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1 / 1Christchurch City
Christchurch 360 Trail
The Christchurch 360 Trail showcases the wonderful diversity of Christchurch, featuring not just the flora and fauna but also the historical, architectural, and cultural aspects of Christchurch. It is approximately 130km long, encircling the city of Christchurch.
Distance
142.8 km
Walking time
60 hours
Difficulty
Intermediate
Dogs
Not allowed
Wheelchair access
Not marked friendly
Current status
Alerts and track conditions
No active alerts found. Conditions can still change, so check again before leaving.
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Christchurch 360 Trail on the map
See the full route on the map
Explore the track route and surrounding area before you set out.
About Christchurch 360 Trail
The Christchurch 360 Trail is split into eight legs, each intended to be walkable in a single day. Nominally, the track starts and finishes on Summit Road, just below the upper Christchurch Gondola station on Mt. Cavendish, and runs anticlockwise around the city. If you want to start at a different location, do the trail clockwise, or only do parts of the trail that are most accessible to you, you can do this. We hope you enjoy the trail, or as much of it as you can do. The eight legs are: Godley Cliffs (ocean views from spectacular cliffs, historic military sites ) Estuary Marshes (Coastal Pathway alongside Ihutai / Estuary) Dunes Wetlands (world-renowned Travis Wetland / Ōruapaeroa) Brooklands Mouth (scenic coastal logoon) Waimakariri Braids (experience the mighty Waimakariri River) Avonhead Gardens (amazing native and exotic plants) Opawaho Divide (Christchurch's beautiful rivers, Ōpāwaho/Heathcote and Ōtākaro/Avon) Sugarloaf Hills (volcanic crags, expansive views across city and plains)
Essential information for Christchurch 360 Trail
The Chch360 comprises a network of trails through scenic reserves and urban green spaces. Some of these sections may occasionally be closed or difficult to access after extremely wet weather. There are parts of the trail where livestock are present, and parts that go through production forests, and this may, on some occasions, affect access. Please check both the Chch360 Trail website and Christchurch City Council website for up-to-date information on trail status. Dogs are allowed on the majority of the trail, only on a leash or under effective control. There are parts of the trail that are dog-free, usually for the protection of wildlife. These include Pūtaringamotu / Deans Bush, Ōruapaeroa / Travis Wetland and the Avon/Heathcote Estuary / Ihutai. Parts of the trail are wheelchair-accessible and pram-friendly, and some sections are suitable for biking. If you read up on our website, you will find out which parts are suitable and which are not.
Getting there for Christchurch 360 Trail
Christchurch is the South Island's largest, and New Zealand's second-largest city. The Christchurch 360 Trail is often referred to as NZ's first Urban Great Walk, recognising that the trail is to the natural and cultural urban environment what DOC's Great Walks are to NZ's back-country. Christchurch is a very accessible city - visitors arrive by road or by plane, and once here you will find it very easy to travel around, on foot or bicycle, on a bus or in a car. The Chch360 Trail is mostly accessible by roads and intersections with other trails/pathways, although some parts head into more remote territory (e.g. in the Port Hills and along the Waimakariri). Our website provides detailed descriptions of how to access various parts of the trail .
Helpful resources
Latest trail notices on Facebook 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 Christchurch 360 Trail
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.