Forest walks
Shade, soft ground and birdsong. These routes lean on native bush tracks where the going stays gentle and the dog stays cool.
The Catlins Coast
Every walk on this route sits on DOC or reserve land where dogs are welcome.
Karangahake Gorge
Dogs are welcome right across Karangahake: the Gorge Loop, the glow-worm rail tunnel and the Crown Track all sit on DOC-administered land that takes dogs, and the Waihi-to-Waikino rail trail is the stretch with room to run.
Auckland West: Black Sand & the Waitākere Fringe
Dogs are welcome at Muriwai year-round, but the south-end Otakamiro gannet colony with its clifftop tracks is strictly no-dogs, so keep well clear.
Coromandel Loop
Most Coromandel beaches, including Hot Water, Cooks, Shakespeare Cliff and the Whitianga sands, carry summer daytime dog restrictions (roughly Labour Weekend to 1 March), so plan beach time for early morning or the shoulder seasons and read the TCDC signs at every access.
Rotorua Lakes & Redwoods
Dogs are welcome on every walk on this route, and the Hamurana lakefront reserve is the one spot with room to properly run, so confirm the exercise area against Rotorua Lakes Council bylaw signage before you unclip, as the Springs walk proper restricts dogs.
West Coast: Hokitika, Punakaiki & Charleston
Dogs are welcome nearly everywhere on this coast, Kumara's Londonderry Rock loop is the one place with room to properly run, and Cape Foulwind needs them held close near the fur-seal colony year-round.