Off-lead OKModerate
Kawatiri Historic Railway Walk
Saint Arnaud · Nelson-Tasman · Out & Back
↑ 32 m gain↓ 32 m descenthigh 397 msteepest 11 %
DISTANCE1.6 km
ASCENT32 m
DURATION0.5–1 hr
STEEPEST11 %
ROUTEOut & Back
RATING · HIKERS 4.3 · 28
DOG EFFORT1.9 /5 paws
Nearest emergency vetNelson Vets - Saxton (after-hours on-call), Nelson
03 544 5678
The route
Good to know
Dogs can run off-lead here, one of only 287 tracks in Aotearoa where that’s allowed.
Check the water before the dog swims. Toxic algae blooms in NZ rivers and lakes can kill a dog within hours. Scan the LAWA water quality map in warm months and keep dogs away from dark slime on rocks.
About Kawatiri Historic Railway Walk
Near Saint Arnaud in Nelson-Tasman, Kawatiri Historic Railway Walk runs 1.6 km as an out-and-back.
Expect moderate going, with around 32 m of climb, pitching up to 11 % at its steepest, and takes about 0.5–1 hr to walk.
Along the way there are native forest, river frontage, and an old rail formation. Dogs are allowed off the lead on this one. Hikers rate it 4.3 / 5 across 28 reviews.