The Pelorus Track

A beautiful 3-4 day hike through Mt Richmond Forest Park.

Hiking Difficult

Distance: 41 km
Ascent: 2 km
Descent: 1.3 km
Duration: 1 day +

Low Point: 41 m
High Point: 1 km
Gradient: 12˚

This popular hut-to-hut hike follows the Pelorus River, taking you through dense beech and podocarp forests in the thriving Mt Richmond Forest Park. From the trail’s beginning (Pelorus Bridge) to the end (Hacket Junction) you will have experienced 3-4 days of hard tramping including a steep climb up to The Rocks (939m).

Hiking in the Mt. Richmond Forest Park in New Zealand. Photo: Jim Trefethen

Track, Pelorus River Bridge Photo: Russellstreet

Pelorus River (at Pelorus Bridge) Photo: Jeff Hitchcock

Description

Above the green forests, you will see several rocky "island" peaks poking out. This is the Richmond Range, an irregular mountainous ridge reaching over 1700m, and the backbone of the Mt. Richmond Forest Park.

The Pelorus Track forms part of the Te Arora long-distance hiking trail. Another excellent multi-day hike along the Te Arora is the Queen Charlotte Track, which you can find out more about here.

Sources https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/marlborough/places/mount-richmond-forest-park/things-to-do/tracks/pelorus-track/ https://www.teararoa.org.nz/nelsonmarlborough/pelorus-track/

Difficulty

Difficult

Hiking trails where obstacles such as rocks or roots are prevalent. Some obstacles can require care to step over or around. At times, the trail can be worn and eroded. The grade of the trail is generally quite steep, and can often lead to strenuous hiking.