Kahikatea berries
Mt Alford Conservation Area offers varied vegetation, scenic views across Canterbury, and a history of forestry and diamond prospecting.
It starts in Alford Scenic Reserve, which is unusually wet allowing tōtara and kahikatea to grow, and climbs to 1171 m where subalpine shrubland is dominated by dracophyllum and slim-leaved snow tussock/wī.
Settlers on the Canterbury plains used Alford Forest as one of their few sources of timber. Saw milling was a major factor in the development of the area.
The track up Mt Alford is a journey through vegetation layers.
Although there are no DOC huts or campgrounds in this area, visitors can get information from the i-SITEs in Ashburton or Methven.
Access to Mt Alford Conservation Area is signposted from the car park at the end of Alford Settlement Road
A guide to recreational opportunities in mid-Canterbury.
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New Zealand topographic maps are available from DOC Visitor Centres
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Check, Clean, Dry all items before entering, and when moving between, waterways.
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Follow the Outdoor Safety Code: 1. Plan your trip 2. Tell someone 3. Be aware of the weather 4. Know your limits 5. Take sufficient supplies
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