Greater Wellington — Belmont Regional Park

The breathtaking views and bush-clad valleys of Belmont Regional Park make it a favourite open space for picnics, walking, running, mountain biking and horse riding.

Opening hours

The parks are always open to the public.
The Dry Creek automatic security gate is open 5am-9pm from 1 Oct to 31 Mar, and 6am-6pm from 1 April to 30 Sept.
Other parts of the park may be closed for farm management purposes, particularly during lambing.

Notices

Track closures for Transmission Gully work near Takapu Road entrance

Construction vehicles may be on tracks from Monday to Friday 9 October 2024 to 30 April 2025. Contractors are completing stream works for the Transmission Gully Project.

Please avoid the yellow areas shown on the map if possible. Follow all safety signs in the park. Always keep out of construction areas marked in red on the map.

For questions or concerns about these works, contact 0800TGINFO or info.tg@ventia.com.

Posted 11/10/2024

Activities

A winding wooden staircase up a slight rise in Belmont Regional Park

Learn more >

A couple walking along Belmont Trig track at sunset

A bridge across a small river in Belmont Regional Park

A small waterfall in Belmont Regional Park

Activities

Walking and hiking

Belmont Regional Park offers walks over rolling hills, through bush-clad valleys and across farmland.

Tracks

Follow the code for walking and hiking in our regional parks and forests.

Belmont Regional Park trail map

Read more here

Published 26 Jul 2022

Download now (PDF 13 MB)

Track	Distance/Walk time	Grade	Details
Cannons Creek entrance
Māra Roa Loop Walk	2.5km / 1hr	Easy	A short walk in the area the Friends of Maara Roa are replanting after a fire swept through in 2003. Along the walk there are lovely views across and down Cannons Creek. Dogs on lead at all times.
Māra Roa Track	4km / 1hr 45 mins	Intermediate	Starting from either the Cannons Creeks shops or Waihora Crescent, Porirua, you will see the regenerating bush planted by Friends of Maara Roa, stunning views over Transmission Gully and Porirua Inlet. Dogs are welcome on this trail both on and off-lead, please follow the signs in the park.
Waihora Loop Track	3.5km / 1hr 15min	Intermediate	This loop walk from Waihora Crescent, Porirua, meanders through previously farmed areas in the park. There are stunning views over Transmission Gully and towards the Porirua inlet at the high points. Dogs are welcome on this trail both on and off-lead, please follow the signs in the park.
Takapu Road entrance
Viaduct View Walk	500m / 15min	Easy	A short walk to a good point for viewing Te Ara o Toa (Bridge 20), which is the largest structure on the entire Transmission Gully motorway.
Cannons Head Loop Track	6.5km / 3hrs	Hard	This trail circles through the steep farmland of the Cannons Creek headwaters. There is a good view point over the motorway corridor.
Cornish Street entrance - Discover a historic dam and remnants of the original forest or journey up for the views from the open tops.
Korokoro Stream Track	8km return / 3hrs return	Intermediate	A graded track follows the old water pipeline up to the historic Korokoro Dam.
Oakleigh Street entrance - Wander past nikau palms in remnants of the original forest, discover a historic dam, or tramp up to the open tops for the views.
Korokoro Dam Loop Track	2.7km / 1hr	Intermediate	A medium walk winds down through lush native forest to the historic dam.
Old Coach Road entrance - Local access to the Stratton Street and Belmont Farm walking, biking and horse riding tracks.
Belmont Road entrance - Local access to the Belmont Road and Boulder Hill tramping tracks.
Stratton Street entrance - Explore this patchwork of grassland and regenerating native bush, spread across hills and valleys hidden from the city.
Belmont Trig Loop	10.8km / 4hrs	Hard	An energetic round trip, taking in panoramic views from the highest point in the park, along with native forest in the middle part of Korokoro Valley.
4 Degrees	3.5km / 1hr one way	Easy	This winding uphill mountain bike and walking track starting from Stratton Street Woolshed links the upper Korokoro Valley with Old Coach Road on the ridge above. Find out more at Find Your Wild
Hill Road entrance - Experience a working farm set on rolling hills and rugged valleys, encounter WWII munitions stores and be astonished by the views.
Belmont Farm Loop	8.4km / 3hrs	Intermediate	A trip through some of the high rolling hills of Belmont Farm. Dogs are not allowed in farmland.
Dry Creek entrance - This is a main entry to the park for walkers, mountain bikers, horse riders and campers. Explore the Dry Creek valley or head up to Boulder Hill for the views and discover the rest of the park beyond.
Waterfall Route	2.2km / 45min return	Easy	Try this short safe route for a taste of back country tramping. It is an easy scramble for all ages through native bush up to a small waterfall. Expect to get wet feet, perfect for a sunny summer’s day.
Puke Ariki/ Haywards Korokoro Traverse	22km / 7-8hrs one way	Hard	Take the challenge! This day trip traverses the valleys and ridge tops of the eastern side of the park. About half of it is through farmland. The views are tremendous and there are also a variety of historic features to discover. Find out more at Find Your Wild

