route across Paparoa National Park on New Zealand’s South Island. It links the inland hills near Blackball with the West Coast at Punakaiki, using a mix of new construction and older routes.

The track was created as a memorial for the 29 miners who lost their lives in the 2010 Pike River Mine disaster. It was confirmed as a Great Walk standard project in 2015, formally enabled through management plan changes in 2017, and fully opened end-to-end on 1 March 2020 as New Zealand’s tenth Great Walk and the first addition in 25 years.

A distinctive feature is how it overlays earlier West Coast history: the southern end follows parts of the historic Croesus Track, built during gold-mining activity in the Paparoa foothills from the 1860s onward. Along the way you move from bush-clad valleys to tussock and alpine scrub on the main range, then descend toward river headwaters and lowland forest nearer the coast.

• Stage 1: Smoke-ho car park to Ces Clark Hut (10.3 km) Two major features set the tone early: a steady climb following Blackball Creek on the historic Croesus Track, and visible remnants of mining including original stonework.
• Stage 2: Side trip - junction to Garden Gully Hut and stamping-battery remains (distance varies) A worthwhile detour near the top of the initial climb to see relics of quartz-reef mining, including remains of a stamper battery.
• Stage 3: Ces Clark Hut to Moonlight Tops Hut (9.7 km) Climb through tussock and alpine scrub to the main ridgelines of the Paparoa Range, then follow the high country north and north-west to the most sought-after overnight stop.
• Stage 4: Moonlight Tops Hut to sandstone escarpment traverse (first part of 19.1 km) A dramatic high traverse begins with about 2 km along the top of a large sandstone escarpment with steep cliffs above the headwaters of the Punakaiki River.
• Stage 5: Escarpment to Pororari Hut (remainder of 19.1 km) From below Mount Hawera the route turns north-west and descends ridges above Tindale Creek to reach the second new hut.
• Stage 6: Pororari Hut to Punakaiki (final 16 km) A longer finishing leg that drops out of the high country toward the coast, connecting into existing tracks in the park to reach the trail end at Punakaiki.
• Optional: Pike29 Memorial Track side trip (9 km one way) A separate 9 km side track was built to the Pike River Mine site as part of the memorial concept; allow extra time if you plan to include it.

The track is promoted for year-round use (including mountain biking), but the most comfortable window for most international visitors is the warmer season, when daylight is longer and the tops are less wintry.

Even then, expect fast-changing conditions: the Paparoa Range tops are exposed, and the West Coast is known for heavy rain. Build in weather flexibility, carry proper wet-weather layers, and be conservative about river and slip hazards after prolonged rainfall.

The southern trailhead is at the Smoke-ho car park, around 4 km north of Blackball (inland from Greymouth on the West Coast). The northern end is at Punakaiki. Many walkers travel via Greymouth (the main service town) and then use a shuttle or pre-arranged car relocation, as public transport options are limited.

Most people walk westbound from Smoke-ho to Punakaiki: it gives a clear progression from the Grey Valley side onto the alpine tops, then down toward the coast. Mountain bikers often plan the same direction for the long descent from the tops.

Check the Department of Conservation website for hut booking requirements, fees and any access rules for the Paparoa Track. If you plan to stay in the huts, you book and pay through the Department of Conservation Great Walks system.

If you add the Pike29 Memorial Track, treat it as an additional outing when planning time and logistics; check Department of Conservation updates for any temporary restrictions or closures before you go.

The classic walk uses two purpose-built 20-bunk huts - Moonlight Tops Hut and Pororari Hut - and also includes Ces Clark Hut (at the bushline, around 940 m elevation). Moonlight Tops Hut is described as the most heavily booked hut on the track, so reservations matter in peak periods.

If you do not get hut space, you will need to adjust your itinerary rather than relying on last-minute availability. Check the latest Department of Conservation accommodation options and rules before deciding whether to carry extra overnight gear.