Paparoa Track
Key figures
Length
- Stated
- 55 km, the stated length (Department of Conservation)
- Map line
- 51.3 km, OpenStreetMap along the official track
- Used for
- The charts on this page, and comparing trails in the search
- 55km
Ascent · descent
- This trail
- Estimated from the terrain model (≈): no source states them
- How
- Every main stage's climbs and drops between samples 100 m apart
- Keep in mind
- In forests the model reads the treetops, so it reads high there
- estimated: 1,770m ↑2,070m ↓
Difficulty
- What
- How hard the trail is, in three ways: the terrain, the climate in season and the length of the days
- Scale
- Easy to Hard, with the same thresholds for every trail; each takes its hardest measure
- Keep in mind
- It describes the trail, not how it will feel to you: that depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather you get
- Terrain: DemandingClimbing: ≈ 32 m per km
- Climate: Demanding in Nov–AprCold: 3 °C at night (November)
- Effort: DemandingLongest day: 7 h (stage 3)
- Terrain: Demanding; Climate: Demanding in Nov–Apr; Effort: Demanding
- Suggested
- 3days
Per stage
- How
- The 4 main stages' totals over their number
- Source
- Department of Conservation, so the averages come from one source
- Ascent
- The terrain model's estimate per stage (≈): the stages state no climbs
- 13.8km· about 440 m ↑
Landscape
- Source
- ESA WorldCover satellite land cover, along the main route
- Forest: 81%
- Grassland and shrubs: 19%
- Bare rock and sand: 0%
- Mostly Forest
Location
- Country
- New Zealand
- Regions
- West Coast
- Start
- Smoke-ho car park
- Finish
- Pororari River car park
- Route type
- Point to point
- Permit
- Fee charged
- Travel hubs
- Greymouth30.2 km by road · 27 min
- Hokitika Airport (HKK)69.5 km by road · 62 min
- Protected areas
- Paparoa National Park
- Managed by
- Department of Conservation (Te Papa Atawhai)Official websiteGPX trackOur tracing from OpenStreetMap
- Waymarking
- Well marked
- Trail
- Start
- Stage start
- Finish
- Contour lines
Difficulty
Terrain
- Rates
- How hard is the ground to walk: the path, the climbing, the steep bits, the ground underfoot?
- How
- Rated over the whole main route.
- Level
- The hardest measure sets it
- Path grade
- the trail's SAC grade, stated, converted or estimated
- EasyT1
- ModerateT2
- DemandingT3
- HardT4 to T6
- Climbing
- ascent of the main stages over their length
- Easyunder 15 m per km
- Moderate15–30 m
- Demanding30–50 m
- Hard50 m or more
- Steep stretches
- share of the route steeper than 15 %, up or down (terrain model)
- Easyunder 5 %
- Moderate5–15 %
- Demanding15–30 %
- Hard30 % or more
- Natural ground
- share on footpaths and trails (OpenStreetMap); never Hard on its own
- Easyunder a third
- Moderatea third to two thirds
- Demandingtwo thirds or more
Demanding
- estimated T2
SAC hiking scale
- This trail
- T2 (our estimate)
- Basis
- DOC grades the track intermediate: a climb through forest to the Paparoa Range, a long ridge across exposed alpine tops where heavy rain, snow, ice, fog and strong winds are possible at any time of year, then down through karst and rainforest along the Pororari River, on a wide track shared with mountain bikers. Mountain hiking on a good track over exposed tops (T2).
- Scale
- The Swiss Alpine Club's hiking scale, from T1 (easy) to T6 (very hard)
- Why
- Trails rate difficulty in many local scales, or only in words; we translate each into this one so trails compare
- Keep in mind
- An estimate: how hard a trail feels depends on your fitness, experience, pack and the weather
- T1 · Hiking
- Well-made paths, mostly flat or gently sloping. No risk of falling; trainers are enough.
- T2 · Mountain hiking
- A continuous path, steep in places, where a fall can't be ruled out. Be sure-footed; wear hiking boots.
- T3 · Demanding mountain hiking
- The path is not always visible; exposed spots may have chains or ropes, and you may need your hands for balance.
- T4 · Alpine hiking
- Often no path. Hands are needed in places, terrain is exposed, and there can be easy snowfields.
- T5 · Demanding alpine hiking
- Mostly pathless, with easy climbing and exposed, demanding terrain. Needs alpine experience.
- T6 · Difficult alpine hiking
- Pathless, very exposed, with climbing and glaciers. For experienced mountaineers only.
- Climbingestimated 32 m per km
- Steep stretches5 % of the way
- Natural ground45 %
Climate
- Rates
- How hot, cold, wet and windy does it get?
- How
- From 30 years of daily weather (ERA5), rated per month. Without months picked: the trail's best run of at least two season months, each measure at its hardest month. Pick months in the search to rate it for yours.