See more Walking and hiking

Mountain biking

With its wide open spaces and challenging forest tracks, Belmont Regional Park draws mountain bikers from all over the region and beyond.

Know before you go

Know the mountain bikers code
Keep to the designated cycle tracks, use gates and stiles, be considerate to others and give way to walkers.
Note that the Farm Track down from the airstrip is closed to mountain bikers as it is the main farm access road for vehicles and livestock.

Belmont Mountain Bike Area Tracks

Belmont Regional Park mountain bike tracks

Read more here

Published 16 Jun 2023

Download now (PDF 1.6 MB)

Track	Distance	Time	Description	Grade	Track #
Skills Area	n/a	n/a	Includes tabletops for jump practice, wooden features for balance practice, corners etc. A good area for all skill levels to practice riding.	Easy (Grade 2)	202 (PDF 1.6 MB)
Four Degrees	3.6 km	31 min	Primarily an uphill trail (but can be ridden downhill for an easier option). Also open to walkers. A nice gentle gradient (hence the name!) for climbing. It ends at Old Coach Road where you can access the downhill trails Bull Run, Electric Avenue, Borderline, and OCD. Find out more at Find Your Wild	Easy (Grade 2)	201 (PDF 1.6 MB)
Coach Road Connector	672 m	5.5 min	A gravelled easy gradient track connecting the Hill Road carpark to Old Coach Road where you can access downhill trails Bull Run, Electric Avenue, Borderline, and OCD. Easier than Four Degrees. Also open to walkers.	Easy (Grade 2)	203 (PDF 1.6 MB)
Connect Four	625 m	6.5 min	Primarily an uphill trail, starts about a quarter of the way up Four Degrees, and connects to Wētā for a lower loop option (starting and ending at Stratton Street).	Easy (Grade 2)	204 (PDF 1.6 MB)
Bull Run	1.4 km	6.5 min	Most of the track is through native bush with a few roots and tight turns. The bottom section is clay so it can get very slippery when wet (like ice). Can stay wet longer than the other tracks. It ends at Hill Road, where you can climb back up via Hill Road Connector.	Intermediate (Grade 3)	301 (PDF 1.6 MB)
Electric Avenue	1 km	5.5 min	Electric Avenue starts from Old Coach Road and flows into Wētā. Some nice tabletop jumps at the beginning. Nice flow and dries out quickly in summer as in the open. Not so much in winter as it doesn’t get much sun. When wet it can be quite slippery as the surface is clay.	Intermediate (Grade 3)	302 (PDF 1.6 MB)
Wētā	650 m	2.5 min	Starts at the top of Connect Four or from Electric Avenue after crossing the 4WD track. It was re-done in late 2022 with a digger. Lovely flow with great berms and good tabletop jumps at the end. Surface is gravely rather than clay. Slightly easier than Electric Avenue.	Intermediate (Grade 3)	303 (PDF 1.6 MB)
Bull-A-Varde	426 m	4 min	Bull-A-Varde is a short single track connecting Old Coach Road with Bull Run and Sweetacres.	Intermediate (Grade 3)	304 (PDF 1.6 MB)
Pylon Connector	332 m	3 min	Four-wheel drive track linking Old Coach Road and Naked Flame.	Intermediate (Grade 3)	305 (PDF 1.6 MB)
Naked Flame	250 m	2.5 min	This downhill-only trail follows the subterranean gas pipeline. Naked Flame starts at the View Point power pylon, descending quickly along a ridge heading south, flattening out as it nears its connection with Bull-A-Varde.	Intermediate (Grade 3)	306 (PDF 1.6 MB)
Borderline	1.1 km	6 min	A high speed, technically challenging track. It is a mix of flowing trail, drops, exposed roots, rocks and banked turns. The clay trail surface makes for extremely slippery conditions when wet, but it dries out quickly due to being in the open and getting good sun.	Advanced (Grade 4)	401 (PDF 1.6 MB)
Off Camber Daze	866 m	11 min	As the name suggests, this track has plenty of off-camber riding, with many off-camber roots. A few tight challenging corners combined with more roots, and some steep shoots as well. Not recommended to ride for the first time in the wet. A good fun challenge in the dry, a lot more challenging in wet conditions! A very solid grade 5 track.	Expert (Grade 5)	501 (PDF 1.6 MB)

