Rotorua Lakes & Redwoods
Redwood shade and open lake shores
Best for Water dogs, lake swimmers, easy-going forest walkers.
Redwoods & Blue Lake
- 1
Redwood Quarry Loop Track
Dogs allowedTowering Californian redwoods on soft forest floor, dogs welcome, and dreamy shade for warm noses.
- 2
Eastwood
Dogs at outdoor tablesForest-edge cafe with outdoor dog seating, refuel right beside the Redwoods before the lake.
- ~8 km drive
- 3
Blue Lake Track
Dogs allowedEasy circuit of Tikitapu; dogs welcome, but check the summer beach ban before any dip.
- 4
Rotorua Blue Lake TOP 10 Holiday Park
Dogs by arrangement, call aheadLakeside holiday park, dogs by arrangement, call ahead to bring your dog.
- ~11 km drive to Day 2
North Shore Run
- 1
Hannahs Bay Reserve Loop
Dogs allowedGentle flat lakefront loop on Rotorua's east shore; dogs welcome, a good morning legs-stretch.
- ~13 km drive
- 2
Hamurana Lakefront Reserve Walkway
Dogs allowedOff-lead lakefront reserve and cold springs, confirm bylaw signage; algae check before swims.
Trips like this one
Taupō & the Great Lake Trail
The Great Lake Trail sections (Headland Loop/W2K and Waihāhā) now welcome dogs and give them room to properly run, but they are shared cycle trails, so keep recall sharp and step aside for mountain bikers.
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.
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.