- Level
- The hardest measure sets it
- Heat
- mean daily high at the lowest point
- Easyunder 22 °C
- Moderate22–27 °C
- Demanding27–32 °C
- Hard32 °C or more
- Cold
- mean nightly low at the highest point
- Easy8 °C or more
- Moderate3–8 °C
- Demanding−2 to 3 °C
- Hardbelow −2 °C
- Wet days
- days a month with 1 mm of rain or more, the wetter of both points
- Easyunder 10
- Moderate10–14
- Demanding14–18
- Hard18 or more
- Snow
- days a month with 1 cm of snow or more at the highest point
- Easyunder 1 day
- Moderate1–3 days
- Demanding3–6 days
- Hard6 days or more
- Wind
- mean of the day's strongest wind (hourly mean, 10 m above ground), the windier of both points; over land: a point whose 25 km weather cell is mostly sea takes the nearest mostly-land cell's
- Easyunder 15 km/h
- Moderate15–20 km/h
- Demanding20–25 km/h
- Hard25 km/h or more
Demanding in Nov–Apr
Outside the season (all year): facilities may be closed, and the weather is harder to plan for.
- Heat · February18 °C by day
- Cold · November3 °C at night
- Wet days · December18 days
- Snow · November1 day
- Wind · November22 km/h
Effort
- Rates
- How long are the days?
- How
- Rated by the longest main stage; a time range counts its upper end.
- Level
- The hardest measure sets it
- Longest day
- walking time of the longest main stage, stated or by DIN 33466
- Easyup to 4 h
- Moderate4–6 h
- Demanding6–8 h
- Hardmore than 8 h
Demanding
- Longest day · stage 37 h
Climate
- Days · lowest point
- 11–18°C
- Nights · highest point
- −2 to 7°C
- Wet days a month
- 12–20
- Daylight
- 9.1–15.2h
| Month | Lowest point, day high / night low (°C) | Highest point, day high / night low (°C) | Wet days | Snow days | Frost nights at the highest point | Daylight (h) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 17.9 / 13.8 | 12.7 / 6.2 | 14.2 | 0 | 0.1 | 14.9 |
| February | 18.3 / 14.2 | 12.9 / 6.5 | 12.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 13.8 |
| March | 17.2 / 13 | 11.4 / 5.1 | 13.2 | 0 | 0.4 | 12.5 |
| April | 15.3 / 11.4 | 8.9 / 3.2 | 13.8 | 0.4 | 2.7 | 11 |
| May | 13.4 / 9.8 | 6.6 / 1.2 | 15.5 | 1.7 | 9.9 | 9.8 |
| June | 11.5 / 7.8 | 4.4 / -1 | 15 | 4.5 | 18.7 | 9.1 |
| July | 10.7 / 6.8 | 3.7 / -2.1 | 14.5 | 6.9 | 24.2 | 9.4 |
| August | 11.2 / 7.2 | 4.5 / -1.5 | 16.8 | 6.3 | 21.6 | 10.4 |
| September | 12.2 / 8.2 | 5.9 / -0.2 | 17.8 | 4.8 | 15 | 11.9 |
| October | 13.2 / 9.3 | 7.2 / 1.2 | 19.5 | 3 | 8.7 | 13.3 |
| November | 14.5 / 10.5 | 8.9 / 2.6 | 16.4 | 1.2 | 4 | 14.6 |
| December | 16.5 / 12.5 | 11 / 4.9 | 17.6 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 15.2 |
Climate by month
- Source
- ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, averages for 1995–2024
- Places
- The trail's lowest and highest point, adjusted to their height
- Bars
- From the mean night low to the mean day high
- Wet days
- At least 1 mm of rain; snow days at least 1 cm of snow
- Daylight
- Sunrise to sunset in the middle of the month
- Shading
- The trail's season
Stages
| Stage | Route | Distance | Ascent | Descent | Elevation | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smoke-ho car park Ces Clark Hut | 10.3 km | estimated 770 m ↑ | estimated 150 m ↓ | estimated 310 → 930 m | 4–5 h |
| 2 | Ces Clark Hut Moonlight Tops Hut | 9.7 km | estimated 330 m ↑ | estimated 240 m ↓ | estimated 940 → 1,030 m | 3 h 00 |
| 3 | Moonlight Tops Hut Pororari Hut | 19.1 km | estimated 420 m ↑ | estimated 920 m ↓ | estimated 1,020 → 530 m | 5–7 h |
| 4 | Pororari Hut Pororari River car park | 16.0 km | estimated 250 m ↑ | estimated 760 m ↓ | estimated 520 → 10 m | 4–5 h |
Totals and averages count the main stages only. ≈ marks our estimates where the source gives no figure: ascent and descent and heights from the terrain model (Copernicus DEM, 30 m grid, sampled every 100 m), to the nearest 10 m.