Wider Belmont Mountain Bike Tracks

Belmont Regional Park trail map

Read more here

Published 26 Jul 2022

Download now (PDF 13 MB)

Track	Distance & time	Details
Kilmister Loop	2 to 3 hours (12km)Intermediate	From the end of Hill Road, ride up through Waitangirua Farm past WWII ammunition bunkers, before heading right at the fork, passing more historic bunkers and descending towards Belmont Road. Take the right fork towards Boulder Hill then follow the signposted track along a stream and back to Hill Road.
Dry Creek Loop	1 to 2 hours (9km) return Intermediate	From the Dry Creek entrance, ride up a zigzag track on the valley's south side to a farm road. Take the track's right-hand fork to go through farmland and manuka forest before descending the north side of the Dry Creek valley back to the carpark
Belmont Road	(5km) Intermediate	This is the main northern entrance to the Belmont Regional Park. There is a 200m altitude difference between the ends of this track. Parts of the track are quite steep, with a grade of up to 12', though the overall grade is much less. For most of its length the track surface is gravel and hard-packed clay, with the occasional grassy section. For the northern end, turn off State Highway 58 (Haywards Hill Road) and go up Belmont Road to where the seal ends. This is a narrow road - barely one lane - so watch out for traffic in the other direction. Belmont Road continues up the hill in the form of a farm road. The southern end of Belmont Road is at an intersection with Hill Road and Duck Creek, by the gas station.
Sweetacres	(2km) Intermediate	After a short, steep, climb from Old Coach Road, this track winds its way down through Sweetacres reserve. There are a couple of particularly steep parts - near the summit, and the initial section just above Hill Road. From the upper grassy section there are great views over the Hutt Valley and towards Wellington Harbour. But keep an eye on the track, as it is quite rough in places. The lower sections pass through regenerating bush, with a few tight switchbacks to slow down your descent.
Belmont Dress Circle	2 to 4 hours (13.5 km) return Advanced	Starting at the Stratton Street entrance, follow the farm track up the valley past an old woolshed then up to Old Coach Road. Continue left around the head of the valley to Round Knob, Cannon's Head and then to Belmont Trig, or take a shorter route via Middle Ridge. From Belmont Trig, take the farm track back to Stratton Street, watching out for walkers, horse riders, or other mountain bikers. You will have great views of Porirua and the Hutt Valley from the ridge tops.
Belmont Trig and Korokoro Valley	2 to 5 hours (12 km) one way Expert	From Stratton Street, this challenging route climbs up towards Belmont Trig before a steep and narrow descent into the Korokoro Valley. Follow the Korokoro Stream track down either to Cornish Street (to SH2) or go up to Oakleigh Street and back to Stratton Street via Dowse Drive. Watch out for walkers in the Korokoro Valley.
Puke Ariki / Haywards Korokoro Traverse	3 to 4 hours (22km) Expert	Take the challenge! This rewarding half day mountain bike ride traverses the length of Belmont Regional Park. Starting at the Dry Creek Haywards entrance the track rises to Boulder Hill (442m) and runs over undulating farmland to the Airstrip, Round Knob, Cannons Head and Belmont Trig. The track then descends into the Korokoro Valley and exits at Cornish St in Petone. Along the way is a diverse range of landforms and vegetation, from farmland to native forest. Return via the Hutt River Trail or via the train from Petone railway station. Go prepared for all conditions, take warm, windproof clothing, strong lace-up footwear and sufficient food and drink for your ride. Find out more at Find Your Wild

