Stafford Bay Route
Jackson Bay · West Coast
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: “Dogs with a DOC permit only. Contact closest DOC office to get a permit”. 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.
Opens your email app, addressed to [email protected]. You can also call DOC on 0800 275 362.
About Stafford Bay Route
Stafford Bay Route is a moderate-length walk of 3.9 km, near Jackson Bay in West Coast.
An expert-grade South Westland backcountry route from the road end near Jackson Bay: a tramping track to the Smoothwater River, then an unmarked route to Stafford Hut over Stafford Saddle. This is experienced-trampers-only country, and this is Haast tokoeka kiwi territory: the DOC permit is the entry ticket and its conditions are set by the Awarua/Haast Visitor Centre when it is issued. Take the inland saddle route mapped here. The alternative coastal leg is tidal and bluffy, only possible started two hours before low tide in calm seas, and DOC warns against attempting it in reverse: if conditions turn you are likely to get stranded along the coast.
It sits at the easy end and gains roughly 11 m, and takes about 47 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 Zane suggested it, and we checked it against the source above.