Waikanae Park Loop
Waikanae · Wellington · Loop
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. Kāpiti Coast District Council’s own wording: “Mixed rules across one small park, so the lead is the safe default. Kāpiti Coast District Council's Dog Control Bylaw 2019 (amended 2023) makes the biggest stretch of this loop off lead: Schedule Three lists "The equestrian showground adjacent to Waikanae Park, when an organised event is not held". The rest of the loop is on lead under Schedule Two, "All recreational reserves within the District, except those specified in Schedules 1 or 3", and Schedule One makes "All sports grounds under Council's control" and "Within 10 metres of all children's playgrounds" no dog areas, which the loop keeps clear of”. Evidence: the rule-setter’s own published wording. How we check dog rules.
Good to know
Dogs are allowed here. Keep them on the lead, watch for ground-nesting birds and stock, and read the signs at the gate.
About Waikanae Park Loop
Waikanae Park Loop covers 1.6 km, near Waikanae in Wellington, walked as a loop.
A flat 1.6 km loop around Waikanae Park off Te Moana Road, stitched together from the equestrian showground, the edge of the Kaiwaru Trig Forest block and the open park between them. The council's own page for the park calls it dog friendly and advertises the off leash area, and its dog access mapping splits the ground into named zones, so this is one of those walks where the rule changes underfoot and it pays to know where you are. The long side of the loop crosses the equestrian showground, which the bylaw makes an off leash area whenever an organised event is not being held; on event days the ground reverts and the lead goes on. The Kaiwaru Trig Forest section and the main body of the park are on leash, and the sports fields and the ground within 10 metres of the playground are no dog areas, so keep to the loop line and off the playing fields. We have the showground on our dog parks map as the Waikanae Park Equestrian Area if it is the off lead time you are after. Underfoot it is easy going the whole way round, and the park carries plenty of interest for a short walk: horses on the showground some days, the bush edge along the trig block, and open mown space for the in between. Kellie and Jack, who mapped the loop, rate it as a solid everyday walk with the option of letting the dog stretch out on the showground when the ground is quiet.
Expect easy going, with around 19 m of climb, and takes about 20 min to walk.
Dogs are allowed here, on the lead. This walk is on the map because Kellie & Jack suggested it, and we checked it against the source above.