See more Mountain biking

Dog walking

Dogs are welcome in the Korokoro, Stratton Street and Dry Creek valleys if on a lead. Please pick up droppings. You will find dog bins at Cornish and Oakleigh Street entrance. Some parts of the park do not allow dogs such as the farmland, so please adhere to specific dog signage.

Check out the information under walking and hiking to see which tracks dogs are welcome on.

Belmont Regional Park Dog rules

Read more here

Published 30 Aug 2022

Download now (PDF 3 MB)

See more Dog walking

Horse riding

There are several tracks available in Belmont Regional Park for horse riding. Remember that these tracks are multi use - so watch out for walkers and mountain bike riders.

Belmont Regional Park trail map

Read more here

Published 26 Jul 2022

Download now (PDF 13 MB)

Apply for permit

You need to have a horse riding permit to ride in Belmont Regional Park. The permit is valid for 1 year. There is also a $100 bond for the key.

Apply online

Things to keep in mind

Follow the parks care code

Riding tracks

The main access points for horse riding are Stratton Street and Dry Creek entrances, both of which have toilets and parking for horse floats. Horse riders can also enter from Horokiwi, Hill or Takapu Road.

Tracks	Details
Stratton Street to Belmont Trig	2 hours/4 km return. Easy/medium grade. Park your horse float in the gravelled car park on the right just past the green park sign at the Stratton Street entrance. Cross the road and follow the farm track up to Belmont Trig. About 50 metres from the top, the track branches left. Follow the farm track, then take the signposted Horokiwi bridleway. Return the same way or detour via the rolling hills running parallel to the road.
Stream Ride and Middle Ridge	2 hours/4 km return. Medium grade. Park your horsefloat as above and ride beside the road up to the carpark near the entrance to the ranger's house. Enter the pine forest through the horse gate and take the left hand fork. Follow the stream then climb gradually up towards Middle Ridge. Pass through the gate near the ridge top and pick up the farm track to the junction with Middle Ridge track. Turn left at this junction to return to Stratton Street. Alternatively, turn right and ride up to Cannons Head to get good views over the Porirua and Wellington Harbours. Return the same way.
Pine Forest Loop	1 hour/2 km return. Medium/hard grade This is a variation on the previous ride. Start at the woolshed but bear right to take the vehicle track up the middle of the block. Follow the track sign to a horse gate, then ride downhill along the edge of the block. This track returns to Stratton Street.
Old Coach Road Loop	1 hour/various distances. Medium/hard grade. Park your horsefloat as above and ride through Cottle Park Reserve to Normandale Road. Turn left and continue along Normandale Road to Old Coach Road. Take the second (easier) track left off Old Coach Road down to the Stratton Street valley. Turn left to return to the carpark or go right and do the Middle Ridge loop (see above).
Boulder Hill Ride	1 hour/10 km return. Medium grade. The track just above the main Dry Creek car park will take you up to Buchanans Road. Follow this up to a plateau, then continue along the marked track to Boulder Hill. Return the same way. It is possible to ride the Loop Track, but this requires descending a narrow track through bush then climbing to a pylon service track. The Loop Track is about the same distance as the return ride to Boulder Hill.
Horokiwi Bridleway	1 hour/2 km one way. Hard grade. Drop down from the end of Horokiwi Road to a stream, then ride up a steep track to Belmont Trig. Or extend your ride from Stratton Street to Belmont Trig. It is a steep ride for confident riders, but worth the effort.

See more Horse riding

Camping

If you like walking, mountain biking and stunning, well-earnt views, come camping at Dry Creek in Belmont Regional Park.

Camping is open 365 days a year. We do not take bookings so just turn up and find a spot. Then all you need to do is register, pay the camping fees, and enjoy.

