Tauranga Bridge Walk
Opotiki · Bay of Plenty · Out & Back
The permit requirement shown here is DOC’s own published rule for this land. The DOC office and signs on the day have the final say. DOC’s own wording: “Dogs with a DOC permit for recreational hunting or management purposes only. (DOC, dog access field for Tauranga Loop Track)”. Evidence: a hand-checked correction against the authority. How we check dog rules.
Good to know
A DOC dog permit is required before any dog walks here. DOC codes this land for the hunting-dog permit, so it is not a casual dog walk. Ask the DOC office before planning to bring a dog. DOC lists this walk as the Tauranga Loop Track in Waioeka Gorge Scenic Reserve, and its dog access field reads "Dogs with a DOC permit for recreational hunting or management purposes only." That permit covers hunting or management work, so it is not one you can get for a walk.
About Tauranga Bridge Walk
Tauranga Bridge Walk is an out-and-back of 1.0 km, near Ōpōtiki in Bay of Plenty.
We had this walk pointing at DOC's general dog rules page, which never names the track. The right page is DOC's Tauranga Loop Track in Waioeka Gorge Scenic Reserve, 26 km south-east of Ōpōtiki on SH2, and it is the one linked above now. The permit it asks for is the hunting or management kind, so in practice this is not a walk you can bring the dog on. DOC's Ōpōtiki office is the one to ask if you think that is wrong.
Expect easy going, with around 27 m of climb, pitching up to 12 % at its steepest, and takes about 17 min to walk.
Along the way there are native forest, river frontage, big views, and historic sites. A DOC dog permit is required before any dog walks here. Arrange it with the managing DOC office ahead of your trip. Walkers rate it 4.5 / 5 across 7 reviews.