On-leadHard
Mount Oxford Track
Oxford · Canterbury · Loop
↑ 1128 m gain↓ 1129 m descenthigh 1352 msteepest 43 %
DISTANCE20.0 km
ASCENT1,128 m
DURATION8–9 hr
STEEPEST43 %
ROUTELoop
RATING · HIKERS 4.5 · 96
DOG EFFORT5.0 /5 paws
PARKING10 m away
Nearest emergency vetChristchurch After Hours Veterinary Centre, Christchurch
03 366 1052
The route
Good to know
On the lead here. Keep it to two metres or less and watch for ground-nesting birds, as on most NZ tracks.
River swim spotsForest shadeA popular track, busy on weekends3 stiles on routeBest in summer; snow and ice at altitude in winter
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 Mount Oxford Track
Mount Oxford Track covers 20.0 km, near Oxford in Canterbury, walked as a loop.
Graded hard, it climbs about 1,128 m overall, pitching up to 43 % at its steepest, and takes about 8–9 hr to walk.
Along the way there are native forest, river frontage, big views, and wildflowers. Dogs are welcome here on the lead. Hikers rate it 4.5 / 5 across 96 reviews.