Pokaka Mill Campsite
Dogs with a DOC permit only
Get the dog permit
Dogs are only allowed at Pokaka Mill Campsite with a Department of Conservation permit, sorted before you arrive. We have drafted the email for you: it reaches the Tongariro DOC office, which looks after Tongariro Forest. Add your details and send it.
Opens your email app, addressed to [email protected]. You can also call DOC on 0800 275 362.
- Apply before you travel. A permit can take up to five days, and it is not issued at the campsite.
- Add your dog's details. Include the microchip and council registration numbers and your trip dates. The draft has a line for each.
- Wait for DOC to confirm. They reply with the permit or tell you what else they need, such as proof of aversion training.
About this campsite
A basic campsite in the Ruapehu area.
Department of Conservation
Getting there
Off SH 47 at the end of Pukehinau Rd. Rough gravel road, 4WD recommended.
Department of Conservation
Current alerts
A predator control operation using toxic bait containing 1080 was completed on 22 August 2025.
There may be toxic carcasses and bait (green coloured pellets) in the area. It's not safe to hunt for food or have your dog in this area for up to 8 months. Warning signs and this web alert will be removed when the area is safe again.
1080 is deadly to dogs. How to keep dogs safe around 1080.
This operation is part of DOC's National Predator Control Programme to protect native species.
Posted 24 November 2025
Alerts are point-in-time. Check DOC for current alerts before you travel.
Nearest dog-friendly tracks
The closest dog-friendly tracks to this campsite, straight-line distance.
Sourced from the Department of Conservation. The campsite facts and the dog rule on this page come from DOC and are used under CC BY 4.0. Details change with the seasons, the DOC page is the source of truth. The terrain drawing above is our own, computed from elevation data.