Terrain
- Highest · lowest point
- 1,137m high6m low
Gradient
- Steepest climb
- 14 % (8°), 68 m up over 500 m, stage 1
- Steepest descent
- −18 % (10°), 92 m down over 500 m, stage 3
- Gradient
- Height per distance: 20 % is 20 m up per 100 m forward; 100 % is 45°, not 90°
- Keep in mind
- Averages over 500 m from a 30 m terrain model: steps and ladders within them are steeper
Gradient Angle Feels like 10 % 6° Noticeable on a road 20 % 11° A steep path, slow going 30 % 17° Very steep, often steps 100 % 45° Scrambling - 14% ↑−18% ↓
Steep stretches
- This trail
- 0.2 km up, 2.4 km down: the darkest parts of the profile
- Steep
- 15 % or more (9°, 15 m of height per 100 m), in 200 m stretches
- Why it matters
- Slow going uphill, hard on the knees downhill
- 2.6km
Surfaces
- Natural ground: 45%, 22.7 km. Earth, grass, rock and roots: footpaths and forest trails. Can be muddy after rain.
- Gravel: 54%, 27.2 km. Gravel, compacted and stony surfaces: mostly forest roads and farm tracks.
- Paved: 0%, 0.1 km. Asphalt, concrete and cobbles: roads and village streets.
Terrain along the route
- Heights
- Copernicus terrain model, 30 m grid, every 100 m along the main route; in forests it reads the treetops
- Colours
- Each 200 m by its gradient in walking direction: climbs warm, descents violet, darker when steeper (to ±30 %)
- Ground
- The strip below, from OpenStreetMap; the 41% without a surface tag is read from the way type (footpaths natural, tracks gravel)
Landscape
Landscape along the route
- Source
- ESA WorldCover 2021, a 10 m satellite map
- Points
- Every 100 m along the main route; each takes the most common class within 30 m, so the path itself doesn't count as bare ground
- Groups
- Its eleven classes, folded into the six shown
- Keep in mind
- What the landscape looks like, not which plants grow there
Sleeping
Wild camping
- What
- Pitching a tent outside campsites. Whether it is allowed, restricted or prohibited depends on the land and the country; the rule for this trail is below the cards.
Restricted
Camping
- What
- Official campsites along the trail. Bring your own tent.
- Available
- Where the trail's own source lists it, or where OpenStreetMap maps 3 or more within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end
None listed
Huts
- What
- Mountain huts (often staffed, with meals) and unstaffed bivouac shelters, usually on the trail itself.
- Available
- Where the trail's own source lists it, or where OpenStreetMap maps 3 or more within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end
Available
Mountain huts · 5 in OpenStreetMap
Hostels
- What
- Dormitory beds for walkers: hostels, hiker lodges and pilgrim hostels.
- Available
- Where the trail's own source lists it, or where OpenStreetMap maps 3 or more within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end
Available
3 in OpenStreetMap
Rooms
- What
- Private rooms, usually in villages near the trail: B&Bs, guesthouses, hotels, farm stays and monastery guesthouses.
- Available
- Where the trail's own source lists it, or where OpenStreetMap maps 3 or more within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end
None listed
Wild camping is restricted. There are no campsites on the track: walkers stay in the three booked huts, and camping at the Smoke-ho car park is not permitted.
Places to sleep along the route
- Ticks
- One per place to sleep: 1 campsites, 5 huts, 3 hostels, 2 guest houses
- Counted
- Within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end (stage towns often lie off the trail); no hotels or day shelters
- Shaded
- The longest stretch without any, km 35.6–49.6
- Source
- OpenStreetMap: it may miss places or list closed ones, so book or check locally
Water & Supply
Clean water
- This trail
- 14.4 km without clean water, km 35.6–50, stage 4
- Rating
- Frequentup to 10 km
- Regularup to 20 km
- Scarcebeyond
- Counted
- Within 500 m: 0 taps, fountains and drinking springs, 8 refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites
- Refills
- Guests come first and many close out of season: ask, and carry a little extra. Places marked without drinking water are left out
- Source
- OpenStreetMap; the counts include the approach and variant, the chart shows the main route
- 14.4kmRegular
Any water
- This trail
- 14.4 km without any water, km 35.6–50
- Rating
- Frequentup to 10 km
- Regularup to 20 km
- Scarcebeyond
- Counted
- Clean water, plus the 0 springs within 500 m
- Keep in mind
- Spring water's quality is unknown: filter, boil or treat it, and expect some springs to run dry in late summer
- 14.4kmRegular
Shops
- This trail
- 50 km without a shop, km 0–50
- Counted
- 0 supermarkets, convenience and general stores and petrol station shops, within 1 km of the trail or 3 km of a stage's end
- Keep in mind
- Small village shops are often missing in OpenStreetMap, and opening hours vary: check before relying on one
- 50km
Water and shops along the route
- Ticks
- One per place along the main route
- Counted
- Drinking water and springs within 500 m; refills at huts, hostels, guest houses and campsites within 500 m; shops within 1 km, or 3 km of a stage's end
- Shaded
- Each lane's longest stretch without. "Water" counts every kind and opens into one lane per kind, each with its own
- Source
- OpenStreetMap: it may miss places or list ones that have closed or run dry, so check locally