Pelorus Track
Track category
Tramping track
Time:
3-4 days one way
Description
Pelorus Track
The Pelorus Track, in Mt Richmond Forest Park, offers a semi-remote forest experience. All three ends of the track are ideal for day walks and picnicking. The track passes through bush, crosses various saddles, and boasts interesting features like a waterfall and an old chromite mine.
Walking times
Roadend to Captains Creek Hut - 4 hours
Captains Creek Hut to Middy Hut - 2 hours
Middy Hut to Roebuck Hut - 4 hours
Roebuck Hut to Browning Hut - 4 hours 30 minutes
Browning Hut to Hacket Picnic Area - 2 hours
The area is best known for its mining activity in the latter half of the nineteenth and the early part of the twentieth century of minerals such as copper and chromium.
Getting there
From the Nelson-Blenheim Road (State Highway 6), turn onto Maungatapu Road at Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve and drive 13 km to the road end.
For the Hacket car park end, head for Aniseed Valley, 29 km south of Nelson via Richmond and Hope.
From Nelson, access the track via the Dun Mountain Walkway, a Waimea Basin walking track. This begins in Brook Valley, 4 km from the city centre.
Public transport
There is no scheduled public transport to either end of this track but a shuttle bus can be arranged.
Activities
Dog walking
Fishing
Dog walking
A permit is required - contact Sounds Area Office.Dogs must be on a leash at all times.
Dog access in the Sounds
Fishing
The Pelorus is popular for fishing. Anglers need a licence from Fish and Game New Zealand.
Hunting
Hunting in the Sounds
Hunting in Pelorus Valley
Nelson/Marlborough pesticide summary
Swimming
Emerald Pool, 1 hour from the end of Maungatapu Road, and Hacket River are ideal for swimming.
Places to stay
You need backcountry hut tickets (all require one ticket) or a Backcountry Hut Pass to stay in the huts. Camping is permitted. Carry out your rubbish and bury any human waste 50 metres from any waterway.
Plan and prepare
- Undertake the Pelorus Track only if you are an experienced tramper and carry warm, waterproof clothing and extra food.
- Rivers can rise quickly; do not cross when they are swollen.
- Boil, filter, or treat water for drinking. In dry conditions, carry water on the ridges.
- Always leave your intentions with someone responsible and fill in the hut books.
Mt Richmond Forest Park access
Check if the access roads to Mt Richmond Forest Park are open.
Order a parkmap
Download an order form for the Mt Richmond Forest Park parkmap (PDF, 48K). The parkmap costs $18.99 plus postage and handling.
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