Pay and register by filling in the envelope provided at the Iron Ranger (the box that the money is deposited into) just in front of the toilet block. Display the receipt portion (orange) of the envelope on your vehicle dash, tent or campervan. PayWave cards and cash are accepted at Dry Creek. If paying with cash, please ensure you have the right amount. The Park Ranger will make random checks.

Find it via Hebden Crescent, near the State Highway 2 and State Highway 58 (Haywards Hill) intersection.

Facilities

Dry Creek has basic facilities including:

Treated drinking water
Outside sink
Flushing toilets

There are no powered sites. If you require a powered site Kaitoke Regional Park campground has a limited number.

Campervans

Campervans and caravans can be parked anywhere in the designated camping area. Please be considerate of others and be mindful where you park.

There is no dumping station at Dry Creek.

Fees

Adults

$8 per night

Children (5-16 years)

Adult rates apply for unsupervised 14-16 year olds

$4 per night

Under fives

Free

Camping stay limits

You can stay up to:

40 days within a 12-month period.
14 days in the period between 20 December and 31 January.

Campfires

Fires are not permitted at Belmont Regional Park including the Dry Creek camping area.

Noise

Please respect other campers and always keep the noise levels down. Amplified music should be off by 9pm and no loud noise after 10pm.

Dogs

Dogs are welcome in the park (except farmland areas) and the campground. You need to make sure your dog is always under control which means they cannot wander through other campsites.

Keep your neighbours and other park users in mind and pick up your dog's droppings.

During summer when the campground is busy Park Rangers can require dogs to be on a lead.

Alcohol

Alcohol may be consumed responsibly by those over the age of 18. Underage drinking is not permitted in the park. Drunken and disorderly behaviour is not permitted and will result in eviction and trespassing from the park. Fines of up to $20,000 apply.

Security

The Park Ranger does not live on site. In an emergency please dial 111.

For non-emergences and to contact the park ranger please call the Greater Wellington contact centre on 0800 496 734

There is an automatic security gate.

Summer hours (1 Oct - 31 March): Opens at 5am and closes at 9pm.

Winter hours (1 April - 30 Sept): Opens at 6am and closes at 6pm.

No entry or exit outside of these hours. Ensure these times work with your requirements (such as ferry departure times) before staying.

See more Camping

Picnics

You will find picnic tables and toilets at Dry Creek, in the Stratton Street valley, and at Oakleigh Street, Maungaraki. Other popular sites within easy walking distance include Korokoro Dam and Baked Beans Bend. You are welcome to bring your portable gas barbecue or stove. Light no fires.

Group events

There are a variety of areas available for group activities and events, particularly at the Dry Creek and Stratton Street park entrances. The Stratton Street woolshed classroom is available to book for group meetings, events and other activities. Please contact the park ranger at BusinessSupportHuttValley@gw.govt.nz for more information.

See more Picnics

Volunteering

Flying drones/ UAVs

There are lots of good places to fly drones or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) in our parks and reserves, and there are some places where they should not be flown. No matter where you want to fly, you need to be aware of New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) rules and fly your drone safely.

Where can I fly my drone in parks?

Suggested areas suitable for flying UAVs include:

Dry Creek area, Belmont Regional Park

Avoid:

Recreation trails when busy. Unless you can obtain ‘prior permission of all the park users you wish to fly above’ (as per CAA rule).
Any areas where organised events or gatherings are taking place, unless permission has been obtained for example, as part of an event permit.
Anywhere in parks where paragliders take off or fly over. This includes Mt Climie In Pakuratahi park, Whitireia Park cliffs, Baring Head/ Orura-pouanui southern cliffs. If there is paraglider in airspace nearby, please stop flying your drone.

