On-leadEasy
Ōpunakē Loop Trail
Opunake · Taranaki · Loop
↑ 60 m gain↓ 61 m descenthigh 34 msteepest 7 %
DISTANCE9.2 km
ASCENT60 m
DURATION2–2.5 hr
STEEPEST7 %
ROUTELoop
RATING · HIKERS 4.3 · 66
DOG EFFORT2.3 /5 paws
PARKING60 m away
Nearest emergency vetA+ VET - Afterhours Plus Vet Emergency Taranaki, New Plymouth
06 242 1278
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.
Beach swimLake swimRiver swim spotsOpen track, carry water for the dogPaw-friendly sealed surfaceGood with kids
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 Ōpunakē Loop Trail
This long track follows 9.2 km as a loop, near Opunake in Taranaki.
It sits at the easy end and gains roughly 60 m, pitching up to 7 % at its steepest, and takes about 2–2.5 hr to walk.
Along the way there are beach walking, lakeside stretches, river frontage, and big views. Dogs are welcome here on the lead. Hikers rate it 4.3 / 5 across 66 reviews.