10 October 2026
Partly cloudy with the chance of a shower. Light winds.
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1 / 1Wellington City
Buchanan's Road Tramping Track
A scenic climb to Boulder Hill, starting at the Kaitangata Crescent, Kelson entrance to the park. The track passes through regenerating scrub and native bush, giving good views of the Hutt Valley on the way and sweeping vistas of Porirua harbour from the peneplain fields at the top.
Distance
8.4 km
Walking time
3 hours 30 mins return
Difficulty
Intermediate
Dogs
Allowed — check local rules
Wheelchair access
Not marked friendly
Current status
Alerts and track conditions
No active alerts found. Conditions can still change, so check again before leaving.
Weather outlook
Wellington forecast
Issued 10 Oct 2026, 4:55 pm
11 October 2026
Showers, clearing to fine spells early afternoon, then clouding over towards evening with drizzle on the ranges. Northerlies.
12 October 2026
Mainly fine, isolated showers at night. Northerlies.
13 October 2026
Occasional rain. Northwesterlies.
14 October 2026
Rain becoming persistent in the morning. Northwesterlies.
Regional guidance only; elevation and terrain can produce different conditions.
Explore the area
Buchanan's Road Tramping Track on the map
See the full route on the map
Explore the track route and surrounding area before you set out.
About Buchanan's Road Tramping Track
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.
Essential information for Buchanan's Road Tramping Track
Farmed areas of the park will be closed for lambing and calving; including both sides of Transmission gully from the 20 August to 19 October 2018.No public access is permitted on tracks crossing farmland over this period. Please plan your trip to take account of the temporary closures.H ill Road, Belmont Road and Normandale Road will remain open through lambing and calving, all farmed areas adjacent to these road will be signed and closed for the lambing/calving period. Access across the Transmission Gully alignment is also closed for the forseeable future. Access points onto farm land will be signposted as closed. These include - Takapu Road, Boulder Hill, Upper Cannons Creek, Cannons Head, Belmont Trig/Cannons Head Track. For futher information please download maps West Belmont or East Belmont or call 0800 496 734. Dogs under control are allowed in the Korokoro, Stratton Street and Dry Creek Valleys. Dogs are not permitted on farmland. Permission is required for horse riding in the farming area. Please keep to the marked routes as you walk, cycle or ride in the farming areas. The park has moderately steep hills and is exposed on the tops to wind, rain and mist. Weather conditions can change quickly so please: check the weather forecast before your trip carry warm and waterproof clothing and enough food and drink for your trip carry sun protection plan your route and tell someone your intentions wear strong lace-up boots or walking shoes avoid streams during heavy rain
Getting there for Buchanan's Road Tramping Track
Via State Highway 2: Dry Creek via Hebden Crescent, near the SH2 and SH 58 (Haywards Hill) intersection. The park entrance is a 10-minute walk from Manor Park Station.
Helpful resources
Greater Wellington horse riding info Greater Wellington Belmont map This track is part of the Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa track database. Herenga ā Nuku has maps and advice about public access to the outdoors . We encourage you to continue gaining the skills and knowledge required for a safe trip. The NZ Mountain Safety Council has lots of free resources and information you can use. You can access them at www.mountainsafety.org.nz . We recommend trying these online learning tools: Trip Planning Tramping/field Skills Basic Navigation River Safety Additionally, check out the range of helpful videos available from the NZ Mountain Safety Council YouTube channel .
Before you walk Buchanan's Road Tramping Track
Track information, access and weather can change. Confirm current alerts and land-manager information close to departure, tell someone your plans, and carry equipment appropriate for the route and conditions.