On-leadModerate
Waikaia River Track
Waikaia · Southland · Loop
↑ 154 m gain↓ 154 m descenthigh 275 msteepest 19 %
DISTANCE10.0 km
ASCENT154 m
DURATION3–3.5 hr
STEEPEST19 %
ROUTELoop
RATING · HIKERS 4.5 · 8
DOG EFFORT3.0 /5 paws
Nearest emergency vetNorthern Southland Vets - Riversdale (24/7 emergency), Riversdale
03 202 5636
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 shade
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 Waikaia River Track
Waikaia River Track is a loop of 10.0 km, near Waikaia in Southland.
It sits at the moderate end and gains roughly 154 m, pitching up to 19 % at its steepest, and takes about 3–3.5 hr to walk.
Walkers come for native forest, river frontage, and big views. Dogs are welcome here on the lead. Hikers rate it 4.5 / 5 across 8 reviews.