Located in Alford Scenic Reserve in the Canterbury region
4.6 km one way
Access easements to Mt Alford are closed from 1 - 30 September each year due to lambing and calving.
The marked track passes through Alford Scenic Reserve before climbing beside a stream gully clothed in beech/tawhairauriki and then emerges onto tussock/wī grassland. The route through this open section is on private land so please follow the track markers.
The access then re-enters public conservation land and climbs through subalpine vegetation to the summit of Mt Alford (1,171 m). From the summit there are wide views across the Canterbury Plains and the inland mountains.
Access to Mt Alford Conservation Area is signposted from the car park at the end of Alford Settlement Road, which is off the Arundel Rakaia Gorge Road (Highway 72). The car park is 12.5 km from Methven.
As the area is unusually wet, podocarp tree species survive and are regenerating well (after historic logging and burning) in the scenic reserve.
Around the summit of Mt Alford is subalpine shrubland dominated by Dracophyllum and slim-leaved snow tussock/wī. A small stand of Hall’s tōtara is also present.
Typical forest birds found in the bush are fantail/pīwakawaka, bellbird/korimako, grey warbler/riroriro, rifleman/tītitipounamu, tomtit/miromiro and silvereye/tauhou.
| Ōtautahi / Christchurch Visitor Centre | |
| Phone: | +64 3 379 4082 |
| Fax: | +64 4 471 1117 |
| Email: | christchurchvc@doc.govt.nz |
| Address: |
28 Worcester Boulevard Christchurch 8013 |
| Postal Address: |
Private Bag 11089 Christchurch 8013 |
| Full office details | |
| Raukapuka / Geraldine Office | |
| Phone: | +64 3 693 1010 |
| Email: | esienquiries@doc.govt.nz |
| Address: |
13 – 15 North Terrace Geraldine 7930 |
| Postal Address: |
PO Box 33 Geraldine 7956 |
| Full office details | |