Peel Forest Park Scenic Reserve covers an impressive 4,077 hectares in the Southern Alps' foothills on the Rangitata River's west side in South Canterbury. The reserve includes Little Mount Peel / Huatekerekere, Middle Mount Peel, and part of the Tara Haoa Range. It offers a range of excellent tracks, from easy forest walks to waterfalls to more substantial hiking and tramping options.
The area has a rich history, with the forest surviving large-scale burn-offs around 800 to 1,000 years ago that were likely caused by the long-term drying out of the Canterbury Plains and early Māori activities. For Māori, the area is connected to a disastrous stormy voyage of the walka Te Ārai-Te-Uru, which resulted in Māori settlement and the naming of many local features.
Early European settlers Francis Jollie, John Acland and Charles Tripp established large sheep runs in the 1850s. The local community began to grow in the 1850s with the rise of the timber industry, which nearly decimated the forest. However, a visiting British MP, Arthur Mills, was appalled by the devastation and purchased 16 hectares of virgin ancient forest in 1881, which would later become the park's foundation.
Today, visitors can enjoy a campsite and a variety of walks and hikes in the reserve. The Kahikatea Walk is an easy 1.9 km loop that passes through regrowth forest and features boardwalks over wetland areas. The Big Tree Walk is a short but impressive 870-meter loop that provides access to some of the best ancient trees in New Zealand, including massive mataī, kahikatea, and tōtara.
Other notable tracks include the Acland Falls Track, named after early settler John Acland, which leads to the 14-meter Acland Falls, and the Emily Falls Track, named after Emily Acland, which climbs through beautiful native tree fuchsia to reach the 13-meter Emily Falls. With its stunning scenery, rich history, and diverse walking tracks, Peel Forest Park Scenic Reserve is a must-visit destination for nature lovers and history buffs.
Kahikatea Walk
The Kahikatea Walk is a flat, easy 1.9 km loop track that takes about an hour to complete. It runs between Te Wanahu Flat in the Peel Forest and Clarke Flat campground beside the Rangitata River. The track passes through regrowth forests with some mature trees that avoid being logged and features boardwalks over wetland areas.
Along the way, you'll see old signposted saw pits where trees were historically cut and milled on site. The regrowth forest is all that remains of the original Kahikatea swamp forest. In the spring, kowhai trees along the margins provide extra pops of colour.
Big Tree Walk
The Big Tree Walk is an easy but impressive 15-minute, 870-meter loop that starts and ends at Te Wanahu Flat. It provides access to some of the best ancient trees in New Zealand, including massive mataī, kahikatea, and tōtara, some estimated to be around 1,000 years old. The largest is a lowland tōtara, nearly 3 meters in diameter.
The track has a modest climb with steps on one side, passing several giant ancient trees. The other side is a mostly straight section with remnants of old bush tramways used to haul logs. Informative panels describe some of the notable trees along the route.
Acland Falls Track
Named after early settler John Acland, the Acland Falls Track begins at the northwest corner of Te Wanahu Flat. The track climbs steeply for 120 meters through regrowth forest, then drops more gently for 60 meters to a stream. A short walk up the stream bed leads to the 14-meter Acland Falls.
The 1 km (one-way) walk can be done as a loop by heading southeast from the falls to Cain Flat, then walking back down the road or connecting to the Kahikatea Walk. The entire loop takes about 30 minutes.
Emily Falls Track
The Emily Falls Track, named after Emily Acland, starts near the end of Blandswood Road in the Blandswood area of Peel Forest. The track climbs quickly for 90 meters to a ridge covered in beautiful native fuchsia trees, then drops down to cross Rata Stream.
It then follows along the edge of the stream gorge, crosses another stream, and climbs a final set of steep steps to reach 13-meter Emily Falls. The falls have a good water flow and a pool at the base. The walk is 1.6 km each way, taking about 45 minutes in each direction.
