Tatare Tunnels Walk
WalkWest CoastOpen
- Grade
- Easy
- Walking time
- 1 hr 20 min
- Distance
- 3.6 km
- Route
- Return
- Dogs
- No dogs
Getting there
We have not checked a road end or car park for this place yet, so we do not give driving directions to it. Check how to get there before you go. Some routes cross private land and need the landowner's permission.
How to get there, on doc.govt.nzThe Tatare Tunnels Walk begins in the Franz Josef Waiau township at the end of Cowan Street.
Source: DOC Te Papa Atawhai.
Map and tracks
Track lines: DOC Te Papa Atawhai. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Topo map: LINZ, CC BY 4.0. 43.38759° S, 170.20271° E
About this place
The 80-minute walk follows an old 4WD road then the tracks climbs to the old water tunnels. You will need a torch and raincoat to explore the tunnels.
The route
The Tatare Tunnels Walk shares the first 5 minutes with the Callery Gorge Walk . This section is a short, gentle climb to a high terrace behind Franz Josef Waiau township, passing the town water supply pipes and tanks. After 10 minutes on a four wheel drive road, the track climbs gently then drops to a view of the scenic Tatare Gorge. The track then becomes steep and narrow for the short climb to the Tatare Tunnels. If you want to explore the tunnels bring a torch and raincoat. You may get wet feet – at worst the water will be ankle deep. The track stops just inside the far end of the first tunnel as the wooden structures beyond the tunnel are damaged.
Source: DOC Te Papa Atawhai.
Nearby stops
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Franz Josef Top 10 Holiday Park
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Castle Rocks Hut
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Mattresses • Toilets - non-flush • Water from tap - not treated, boil before use
Almer Hut
Serviced Alpine • 12 bunks • West Coast • 9.7 km
Almer Hut is a well-known hut in the West Coast region, situated above Franz Josef Glacier. It offers excellent views down the valley and across to the high…
Mattresses • Toilets - non-flush • Water from tap - not treated, boil before use
Walks nearby
Notes from people who have been
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Sources
- DOC Tracks & Trails · CC BY 4.0Data sourced from the Department of Conservation (DOC), New Zealand.
- DOC Tracks (API) · CC BY 4.0Crown Copyright: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai. Data sourced from the DOC Developer Portal (api.doc.govt.nz).