Mt Fyffe Forest Walk
Kaikōura · Canterbury
This walk was suggested by the community and checked against the authority quoted above before it was published. The route line comes from official track data. DOC’s own wording: “DOC is the land manager here and its rule for this track is a permit, not a leash. The Mt Fyffe Forest Walk page reads “Dogs with a DOC permit only. Contact closest DOC office to get a permit.”, and the office that covers Kaikōura is the Nelson visitor centre. That permit is the whole access question: without one your dog is not allowed on this track at all, and with one you still walk under whatever conditions the permit sets. Apply before you travel rather than at the road end, because there is no office at the trailhead and no way to sort it on the day. The track climbs into Fyffe-Palmer Scenic Reserve inside Ka Whata Tu o Rakihouia Conservation Park, so the same permit rule runs the length of the walk. Read 3 September 2026”. Evidence: the rule-setter’s own published wording. How we check dog rules.
Good to know
A DOC dog permit is required before any dog walks here. Apply to the managing DOC office ahead of time; do not turn up with the dog first.
About Mt Fyffe Forest Walk
Near Kaikōura in Canterbury, Mt Fyffe Forest Walk runs 2.3 km.
A short, steep-ish climb off the end of Mt Fyffe Road into old forest on the seaward face of the Kaikōura ranges, about 2 km from town. DOC lists it as “2.5 km return via same track”, allows “1 hr 45 min” and grades it an “Easy to intermediate walking track”. In DOC’s own words the route “leads from the end of Mt Fyffe Road, initially following poles across farmland to the regenerating forest of Fyffe-Palmer Scenic Reserve”, and once you are in the trees it “passes through some bush and small waterfalls”. It is a good leg-stretcher on a road trip, which is exactly how Melissa and Indiana put it to us. Read this part before you drive out: the track is closed. DOC’s alert says “Due to recent heavy rain and flood damage the Mt Fyffe Forest Walk has been damaged and is temporarily closed.” It went up on 9 July 2026 and was still current when we checked on 3 September 2026. We have left the page here because the walk is worth having when it reopens, but do not plan a visit on it yet, and check DOC’s page on the day rather than trusting ours. Dogs need a DOC permit for this one. That is DOC’s rule across the conservation park rather than anything particular to this track, and it means sorting the permit with the Nelson visitor centre before you leave home. It is the sort of walk people assume is a casual roadside stop, so it is worth being clear: no permit, no dog, closure or no closure. Getting there is its own problem at the moment. DOC also warns that “a 4WD vehicle is essential to access the Mt Fyffe bottom car park” after recent weather, and says “we do not recommend crossing the ford during heavy rain due to a build-up of gravel”. Underfoot, DOC says the track “goes uphill and can be muddy and slippery”, so this is boots rather than trainers, and a dog that will stay close on a narrow, greasy climb.
Expect moderate going, with around 261 m of climb, and takes about 53 min to walk.
A DOC dog permit is required before any dog walks here. Arrange it with the managing DOC office ahead of your trip. This walk is on the map because Melissa & Indiana suggested it, and we checked it against the source above.