Six key rules all drone users should know:

Always fly below 120 metres
Don’t fly over people without permission
Keep your drone in sight at all times
Stay 4 km away from aerodromes and helipads
Give way to all manned aircraft. Land immediately
Don’t fly over property without permission

Drones must not be flown in the following places:

All designated picnic areas. This includes picnic areas in Kaitoke Regional Park, Queen Elizabeth Park, Tunnel Gully Recreation Area, the lower dam area at Wainuiomata Recreation Area, Cannon Point in Akatarawa Forest, Baring Head lighthouse precinct in East Harbour Regional Park, and Onehunga Bay car park and picnic area in Whitireia Park.
All designated camping areas. This includes Kaitoke Regional Park and Battle Hill Farm Forest Park.
Areas of Battle Hill Farm Forest Park and Belmont Regional Park seasonally closed for lambing and calving
All wetland and nesting or roosting bird habitat areas in parks
Closer than 30 metres to any vehicles, boats or park buildings or structures (note that Wellington Harbour is all controlled airspace, if you do have permission to fly over the harbour, please stay at least 200 metres away from large commercial shipping).
In other locations when asked to cease flying by a Park Ranger or member of the public

Refer to our Guidelines for Flying Drones (UAVs) in the regional parks and forests (PDF 155 KB) for more details.

A permit is not required for recreational flying, but is required if you intend to fly for commercial purposes.

Details of the CAA rules are found on their website.

See more Flying drones/UAVs

Accommodation

Stay at Boulder Field House, a restored park house nestled in regenerating native bush, just inside the Belmont Regional Park entrance on Hill Road with easy access to walking and mountain biking tracks.

Boulder Field House features a sunny outlook over Belmont Regional Park and is approximately 25 minutes from downtown Wellington or 15 minutes from downtown Lower Hutt. It has three bedrooms (two queen beds and two singles), a retro-style well-equipped kitchen, modern furnishings, bike storage and barbecue area.

Find out more

See more Stay in a cottage

Description

Located in the hill between Porirua and the Hutt Valley, the park features the historic Korokoro Dam, Pareraho Pā, World War II ammunition stores and the original main coach road from Wellington. Climb to the trig at 456 metres above sea level to enjoy sweeping views over Porirua Harbour, the Lower Hutt and the remnants of ancient boulder block fields.

"Our visitors love the wide open spaces and sweeping panoramas. It’s like visiting the country just five minutes from the city." Bruce Forster, Belmont Ranger

See more about The Woolshed venue hire

Know before you go

There's a camping ground at Dry Creek with toilets and drinking water.
Dogs are welcome in the park if on a lead. Please pick up droppings. You will find dog bins at Cornish and Oakleigh Street entrance. Some parts of the park do not allow dogs such as the farmland, so please adhere to specific dog signage.

Download the park brochure

Belmont Regional Park brochure

Read more here

Published 18 Jan 2022

Download now (PDF 1.9 MB)

Getting there

By public transport

Take the 145 bus from Melling Station to Hill Road (Mon-Sat). Head to Metlink to plan your journey:

By bike

Plan your route from the Hutt River Trail or Hutt Valley train line with the Hutt Valley cycle map.

Hutt Valley Cycle Map 2021 | Ko te Mahere Pahikara o Te Awakairangi 2021

Bike network of the Greater Wellington region - Ko ngā ara Pahikara o Pōneke Nui Tonu Read more here

Published 06 Apr 2022

Download now (PDF 14 MB)

By car

Belmont is our largest park and has the most entrances so you can access it from wherever is closest to you.

From Lower Hutt - Park up at Oakleigh Street and walk to experience the beautiful Korokoro Dam
From Upper Hutt - Dry Creek has a great camping spot
From Porirua - The Cannons Creek entrance provides you walking access to fantastic viewing points over the Transmission Gully motorway construction

Updated July 3, 2024 at 4:22 PM

Get in touch

Phone:: 0800496734
Email:: info@gw.govt.nz

Belmont Regional Park

Haere mai, welcome to Belmont Regional Park

Opening hours

Activities

Activities

addWalking and hiking

addMountain biking

addDog walking

addHorse riding

addCamping

addPicnics

addVolunteering

addFlying drones/ UAVs

addAccommodation

Description

Know before you go

Download the park brochure

Belmont Regional Park brochure

Getting there

By public transport

By bike

Hutt Valley Cycle Map 2021 | Ko te Mahere Pahikara o Te Awakairangi 2021

By car

Get in touch

Walking and hiking

Mountain biking

Dog walking

Horse riding

Camping

Picnics

Volunteering

Flying drones/ UAVs

Accommodation